Computer Security

Learning outcomes

• Investigate the importance of

computer safety
• Identify measures to protect
data security
• Differentiate between data
security and data integrity
• Keeping data safe is very important for many
reasons. There can be very confidential details
that people want to keep safe. Passwords should
be complex, different and shouldn’t be meaningful.
It should be irrelevant.

• Data can be corrupted or deleted either through

accidental or through malicious act such as
hacking.
• Computer security involves protecting:
– information, hardware and software
– from unauthorized use and damage and
– from sabotage and natural disasters
– perhaps patenting

Patent is the right from the government

authorities to produce and sell something for a
certain number of years without anyone
copying it. For example, a protection against
copying the production method used to
create M&Ms etc.
Measures to Protect
Computer Security
• Restricting access both to the hardware
locations and into the system itself (over the
network) using firewalls
• Implementing a plan to prevent break-ins
• Changing passwords frequently
• Making backup copies
• Using anti-virus software
• Encrypting data to frustrate interception
• Anticipating disasters (disaster recovery
plan)
• Hiring trustworthy employees
 Data Integrity
• Data integrity is not to be confused with
data security. Data security refers to the
protection of data, while data integrity
refers to the trustworthiness of data.
• Data security focuses on how to minimize
the risk of leaking sensitive information,
business documents, healthcare data,
emails, trade secrets, and more.
Whereas Data integrity refers to the
quality of data, which assures the data is
complete and has a whole structure.
 Data Integrity Threats
• Data integrity can be compromised through human
error or, worse yet, through malicious acts. Data
that’s accidentally altered during the transfer from
one device to another, for example, can be
compromised, or even destroyed by hackers.

• Common threats that can alter the state of data

integrity include:
• Human error
• Unintended transfer errors
• Misconfigurations and security errors
• Malware, insider threats, and cyberattacks
• Compromised hardware
• So how do you know when your data has integrity?
 Group Activity
Use a Padlet wall and ask the
students to write differences
between data security and data
integrity. Encourage them to
support their answers with
relevant pictures and examples.
 Plenary

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