Importance of Security in Computer System

Since the beginning of time, technology has helped us out as a

human race. From the invention of the wheel to the Internet,

technology has been a great factor in the way our civilization has

grown. With more and more technological advances just around the

corner, our civilization will continue to grow faster and faster than

ever before. Many different areas, such as healthcare, mass media,

transport, education, medicine, include using technologies of all kinds

that guarantee the proper functioning of each field.

Computers run a very significant role in this millennium. They

can make everyday life easier for people from all walks of life. The

invention of computer and its subsequent use has helped in making

the dreams of many people come into the realization and it is almost

impossible to imagine what our lives would be like without the

computer. This famous technology has become a household name and

helps us to do our tasks quicker.

According to GCF Global, a computer is an electronic device

that manipulates information, or data. It has the ability to store,

retrieve, and process data. It responds to a specific set of instructions

in a well-defined manner and it can execute a prerecorded list of

instructions (a program). You may already know that you can use a

computer to type documents, send email, play games, and browse the

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Web. You can also use it to edit or create spreadsheets, presentations,

and even videos.

The Internet has transformed our lives in many good ways.

Unfortunately, this vast network and its associated technologies also

have brought in their wake, the increasing number of security threats.

The most effective way to protect your computer from these threats

and attacks is to be aware of standard cybersecurity practices.

Computer security basically is the protection of computer systems and

information from harm, theft, and unauthorized use. It is the process

of preventing and detecting unauthorized use of your computer

system Computer security can be defined as controls that are put in

place to provide confidentiality, integrity, and availability for all

components of computer systems. The components of a computer

system that needs to be protected are: hardware, firmware and

software. Hardware is the physical part of the computer, like the

system memory and disk drive. While the firmware is the permanent

software that is etched into a hardware device’s nonvolatile memory

and is mostly invisible to the user. Lastly, software can be defined as

the programming that offers services, like operating system, word

processor, internet browser to the user. [ CITATION Arc19 \l 1033 ]

In recent years, headlines about cyber security have become

increasingly commonplace. Thieves steal customer social security

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numbers from big corporations' computer systems. Unscrupulous

hackers grab passwords and personal information from social media

sites, or pluck company secrets from the cloud. For companies of all

sizes, keeping information safe is a growing concern. Getting hacked

isn't just a direct threat to the confidential data companies need. It

can also ruin their relationships with customers, and even place them

in significant legal jeopardy. With new technology, from self-driving

cars to internet-enabled home security systems, the dangers of

cybercrime become even more serious. [ CITATION Dal18 \l 1033 ]

Information theft is the most expensive and fastest growing

segment of cybercrime. Largely driven by the increasing exposure of

identity information to the web via cloud services. But it is not the

only target. Industrial controls that manage power grids and other

infrastructure can be disrupted or destroyed. And identity theft isn't

the only goal, cyber-attacks may aim to compromise data integrity

(destroy or change data) to breed distrust in an organization or

government. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated,

changing what they target, how they affect organizations and their

methods of attack for different security systems. Cyber threats can

come from any level of your organization. You must educate your staff

about simple social engineering scams like phishing and more

sophisticated cybersecurity attacks like ransomware (think

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WannaCry) or other malware designed to steal intellectual property or

personal data.[ CITATION Abi20 \l 1033 ]

Due to the above mentioned scenarios, the demand of the

computer security (also known as the IT security and cyber security)

is on rise. Fundamentally, our society is more technologically reliant

than ever before and there is no sign that this trend will slow.

Personal data that could result in identity theft is now posted to the

public on our social media accounts. Sensitive information like social

security numbers, credit card information and bank account details

are now stored in cloud storage services.

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