9/21/2020 Chapter 8 – Security and Ethics – Computer Science IGCSE

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Chapter 8 – Security and Ethics

Security and data intergrity:

Malware

Malware is an abbreviated term meaning “malicious software.” This is software that is specifically
designed to gain access or damage a computer without the knowledge of the owner. There are various
types of malware including spyware, keyloggers, true viruses, worms, or any type of malicious code that
infiltrates a computer. Image result for malware

The effects of a ack:

Slows down computer

Causes the computer to send error messages continuously
Spam texts
Sending emails you didn’t write to random people discrediting you or your company
gives control to the a acker

Prevention methods:

use antivirus and keep it up to date

scan your PC regularly
use multiple strong passwords
have backup files
don’t use open wifi

Phishing

Phishing involves sending emails that appear to come from reliable sources (such as banks) and that try
to get users to reveal confidential banking information, which is then used fraudulently.

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9/21/2020 Chapter 8 – Security and Ethics – Computer Science IGCSE

The effects of a ack:

Data being stolen

Loss of productivity
Excessive resource consumption on corporate networks

Prevention methods:

Have an antivirus program installed and up-to-date which includes a spam filter.
Any Panda Security solution will keep your inbox free from phishing messages.

Pharming

Pharming is a cyber a ack intended to redirect a website’s traffic to another, fake site. Pharming can be
conducted either by changing the hosts file on a victim’s computer or by exploitation of a vulnerability
in DNS server software. Image result for pharming

The effects of a ack:

The improved version of phishing a acks

large amount of website visitor traffic can be hijacked
potential damages can be significantly more devastating than phishing a acks that depend on
victims responding to a targeted email message.

Prevention methods:

Check the URL on sites you visit to make sure they’re correct.
Use a trustworthy ISP and be smart about the websites you visit.
Use security software to ensure the sites you visit are trustworthy.

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9/21/2020 Chapter 8 – Security and Ethics – Computer Science IGCSE

Denial Of Service attacks

Denial of service a ack is a cyber a ack where the perpetrator seeks to make a machine or network
resource unavailable to its intended users by temporarily or indefinitely disrupting services of a host
connected to the Internet.

The effects of a ack:

revenue lost: Downtime affects your bo om line. Based on industry surveys, the average cost of
downtime is $5,600/minute, or over $300K/hour.
loss of productivity
waste of time
theft of information

Prevention methods:

Easy installation on Apache and IIS servers

Strong security against known and emerging hacking a acks
Interface and API for managing multiple servers with ease
Requires no additional hardware, and easily scales with your business

Wardriving

It refers to hackers driving around with laptops or mobile devices connected to high-powered antennas,
scanning for unlocked (i.e., no password needed for access) or poorly protected networks.

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9/21/2020 Chapter 8 – Security and Ethics – Computer Science IGCSE

The effects of a ack:

installing malware onto systems or surreptitiously search the computers and devices connected to
the network for personal, company and financial data, log in credentials, passwords, etc.
steal online banking log in information and then using it to transfer or withdraw funds from the
company’s accounts.

Prevention methods:

Some businesses don’t actually need a wireless network so a wire-connected network with cables
connecting each individual computer to the network and Internet will protect the system against
wardriving.

Spyware

Spyware is software that enables a user to obtain covert information about another’s computer activities
by transmi ing data covertly from their hard drive.

Image result for spyware

The effects of a ack:

Slow down computers

Computer crash (is not designed to be efficient and errors in the software)

Prevention methods:

Be selective about what you download to your computer

Reading license agreements
Watch out for anti-spyware scams.
Beware of clickable advertisements.
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9/21/2020 Chapter 8 – Security and Ethics – Computer Science IGCSE

Keylogging

Keylogging is the use of a computer program to record every keystroke made by a computer user,
especially in order to gain fraudulent access to passwords and other confidential information.

The effects of a ack:

keyloggers can monitor everything we type on keyboards

voice and video recording from computer’s microphone and webcam
browsing activity

Prevention methods:

Scan your computer with antivirus app often

prevent downloading suspicious things on the internet
use linux
virtual machine

Hacking

Hacking is breaking into someone else’s computer system to steal personal data without the owner’s
knowledge.

The effects of a ack:

access to sensitive information

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9/21/2020 Chapter 8 – Security and Ethics – Computer Science IGCSE

identity theft
email access
destroys website security

Prevention methods:

never open a achments from people you don’t know.

create stronger passwords
different passwords for different websites.
be suspicious of your email (i.e. who is it from, the purpose of the email)

Cracking

Cracking is different to hacking, Cracking is where someone edits a program source code in a software
so that the code can be exploited or changed for a specific purpose. This is usually done to hurt someone
while hacking sometimes is not to hurt someone.

The effects of a ack:

access to sensitive information

identity theft
email access
destroys website security
change in program of application or webpage

Prevention methods:

Same as hacking.

Free software, freeware and shareware:

Free software

It is the software where people have the freedom to run, copy, and edit the software. This is a non
profitable enterprise. An example of this is

Freeware

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9/21/2020 Chapter 8 – Security and Ethics – Computer Science IGCSE

Freeware is a software a user can download from the internet free of charge. Once downloaded, there are
no fees associated with the software. (eg. Skype)

Shareware

This is a software which allows the user to download without cost for a set amount of time to test the
product. After the deadline had past, it asks the user to register to their product (cash needed) and if the
user refuses then the product won’t be working on their device anymore.

This is a video I found created by Liam McQuay about computer ethics:

IGCSE Computer Science Tutorial: 1.2.2 – Securi…

Securi…

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

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