Information Technology

Topic: Data Security and Data Integrity Notes

DATA INTEGRITY AND SECURITY

Defn: Data integrity refers to the validity of data.

Data is said to have integrity if it is accurate and complete when it enters a system and does not
become inaccurate after further processing. Data integrity can be comprised in a number of
ways:
● Inaccurate data entry
● Viruses
● Hardware malfunctions
● Accidental or malicious deletion or changing of data
● Natural disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes

Data security is a method used to ensure that data maintains integrity. This usually involves:
physical safeguards and software safeguards.

Physical Safeguards (Restrictions)

This deals with the protection of hardware and software from accidental or malicious damage or
destruction. For instance:
1. Use of a monitoring system using video cameras
2. Security guards
3. Storing data in a fire/water proof safe
4. Storing data in another building or in another location
5. Distributing sensitive work to a number of employees rather than just one.

Software Safeguards (Restrictions)

This prevents unauthorised access to computer files. For instance:

1. Using passwords:
a. To access the system. A user would be required to enter a password or PIN (Personal
Identification Number) to gain access to the system.
b. For individual files within a system
2. Data Encryption: encoding (scrambling) data during storage or transmission so that it
cannot be understood by someone who does not have the encryption key (software to convert it
back to its original form).

3. Installing a Firewall. This is a program, hardware device or a combination of both

that filters the information coming in through the Internet connection to your
computer system or network. It prevents unauthorised users from gaining access.
Some firewalls protect systems from viruses and spam (electronic junk mail). Two
popular firewall software packages are
BlackIce Defender and Zone Alarm.

Reference
http://csecinfotech.pbworks.com/w/page/32732345/Lesson%204-6%3A%20Data%20Integrity
%20and%20Security

MISUSE OF INFORMATION

Organisations gather information from a wide variety of sources including employees, suppliers,
customers and competitors. When information is voluntarily provided to an organisation, it is
usually for a specific purpose, e.g. for hospitals, clinics, insurance agencies etc.

Measures should therefore be in place to ensure that information is not misused. However,
security breaches are common. Also, the use of information for purposes other than that which
it was originally intended for is also common. Some countries have legislation that seeks to
protect individuals from the potential misuse of information, such as:

1. Information should be used only for the purpose for which it was provided
2. The individual has the right to examine the contents of any personal record representing the
individual.
3. The information must be accurate.
4. Security measures must be put into place to protect information.
5. The privacy of the individual must be protected.
COMPUTER CRIMES

Computers have given employees new tools that makes their jobs easier and allowed them to
do things that was not possible before. Unfortunately, this is also true for criminals.

Defn: A computer crime is any illegal action where the data on a computer is accessed without
permission.

This access doesn't have to result in loss of data or even data modifications. The worst
computer crime occurs when there are no indications that data was accessed. Computer crime
is often committed by hackers and crackers, but increasingly organized crime groups have
realized the relative ease of stealing data with relative low-level of risk.

Defn: A hacker is a person who breaks into computers and computer networks, either for profit
or just to prove that they can.

Defn: A cracker is someone who breaks into someone else's computer system, often on a
network; bypasses passwords or licenses in computer programs.

Computer crimes include the following:

1. Unauthorised Access - This usually involves 'hacking' or 'cracking'. Some hackers see
their activities as a form of game-playing, where they try to match their skills against other
hackers, others have more destructive intentions such as breaking into an organisation's
computer system to commit acts like 'electronic vandalism' (e.g. deleting files, corrupting
software, and changing critical data).

2. Electronic Eavesdropping - This is the use of electronic devices to monitor electronic

communications between 2 or more groups without permission from either group. It includes
computer data communications, voice, fax, landlines and mobile phones (e.g. the wire-tapping
fiasco). This results in invasion of the privacy of individuals and organisations.
3. Industrial Espionage - Occurs when an organisation tries to gain an advantage on their
competitors by illegally gaining access to information about marketing strategies, research &
development, expansion plans etc. In the past, this was done by break-ins, illegal photograhing
of documents and insiders passing out information. Now it can be acheived by hacking into the
organisation's databases and viewing the informaiton.

4. Surveillance - Computer surveillance involves the use of technology to gather information

from the user and from the computer without the user's knowledge. This can result in : i. loss of
privacy of the user, ii. lack of security and iii. misuse of information (usually for monetary gain).
There are several techniques for surveillance:

a. Monitoring with utility software - all data that passes in and out of a network or an
individual's computer can be monitored. This is also known as 'packet sniffing', where a packet
is the message being checked. Messages can be monitored by utility software (such as Packet
Analyzer)or by using a computer on a network which can observe all packets passing through
the network.

b. Hardware devices - by use of devices called 'bugs' or a 'keystroke logger' which is

implanted into a keyboard.

c. Monitoring from a distance - done by the use of commercially available equipment which
can receive and process the radiation emittedby the monitor. Data being displayed on the
screen at the moment can then be observed without the knowledge of the user.

5. Copyright and Piracy

Defn: Copyright is the name given to the protection law of the rights of the person(s)
responsible for creating items such as text, a piece of music, a painting or a computer program.

Consider the application Microsoft Word, which was written and improved by hundreds of
programmers. If someone else were to copy the program code or steal it, it would be both
unfair and illegal. A copyright law (enforced by the Intellectual Properties Affairs office in a
country) would make it a criminal offence to be caught copying or stealing software.
Defn: Software piracy is the theft of computer programs and the unauthorised distribution and
use of these programs.

The main types of piracy include:

a. Copying software (and its packaging) to look like the original product
b. Copying and selling recordable CD-ROMs that contained pirated software
c. Downloading software from the Internet
d. Use of software on two or more computers on a network if the license does not allow it.

6. Propaganda - Propaganda is the manipulation of public opinion. It is generally carried out

through media that is capable of reaching a large amount of people and effectively persuading
them for or against a cause. Computer systems can distribute information in such a manner that
can be either beneficial or harmful material. An example of propaganda is using the Internet to
sway public support of one party group or another in an attempt to discredit the opposing
groups during an election (an electronic form of an election campaigns).

Reference http://csecinfotech.pbworks.com/w/page/32984615/Lesson%204-7%20%3A
%20Misuse%20of%20Information%20and%20Computer%20Crimes