‘Computer Security’ by Time Life Books The book Computer Security written by Time Life Books, explains what computer security is, how it works, and how it affects peoples lives. Without computer security peoples private information can be stolen right off their computer. Computer security is exactly what it sounds like. It is security on a computer to prevent people from accessing a computer. It is very difficult to secure a computer for a computer is like a mechanical human brain and if one hasa real human brain they can operate it.
In other words if one knows how a computer works they can make it work. If they do not then they cannot do anything at all. This is what computer security is meant to do. It is done by making it only possible for someone to access a computer by using a password or by locking it up. Computer security works by many ways of password use or by locking it up. The password method is enforced by prompting a computer user to enter a password before they can access any programs or information already contained within the computer.
Another password security method would be to have the computer user carry a digital screen that fits in your pocket. This digital screen receives an encrypted message and displays numbers that change every few minutes. These numbers make the password one needs for the next few minutes in order to access the computer. This password method is somewhat new. It is also better, for the previous password method is not totally fool proof. This is because the passwords are stored in the computer and if a computer literate person was to access this information, they could get into a computer and enter it looking asif they were someone else for they have obtained someone else’s password.
Inthe future when technology increasingly gets better there are possibilities that computer could use you hand, inner eye, or voice print. Currently these methods are not used but they are right around the corner. The only other way to absolutely secure a computer would be to lock it up but with computer networks these days that cannot be easily done unless dealing with a single personal computer. Computer security has become such a big issue due to the huge amount of loss in profits by businesses. This happens because the computers were not totally secure from unwanted visitors. An example of how this could happen is a big business was to spend millions of dollars on research and development that would only stolen by another to profit themselves.
Businesses lose three hundred million to about five billion dollars yearly due to these computer criminals called hackers or computer information thieves. Computer security has come a long way since the creation of computers. But still we cannot fully believe our computers are fully secure and safe from unwanted snoopers. Computer security is very hard to create presently for anyone can get in if they know what to do. Right now what to do is easy but if you need someone’s hand to get in a computer that may be a little more difficult.