Securing

Information
System
BUSA 345

Bernadette Jones
Spring 2017

Technology has evolved in so many ways over the years and we have become more

reliant on many different electronic devices. It has given the opportunity for many people to be

connected in some form as well as many businesses rely on technology for their daily business

operations. In order for these activities to be possible, we rely on access to the internet. In

doing so, we can sometimes be compromised when we do not take proper precautions to

prevent such crimes. We may become vulnerable to crimes such as hacking, viruses and

identity theft. In order to prevent the computer crimes, we need to make sure we have a

secured information system.

It is inevitable that we may get hacked once in our lifetime as we are consistently using

web servers. However, we may never know whether we have been compromised and I believe

that is the worst part about being hacked. There are two types of individuals associated with

hacking. There are those who are referred to as hackers and another referred to as crackers.

Hackers, the name first used in the 1960s, are individuals who are intelligent enough to gain

access to computer systems without your authorization. These individuals generally have the

desire to understand how programs, phone, or other systems run. Crackers, often referred to

as black hats, are individuals who breaks into your computer system with malicious intent or

to commit some type of crime. These malicious intent or crime can range from defacing Web

site for political or ideological gains, changing or stealing data and information. In todays

society, hackers and crackers are common in this day and age so we have to be aware of what

we do and how we access web servers.

There are many things better in life than to get a computer virus. Malware, which

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includes viruses, worms, and Trojan horses may do harm to a large extent. A virus is a

destructive program, disrupting the normal functions of computer systems and are among the

most virulent forms of computer infections. These can include causing your computer to crash

or deny service on a website. These have tremendous economic impacts on the world with

organizations spending billions of dollars to respond and enact countermeasures. With the rise

of smartphones and tablets, mobile malware is a new dimension of security we need to be

aware of. To keep up with evolving threats, antivirus Web vendors are constantly on lookout

for new forms monthly. There are many different types of malicious codes and they have the

ability to reproduce themselves. They generally infect a single computer but have the potential

to spread to other computers when the infected files are shared. They are most often spread

through infected e-mail attachments, sharing of removable media, or downloading infected

files from malicious Web sites. I feel many individuals are attached to their smartphones and

do a lot of business on them so it is just a matter of time one may be compromised.

There are also Trojan horses, another category for a destructive program. These appear

to be legitimate, benign programs, but are very destructive. They are unable to replicate

themselves like the virus but have the ability to give the creator unauthorized access to a

compromised system. Your computer may show no signs of an infected computer but the

intruder may be performing underlying functions that remain hidden. There are different

variations of bombs pertaining to Trojan horses. There are time bombs and logic bombs, which

are not self-replicating but they lie in wait for an unsuspecting computer user to perform a

triggering operation. Time bombs are set according to specific dates and logic bombs are set by

certain types of operations, such as entering specific information. Logic bombs are a type of

bomb that can be used as an advantage to a disgruntled employee, planting it in a company in

order to destroy files.

There is also a new type of malware called ransomware. This holds a users computer

hostage by locking and taking control of the computer. They are able to encrypt files or

documents while taking control of the users computer. These scammers are then able to

demand a ransom in order to unlock the computer or decrypt the files. The best safeguard to

prevent ransomware is to have backups.

Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in recent years. With the

advancement of technology and the internet giving more ways of access, identity theft has

become more prevalent. It is the act of stealing another persons Social Security number, credit

card number, and other personal information to borrow money, buy merchandise, and run up

debts. Thieves may even get access to withdraw money from victims bank accounts.

Accessible databases used by many government and private organizations give opportunity for

thieves to easily access the information. To avoid identity theft, use difficult questions other

than using your mothers maiden name or using your social security number as that

information may be easily accessible.

With computer crimes on the rise, we need to take extra precaution when accessing and

inputting important information. Simply just being aware of your surroundings when giving

important information to being selective on inputting information on websites are basic

prevention steps one can take. It is also important to stay up-to-date with antivirus softwares

and other malware programs. These few simple step can help reduce the chances of having

your computer being compromised and become infected with viruses, getting hacked, and

prevent identity theft.

Bibliography
Identity Theft. (n.d.). Retrieved 04 28, 2017, from USA.gov: https://www.usa.gov/identity-
theft#item-206114
Joseph Valacich, C. S. (2014). Information Systems Today: Managing in the Digital World (7th
ed.). Pearson Education.