Importance of Computer Security

by John Urquiaga The Computer Repair Guru

Computer Security is becoming more important due to increased reliance on computer systems, the Internet and wireless network standards such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and due to the growth of “smart” devices, including smartphones, televisions, and the various devices that constitute the “Internet of things”. Owing to its complexity, both in terms of politics and technology, cybersecurity is also one of the major challenges in the contemporary world.
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 yourself from these threats and attacks is to be aware of standard cybersecurity practices.

This article on “ Importance of Computer Security?” presents an introduction to computer security and its key concepts.

What is computer security?

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.

Often people confuse computer security with other related terms like information security and cybersecurity. One way to ascertain the similarities and differences among these terms is by asking what is being secured. For example,

Information security is securing information from unauthorized access, modification & deletion
Computer Security means securing a standalone machine by keeping it updated and patched
Cybersecurity is defined as protecting computer systems, which communicate over the computer networks

It’s important to understand the distinction between these words, though there isn’t necessarily a clear consensus on the meanings and the degree to which they overlap or are interchangeable.

Computer security threats

Computer security threats are possible dangers that can possibly hamper the normal functioning of your computer. In the present age, cyber threats are constantly increasing as the world is going digital. The most harmful types of computer security are:

Viruses

Virus - What is Computer Security?- edureka

A computer virus is a malicious program that is loaded into the user’s computer without the user’s knowledge. It replicates itself and infects the files and programs on the user’s PC. The ultimate goal of a virus is to ensure that the victim’s computer will never be able to operate properly or even at all.

virus & spyware removal can be done remotely by companies like The Computer Repair Guru

Computer Worm

worm - What is Computer Security? - Edureka

A computer worm is a software program that can copy itself from one computer to another, without human interaction. The potential risk here is that it will use up your computer hard disk space because a worm can replicate in great volume and with great speed.

Phishing

email - What is Computer Security? - Edureka

Disguising as a trustworthy person or business, phishers attempt to steal sensitive financial or personal information through fraudulent email or instant messages. Phishing is unfortunately very easy to execute. You are deluded into thinking it’s the legitimate mail and you may enter your personal information.

Botnet

A botnet is a group of computers connected to the internet, that have been compromised by a hacker using a computer virus. An individual computer is called ‘zombie computer’. The result of this threat is the victim’s computer, which is the bot will be used for malicious activities and for a larger scale attack like DDoS.

Rootkit

A rootkit is a computer program designed to provide continued privileged access to a computer while actively hiding its presence. Once a rootkit has been installed, the controller of the rootkit will be able to remotely execute files and change system configurations on the host machine.

Keylogger

Also known as a keystroke logger, keyloggers can track the real-time activity of a user on his computer. It keeps a record of all the keystrokes made by using the keyboard. Keylogger is also a very powerful threat to steal people’s login credentials such as username and password.

These are perhaps the most common security threats that you’ll come across. Apart from these, there are others like spyware, wabbits, scareware, bluesnarfing and many more. Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself against these attacks. The Computer Repair Guru can Help!

Computer Security Practices

Computer security threats are becoming relentlessly inventive these days. There is much need for one to arm oneself with information and resources to safeguard against these complex and growing computer security threats and stay safe online. Some preventive steps you can take include:

Secure your computer physically by:
- Installing reliable, reputable security and anti-virus software
- Activating your firewall, because a firewall acts as a security guard between the internet and your local area network
Stay up-to-date on the latest software and news surrounding your devices and perform software updates as soon as they become available
Avoid clicking on email attachments unless you know the source
Change passwords regularly, using a unique combination of numbers, letters and case types
Use the internet with caution and ignore pop-ups, drive-by downloads while surfing
Taking the time to research the basic aspects of computer security and educate yourself on evolving cyber-threats
Call The Computer Repair Guru to run system scans and create a periodic system backup schedule to ensure your data is retrievable should something happen to your computer.

Apart from these, there are many ways you can protect your computer system. Aspects such as encryption and online computer repair can assist in protecting your computers and their files.

Unfortunately, the number of cyber threats is increasing at a rapid pace and more sophisticated attacks are emerging. So, having a good online computer repair services will allow you to protect your computer against ever-evolving cyber threats.