Security risks and precautions
Computer systems are vulnerable to a range of security risks that can affect both individuals and businesses. These risks can lead to data loss, financial damage, and disruption of services. Laws and security measures exist to reduce these risks and protect systems and data.
Computer Misuse Act (1990)
The Computer Misuse Act 1990 makes it illegal to access or modify computer systems without permission. This includes unauthorised access, accessing systems to carry out further crimes, and modifying data or programs. These actions can lead to legal consequences.
Tracking cookies
Tracking cookies store information about a user’s browsing activity to personalise content and adverts. While useful for businesses, they can raise privacy concerns for individuals as personal data may be collected and used without full awareness.
Denial of service (DoS) attacks
A Denial of Service (DoS) attack floods a system with traffic, causing slow performance or complete unavailability. This disrupts users and businesses, can lead to lost revenue, and may be caused by bandwidth consumption, resource starvation, or DNS attacks for financial, political, or personal reasons.
Encryption
Encryption protects data by converting it into an unreadable format during transmission. Public and private keys are used to secure communication, while digital certificates verify identity and digital signatures ensure data has not been altered, helping to keep information secure.