Protection of Data (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE ICT)
Revision Note
Protection of Data
How can data be kept securely?
Data can be held securely by storing it in an encrypted format and ensuring authentication is being used
This goes a long way to ensuring that only trusted sources can access the data
There are a number of ways to store data securely, these include:
Biometrics
Digital certificate
Secure socket layer (SSL)
Encryption
Firewall
Two-factor authentication
Usernames & passwords
Biometrics including the use of biometric data |
Digital certificate including its purpose and contents |
Secure socket layer (SSL) including encrypted links between the server and the client computer |
Encryption including its purpose for the protection of data on hard discs, email, cloud, HTTPS websites |
Firewall including its purpose |
Two-factor authentication including its purpose and function |
User id and password including how they are used to increase the security of data |
Biometrics
What are biometrics?
Biometrics are a way of authenticating a user by using their unique human characteristics
Some of the ways biometrics can be used are:
Fingerprint scans
Retina scans
Facial recognition
What are the benefits of using biometrics?
Biometric data is unique to the person and can not be copied, meaning that the data is always with the person
Passwords can be easily copied, forgotten, guessed or cracked
It is difficult to copy or forge biometric data
Biometrics eliminates the possibility of attacks such as shoulder surfing and key-logging software
Biometrics of a high degree of accuracy as there is no known way to copy a person's retina pattern for example
What are the drawbacks of using biometrics?
Collecting biometric data can be intrusive, for example, scanning eyes
Scans be not be recognised, an example of could be fingerprint scans with dirty hands
Retina and iris recognition is very expensive to install
Low light can provide an issue for facial recognition as well as hats and glasses
people may be uncomfortable having their most unique characteristics being stored in a database
Digital certificate
What is a digital certificate?
A digital certificate is a digital file used to prove who stores the public key
The public key works alongside a private key to encrypt and decrypt the data so that all content is secure
Digital certificates are given by trusted companies to ensure they are real and safe
What is included in a digital certificate?
Digital certificates contain a lot of information, some of this includes:
Public key: The key associated with the holder
Subject information: Details about the holder
Issuer information: This identifies the certificate authority (CA)
Validity period: The start and end date for the certificate to remain valid
Serial number: A unique number to identify the certificate
Signature algorithm: The algorithm used by the CA to sign the certificate
Digital signature: The CA's signature to prove the certificate was issued by them
Secure Socket Layer (SSL)
What is SSL?
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is a security protocol which is used to encrypt data transmitted over the internet
This helps to prevent eavesdropping and other forms of interception
SSL is widely used to protect online transactions, such as those involving credit card information or other sensitive data
It works by sending a digital certificate to the user’s browser
This contains the public key which can be used for authentication
Once the certificate is authenticated, the transaction will begin
Worked Example
(i) ) Identify a security solution that could be used to protect a computer from a computer virus, hacking and spyware.
Each security solution must be different
Threat | Security solution |
---|---|
Phishing | |
DDoS attack | |
Hacking |
[3]
(ii) Describe how each security solution you identified in (i) will help protect the computer.
[6]
Answers
(i)
Threat | Security solution |
---|---|
Phishing | Monitoring communication |
Brute force attack | Authentication |
Hacking | Firewall/Biometrics |
(ii) Two marks for each description
Monitoring communication
Checking for spelling & grammar errors
Reading tone, is the user being rushed? // is the user made to panic?
Authentication
Checks the user is they say they are
Captcha proves they are not a bot
Passwords lockout after a set number of attempts
Firewall
Monitors traffic coming into and out of the computer system
Checks that the traffic meets any criteria/rules set
Blocks any traffic that does not meet the criteria/rules set // set blacklist/whitelist
Biometrics
Data needed to enter is unique to individual
… therefore it is very difficult to replicate
Lock out after set number of attempts
Encryption
What is encryption?
Encryption is a method of converting plain text into ciphered text to be stored
Encryption uses complex mathematical algorithms to scramble the text
Asymmetric encryption, also known as private key, public key encryption is often used for web pages and other communication
What form of attack would this prevent?
Encryption plays a role in all forms of attack on a network
It is important to note that it does not prevent the attacks from occurring but it does stop the attacker from gaining access to the information
Firewall
What is a firewall?
A firewall is a barrier between a network and the internet
A firewall prevents unwanted traffic from entering a network by filtering requests to ensure they are legitimate
It can be both hardware and software and they are often used together to provide stronger security to a network
Hardware firewalls will protect the whole network and prevent unauthorised traffic
software firewalls will protect the individual devices on the network, monitoring the data going to and from each computer
What form of attack would this prevent?
Hackers
Malware
Unauthorised Access to a Network
DOS/DDOS attacks
Two-factor authentication
What is two-factor authentication (2FA)?
2FA is a security measure that requires users to provide two separate forms of identification to verify their identity
The purpose of 2FA is to add an extra layer of security beyond just a username and password
It usually involves a combination of something the user knows (password), something the user has such as a smartphone using SMS or an authenticator application
The two stages of two-factor authentications are:
the user enters a username and password / pin number
The user enters a 1 time unique pin number sent to their mobile device
Username & Password
What are passwords?
Passwords are a digital lock to prevent unauthorised access to an account
They are often stored as an encrypted/ciphered text entry in a database, ensuring that even with unauthorised access to a database, a hacker would not be able to gain access to the individual passwords of users
Strong passwords and regular password changes are important to maintain security
To maintain a strong password, it is recommended to use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters
What form of attack would this prevent?
Data Interception and Theft
Physical Security Issues
SQL Injection
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using passwords?
Advantages | Disadvantages |
---|---|
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