Post # 6 - Network Security

Computer Threats

The first type of computer vulnerability is when there are holes in a computer's security system. One type of computer security hole can be found in file saving cloud software. If a computer has been breached through the cloud software hackers can install malware, spyware, or steal his or her files. There are two ways to aid and improve computer security when using cloud software is with Pythia and honey words. According to Aikat and his fellow researchers, Pythia allows a cloud operator to harden passwords on an application server, preventing breaches in security (2017). The other method is to use honey words which are fake but plausible-looking passwords. The honey word system involves the user storing passwords in their database containing not only the real password but several fake passwords as well.

Another way hackers can damage a computer is through computer viruses. The most common type of computer virus that can harm computers is malicious software or “malware.” Malware includes Trojan horses, spyware, adware, worms and other types of viruses (Guo, Cheng, & Kelley, 2016). Worms and viruses are the most common types of software/network threats to computers because of the fast replication of malware. When a computer is hit with a virus it is very hard to get rid of it and can cause the user to lose all data or shut the computer down completely. One way to prevent viruses from infecting the user’s computer is by installing virus protection software such as McAfee or Avast. Another way to prevent viruses is by installing a VPN that can move your IP address anytime you connect to the internet server.

References:

Aikat, J., Akella, A., Chase, J. S., Juels, A., Reiter, M. K., Ristenpart, T., … Swift, M. (2017). Rethinking Security in the Era of Cloud Computing. IEEE Security & Privacy Magazine, 15(3), 60.

Guo, H., Cheng, H. K., & Kelley, K. (2016). Impact of Network Structure on Malware Propagation: A Growth Curve Perspective. Journal of Management Information Systems, 33(1), 296–325.

Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2017). Computing technology for all. Retrieved from zybooks.zyante.com/