Using Information Technology

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Using Information Technology

• Chapter 9
• The Challenges of the Digital Age

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The Challenges of the Digital Age Society
Information Technology Today

• 9.1 Security Issues Threats to Computers
  Communications Systems
• 9.2 Security Safeguarding Computers
  Communications
• 9.3 Quality-of-Life Issues The Environment,
  Mental Health, the Workplace
• 9.4 Economic Issues Employment the
  Haves/Have-Nots
• 9.5 The Digital Environment Is There a Grand
  Design?

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9.1 Security Issues Threats to Computers
Communications Systems

• Errors Accidents
• Human errors
• Procedural errors
• Software errors
• Electromechanical problems
• Dirty data problems

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Natural Other Hazards

• Natural hazards
• Civil strife and terrorism

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Crimes Against Computers Communications

• Theft of hardware
• Theft of software and music
• Theft of time and services
• Theft of information
• Crimes of malice and destruction

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Crimes Using Computers Communications

• Production of counterfeit money
• Investment schemes
• Child pornography
• Steganography

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Worms Viruses

• Worm - a program that copies itself repeatedly
  into a computers memory or onto a disk drive
• Virus - a deviant program, stored on a computer
  hard drive, that can cause unexpected and often
  undesirable effects, such as destroying or
  corrupting data
• Anti-virus software - programs that scan a
  computers hard disk, floppy disks, and main
  memory to detect viruses and, sometimes, to
  destroy them

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Computer Criminals

• Employees - 80 of all computer criminals!
• Outside users
• Hackers
• Crackers
• Professional criminals

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9.2 Security Safeguarding Computers
CommunicationsIdentification Access

• What you have
• What you know
• Who you are

• Cards
• Keys
• Signatures
• Badges

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Identification Access

• What you have
• What you know
• Who you are

• PIN (personal identification number) - the
  security number known only to you that is
  required to access the system
• Password - a special word, code, or symbol
  required to access a computer system

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Identification Access

• What you have
• What you know
• Who you are
• Biometrics - science of measuring individual body
  characteristics

Fingerprint check
Iris scan
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Encryption

• Encryption - the altering of data so it is not
  usable unless the changes are undone
• PGP - Pretty Good Privacy, a practically
  unbreakable encryption program
• DES - Data Encryption Standard, a federal
  standard adopted in 1976

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Protection of Software Data

• Control of access - restrict access to data files
  to those with a need to know
• Audit controls - tracking which programs and
  servers have been used, which files have been
  opened, etc.
• People controls - check resumé facts prevent
  employee wandering within work site shred
  papers etc.

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Disaster-Recovery Plan

• Disaster-recovery plan - a method of restoring
  information processing operations that have been
  halted by destruction or accident
• Among the countless lessons that computer users
  have absorbed in the hours, days, and weeks after
  the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the most
  enduring may be the need to have a
  disaster-recovery plan.
• --New York Times reporter John Holusha

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9.3 Quality-of-Life Issues The Environment,
Mental Health, the Workplace

• Environmental problems
• Manufacturing by-products
• Disposal by-products
• Electricity demand
• Environmental blight

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Mental-Health Problems

• Isolation
• Gambling
• Stress
• Internet addiction/dependency

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Workplace Problems Impediments to Productivity

• Misuse of technology
• Fussing with computers
• Information overload

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9.4 Economic Issues Employment the
Haves/Have-Nots

• Technology, the Job Killer?
• Gap between Rich Poor

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9.5 The Digital Environment Is There a Grand
Design?

• The National Information Infrastructure
• VBNS
• Internet2

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The Digital Environment Is There a Grand Design?

• Next Generation Internet
• 1996 Telecommunications Act
• 1997 White House Plan for Internet Commerce
• ICANN