The protection of data against unauthorized access. Programs and data can be secured by issuing passwords and digital certificates to authorized users. However, passwords only validate that a correct number has been entered, not that it is the actual person. Digital certificates and biometric techniques (fingerprints, eyes, voice, etc.) provide a more secure method (see authentication). After a user has been authenticated, sensitive data can be encrypted to prevent eavesdropping (see cryptography).
Authorized Users Can Be the Most Dangerous
Although precautions can be taken to authenticate users, it is much more difficult to determine if an authorized employee is doing something malicious. Someone may have valid access to an account for updating, but determining whether phony numbers are being entered requires a great deal more processing. The bottom line is that effective security measures are always a balance between technology and personnel management. See Parkerian hexad, information assurance, security scan, security audit, audit trail, NCSC, ICSA, access control, share-level security, user-level security and social engineering.
Face Recognition
Face recognition is one of the best ways to authenticate a person. This TrueFace system from Miros uses neural network technology to distinguish a face with different appearances, such as with and without glasses and changing hair styles. (Image courtesy of Miros, Inc.)
Authorized Users Can Be the Most Dangerous
Although precautions can be taken to authenticate users, it is much more difficult to determine if an authorized employee is doing something malicious. Someone may have valid access to an account for updating, but determining whether phony numbers are being entered requires a great deal more processing. The bottom line is that effective security measures are always a balance between technology and personnel management. See Parkerian hexad, information assurance, security scan, security audit, audit trail, NCSC, ICSA, access control, share-level security, user-level security and social engineering.
Face Recognition
Face recognition is one of the best ways to authenticate a person. This TrueFace system from Miros uses neural network technology to distinguish a face with different appearances, such as with and without glasses and changing hair styles. (Image courtesy of Miros, Inc.)
 | Reproduced with permission from Computer Desktop Encyclopedia. Copyright (c) 1981-2009 The Computer Language Company Inc. All rights reserved. |
Additional Resources
- Dark Internet Fundamentals
- We all think we know the internet - the service that has magically transmitted these words from my keyboard to your eyeballs - but how much do you know of the fundamentals? As I wrote about last year, the plumbing of the internet...
- Blog posts 2009-11-29
- Does Chrome OS mean anything for schools?
- Benefits of the ChromeOS approachOne of the features of HTML5, that commentors on other posts seem to forget, is that HTML5 web apps can be "installed" in app cache, for offline use (Google "HTML5 manifest").If web apps can be used offline AND made to perform like desktop apps, with web...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-28
- Nsauditor 1.9.8 (Windows)
- Nsauditor Network Security Auditor is a network security software and vulnerability scanner that allows auditing and monitoring network computers for possible vulnerabilities, checking network for all potential methods that a hacker might use to attack it and create a report of potential problems that were found. Nsauditor is a complete...
- Software downloads 2009-11-28
- Document Trace Remover 3.5 (Windows)
- A leaked document can compromise trade secrets and threaten company security. But did you know that even a document that you send or publish may also contain sensitive information that may harm your privacy and company security? Every time you create a document in a Microsoft Office application such as...
- Software downloads 2009-11-26
- East Anglia: some new angles, but no arrests for hacking
- Investigation..."If the Republicans regain control of the Senate any time soon, you can expect a full-blown Inhofe-fuelled investigation."Horrors! Imagine that, someone actually wants to INVESTIGATE to see if the "science" of global warming holds water pardon the pun? You mean people actually want to KNOW if these drastic changes to...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-25
- Convert to PDF 1.0.004 (Windows)
- Convert to PDF is an economical solution for creating high-quality PDF documents that are 100% Adobe compatible. Designed to work with any Windows program that can print, it gives you a virtually unlimited number of programs that can be used to create PDF documents. If you can print it, then...
- Software downloads 2009-11-25
- AllSecure 1.2.2 (Mac)
- Far more than just a password manager, AllSecure is the safest place to store all of your valuable information on your Mac. Government level AES-256 encryption ensures that your valuables stay out of reach from the most prying of eyes. Advanced security features including RAM scrubbing, cryptographically secure password generation,...
- Software downloads 2009-11-25
- Internet: A threat to government or the other way around? (Part 4)
- internet and governmentI'm glad I read this, it was interesting. Not as informative as it might have been - I would have liked to see some actual cases and decisions cited - but it raised interesting issues. However, what really struck me is that this article needs a good copy...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-23
- Exploit published for critical IE 7 zero-day flaw
- Do you mean:"The vulnerability was confirmed on fully patched Windows XP SP3 systems with Internet Explorer 6 and [b]7[/b]."Also how effective is the exploit with Protected Mode and limited user account usage? I'd like to see more information on how these two mitigation techniques work against exploits. I suspect the...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-23
- Beware business cloud dangers, says EU agency
- Spoken like someone without a clueBut then again, what can be expected from trolls anymore?Originality?Security & AccessGrant the LEAST amount of access for the end user.DENY then ALLOW, why would you open up Port 80 to the world if you only do business in the United States or local area...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-23
- Beware business cloud dangers, says EU agency
- Businesses should use caution when procuring cloud services, according to the European agency charged with promoting IT security good practice. Businesses should use caution when procuring cloud services, according to the European agency charged with promoting IT security good practice. The European Network and Information Security...
- News items 2009-11-23
- Second iPhone worm behaves like botnet
- A second iPhone exploit has been identified by security vendor F-Secure, which claims the new worm has botnet capability and is more threatening than its predecessor. A second iPhone exploit has been identified by security vendor F-Secure, which claims the new worm has botnet capability and is more threatening...
- News items 2009-11-23
- Schiller: App Store isn't broken
- The truth hurtsThe truth is consumer lacks the ability to make good decision regarding the security of their data. We are regularly tricked into click-installing things while surfing the web, download trojans and other malware, give out information over the phone that we shouldn't etc ... and we never...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-23
- A Chrome OS Video Tour
- Microsoft: Watch Out, We're Coming to Getcha!Open Source is like water, you can't stop it.Bwahahahahahhhhhhhhhh................Man this OS is a POS.There is nothing this OS can do that I can't do already with Windows 7. It looks like a piece of crap and I really wanted to give Google the...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-23
- Access Password by Thegrideon Software 3.0 (Windows)
- Access Password is MS Access database password recovery tool. With this tool you can recover your database password, user-level security records logins and passwords, users and groups IDs. Access Password recovers MS Access user logins and passwords from Workgroup information files (*.mdw, system.mdw). This tool allows you to recover database...
- Software downloads 2009-11-23
- 1Password 3.0.1 (Mac)
- 1Password is a Password Manager that uniquely brings you both Security and Convenience. It is the only program that provides Anti-Phishing protection and goes beyond password management by adding Web Form Filling and Automatic Strong Password Generation. All your confidential information, including passwords, identities, and credit cards, is kept in...
- Software downloads 2009-11-23
- Paying for what does not work remains popular
- We are already there, DanaYou said "But at some point your neighbors, who are paying for your excess, whether in the form of insurance or in the form of taxes, are going to start asking these hard questions"We are already there. I agree with you that many of us...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-20
- Internet: A threat to government or the other way around?
- The Kleptocrats that feel entitled to your money...worry that us mushrooms now have other uncontrollable sources for the "truth" and won't eat the horse compost fed to them by the monopolistic crony Main-stream Media.RE: Internet: A threat to government or the other way around?There are two things tyrants and bureaucrats...
- Discussion threads 2009-11-20
- Cisco launches iPhone security app
- Cisco is offering a free iPhone app that will allow people to get customized alerts on new security threats and other information for safe web browsing. Cisco is offering a free iPhone app that will allow people to get customized alerts on new security threats and other information for...
- News items 2009-11-20
- TechWriter for Databases 2009 (Windows)
- One of the Adivo Successful Documentation Generators, TechWriter for Databases is a Windows application that generates documentation for database tables, views, functions and procedures. It supports Access, SQL Server and Oracle. TechWriter automatically generates the documentation for your database. By collecting information about the tables, views and procedures directly from...
- Software downloads 2009-11-20
Neighboring Terms
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online - Free Six-Month Trial for Eligible Organizations
-
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides fast online access, simple contact management and better sales performance for a low monthly cost - the best value on the market today.
- Learn more about the free, six-month trial offer>>
- New Online Dashboard for IT Leaders
-
Read about top issues IT decision-makers face every day, plus get cost-effective solutions to real-life IT problems.
- Learn more >>
- The more you simplify, the more you save
-
When you transition from your existing Red Hat environment to SUSE Linux Enterprise from Novell, you can recognize dramatic cost savings, perhaps as much 50%
- Learn more >>
-
-
Smart Tech
Expert advice on innovations in healthcare and the green technologies that make it happen.
Find out more
-
Smart Business
Discussion and advice on management issues that revolve around making your world smarter and more useful.
More Smart Advice
-
Smart People
The best and worst moves in the management and strategy trenches.
Learn More
