The most important goal of computer security is to protect devices and information from unauthorized users. Computer security is a broad concept and applies to each of us. We’ve summarized the basics of computer security in our latest blog.
Three Tenets of Information Security
The principles of information security can be roughly divided into three sections: availability, confidentiality, and integrity. Availability is achieved when the information is available to the person concerned, regardless of the time. Confidentiality means that access to the information is restricted to those who have the rights to it and the data is not allowed to be passed on. Integrity means that the data must be up-to-date and integrity is maintained, for example through backups, so that the data is not destroyed as a result of a possible hardware failure.
Computer security subdivisions
In addition to the principles of information security, information security can be further divided into different areas. These eight areas are:
- administrative security ie the company’s internal security plan and policies
- physical security ie the protection of equipment against physical threats such as fire or theft
- hardware security ie who has access to and the right to use, for example, the company’s computers or printers, companies also usually keep record of these
- software security ie keeping the licenses and updates of hardware applications and software up to date
- the security of the data ie access to the data only by an authorized person
- telecommunications security ie the protection of information on the Internet and internal networks
- personnel security ie instructing the company’s employees on the company’s information security policies
- operational security ie securing the day-to-day operations of a company by keeping the systems up to date
What is the difference between computer security and data protection?
Data protection and computer security can often be confused, but data protection means protecting the privacy of an individual, for example when processing personal data. Computer security, in turn, protects this personal and other important information based on the principles mentioned earlier in the blog.
At MeKiwi, Ilkka Koiste is responsible for computer security issues and we handle our projects in accordance with good information security principles.