Introduction to Computer Security.

 A Definition of Computer Security

Introduction to computer Security
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Computer Security

The protection provided to an automated information system to achieve the appropriate objectives of maintaining the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of information system resources (including hardware, software, firmware, information/data, and telecommunications


This definition introduces three key objectives that are at the heart of computer security

Confidentiality: This term covers the two related concepts 

Data confidentiality: Ensures that private or confidential information is not made available or disclosed to unauthorized persons

Privacy Policy: ensures that individuals can control or influence what information is collected and stored about them, and by whom and with whom that information may be share


Integrity: This term covers the two related concepts

Data integrity: ensures that information and programs are only changed in a specified and authorized manner

System Integrity: ensures that a system is performing its intended function unimpeded, free from intentional or unintentional tampering with the syste

Availability: Ensures systems are up and running promptly and that authorized users are not denied service 


These three concepts form what is often referred to as the CIA triad. The three concepts embody basic security goals for data and information as well as for IT services. For example N

 RFC 2828 defines information as "facts and ideas that can be represented (encoded) as various forms of data" and data as "information in a specific physical representation, usually a sequence of symbols, carrying a meaning; specifically a Representation of information that can be processed or produced by a computer

FIPS 199 (Federal Information Security Categorization Standards and Information Systems) lists confidentiality, integrity and availability as the three security objectives for information and  information systems. FIPS PUB 199 provides a useful characterization of these three objectives in terms of requirements and the definition of a  security breach in each catego


Confidentiality: Upholding authorized restrictions on access and disclosure of information, including means of protecting  privacy and proprietary information. A breach of confidentiality is the unauthorized disclosure of informat

Integrity: Protecting against improper alteration or destruction of information, including ensuring the non-repudiation and authenticity of information. A loss of integrity is the unauthorized alteration or destruction of informati

Availability: Ensure timely and reliable access  and use of information. A loss of availability is the interruption of access to or use of information or an information syst


Although the CIA's use of the  triad to define security objectives is well established, some in the security community feel that additional concepts are needed to paint a complete picture. Two of the most frequently mentioned are the followin

Authenticity: The quality of being genuine and verifiable and trustworthy; Confidence in the validity of a transmission, a message, or the originator of the message. This means verifying that users are who they say they are and that any input that goes into the system is from a trusted sourc

Accountability: The security goal that drives the requirement that an entity's actions be traced back only to that entity. This supports non-repudiation, deterrence, fault isolation, intrusion detection and prevention, and recovery from action and legal action. Since truly secure systems are not yet an achievable goal, we need to be able to trace a security breach back to the perpetrator. Systems must keep logs of their activities so that later forensics can track security breaches or help with transaction disput


Note that FIPS PUB 199 includes authenticity under integrit




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