In the information age that we live in, computers have become the primary working tool. We need computers for both work and leisurely reasons. No office block functions without computers, and PC’s and laptops have advanced so much that they perform functions that used to belong to TV’s, DVD player, internet browsing and hi-fi music systems. Subsequent to this development, systems security have become a fundamental part of the information age.
Simply put, computer system security are the means that are put in place to ensure that unauthorized people, unexpected happenings and activities do not tamper with computers and gain access to private and valuable information and services they are not supposed to be privy to. This means that systems security serves to keep information accessible to the intended user, while protecting against natural disasters, theft or the information being corrupted.
One defining aspect of system security methods when compared with other computer systems is that they are designed to primarily disable particular behaviour from computers, as opposed to permitting certain computer behaviour.
There are plenty techniques that can be applied to design system security, but there are not many ways to improve on the system security after the design. While many may consider system security as the forte of geeks, the aviation industry offers an insightful study on how the breach of system security can affect normal life.
By its nature, aviation involves human life and the breach of its security can have a fatal effect. A security breach; be it due to unlawful competitive behaviour, terrorism, or human error can comprise security and put many lives at risk. Furthermore, a breach of security that becomes public knowledge can have a dire effect on the aviation industry through loss of confidence.
Worryingly, security breaches need not to have benefactors with deep pockets, nor does it need complicated technology that can only be utilised by persons with doctorates in chemistry.
A laymen understanding of systems security can enable one to infiltrate communication over particular radio frequency. These breaches are actually a common occurrence in aviation, and have disrupted airports and flights globally, causing trillions of financial impairment.
Interestingly, the most effective sanctuary against loss of information through the breach of system security is also the simplest. It is advisable that on should always have backups of their data, and that that data is kept at a different location from the original computer source of the data.
