Computer security facts for kids

Computer security is a branch of information technology known as information security which is intended to protect computers. Computer security has three main goals:

• Confidentiality: Making sure people cannot acquire information they should not (keeping secrets)
• Integrity: Making sure people cannot change information they should not (protecting data)
• Availability: Making sure people cannot stop the computer from doing its job.

Computer security involves telling computers what they are not to do. This makes computer security unique because most programming makes computers do things. Security takes much of a computer's power.

Basic computer security methods (in approximate order of strength) can be:

• Limit access to computers to "safe" users.
• Peripherals which block any "unsafe" activity.
• Firewall and antivirus software.

An example of complexity and pervasiveness of the issue is vending machines, per Hackers Lurking in Vents and Soda Machines April 7, 2014 New York Times.

Related pages

• Cybercrime
• FreeOTFE - Disk encryption
• Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) - Email encryption

Images for kids

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  While most aspects of computer security involve digital measures such as electronic passwords and encryption, physical security measures such as metal locks are still used to prevent unauthorized tampering.

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  An example of a phishing email, disguised as an official email from a (fictional) bank. The sender is attempting to trick the recipient into revealing confidential information by "confirming" it at the phisher's website. Note the misspelling of the words received and discrepancy as recieved and discrepency, respectively. Although the URL of the bank's webpage appears to be legitimate, the hyperlink points at the phisher's webpage.

See also

In Spanish: Seguridad informática para niños