The Network Security. Org

Computer Security for the Novice

Computer technology has changed quite a bit over the past 20 years. People who would normally never touch a computer now utilize such a device almost every day to get their work done. They use email and surf the web regularly. These folks all need to take computer security seriously.

Recently, I've been watching users and how they interact with their computers, and I've been asking them questions about their computer usage. I asked them about their knowledge of the subject in general, and specifically I asked them about security. Very few of them really knew much about computing in general and practically none of them knew anything about security. 20 years ago this may not have been as much of a problem, but in today's world of online banking and identity theft, this can be a huge problem.

After talking with them a bit more, I learned that they have no idea what risks there are on the internet. A few even said they weren't going to worry because "they have nothing of value." This is a very dangerous idea to have. Everyone has something of value to someone, even if you aren't a big huge company. You still have a Social Security Number which can be used by someone to steal your identity, get credit cards and loans in your name--and you'd be stuck with the bill. Computer Security for the Novice

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