IT - Unit 1: Threats to Data

Malicious software that can corrupt or delete data and lead to data theft. Includes viruses, worms, trojans, and spyware.

Individuals who gain unauthorized access to computer systems, often misusing data for fraudulent activities.

A fraudulent activity where deceptive emails pretending to be reputable companies are sent to obtain personal or financial information.

Harm to IT systems or data caused by human error, such as dropping a device or accidentally overwriting important files.

The access rights set to files, including read-only, read/write, and full control permissions.

Determining the software, data, and services a user can access, with administrator access being the highest level.

Creating copies of data and storing them in a secondary location, such as remote backup, using full, incremental, or differential methods.

Measures to prevent unauthorized users from accessing IT systems, such as access cards, keypad access control, biometric access control, and electronic locks.

Used to authenticate a user as the owner of a public key, enabling secure communication through public key encryption.

A set of rules defining data transmission methods between devices over a network, including security protocols like SSL and TLS for secure data transmission.

A utility program to prevent or detect/remove malicious software, requiring regular maintenance and updates, with implications on performance.

Hardware or software that monitors network traffic and blocks suspicious activity, with implications on network performance and inability to prevent internal attacks.

The process of converting data into an encoded form to prevent unauthorized access, using symmetric encryption for stored data and asymmetric encryption for data during transmission.

Laws implemented to protect data and IT systems, such as the Data Protection Act and the Computer Misuse Act, with codes of practice from professional bodies and the Information Commissioner's Office.

Services offered through the internet, including retail, financial, education & training, news & information, entertainment & leisure, productivity, and booking systems.

Data collected from sales or purchases, used for purchase records, delivery tracking, and customer behavior analysis, with concerns about hacking and privacy.

Advertising products to specific customers based on their likelihood to purchase, with implications on impulse buying and privacy concerns.

Real-time online collaboration among multiple individuals, using cloud storage, teleworking, and video conferencing, with restrictions to prevent overwriting, security concerns, and dependence on internet connection.

Using IT systems to monitor and control stock, enabling automated and JIT stock control, with implications on cost, theft, and reduced need for admin staff.

Using sensors and IT systems to monitor and log data, providing accuracy and trend analysis, with concerns about connectivity and sensor calibration.

Using IT systems to spot patterns, trends, and make predictions, facilitating data conversion, but requiring accurate input and protection against data theft.

Using IT systems for document production, note writing, finance management, communication, and scheduling, improving efficiency and task range, but requiring technical skills and IT support.

Using IT systems for CAD, graphics design, and music/film editing, facilitating editing, sharing, but requiring large storage capacity and facing piracy issues.

Using IT systems for online, print, and video advertising, targeting customers, but facing issues like spam and phishing emails.

Using IT systems for Computer-Aided Manufacturing, ensuring consistency, higher product standards, and cost savings, but leading to job redundancies and high implementation costs.

Using IT systems for alarm systems, security cameras, and RFID sensors, reducing security staff and improving security, but raising privacy concerns and false sense of security.

Negatively impacting employee productivity due to difficulty of use, poor performance, limited availability, or lack of accessibility.

IT systems help meet employee needs by making jobs easier, more efficient, and safer, and meet customer needs by improving communication and service tracking.

The high cost of purchasing new IT systems and training staff, but long-term cost savings through reduced staff requirements.

The time required for delivery, testing, and installation of IT systems, leading to potential business downtime and reputation damage.

Downtime and teething problems during system replacement or integration, impacting business financially and reputationally.

IT systems allow longer business hours and time savings, but can also lead to distractions and poor productivity if systems fail.

IT systems enable flexible work but increase expectations of availability, requiring better technical skills and ongoing training.

Necessary for productive use of IT systems, but expensive for businesses to provide.

Businesses need to protect IT systems from threats to avoid fines under data protection acts, incurring additional expenses.

Data gathered through original research by the organization or individual, more up-to-date, relevant, and reliable.

Data gathered by someone other than the user, cheaper, quicker to obtain, and not affected by organizational bias.

Complete and accurate data, with secondary data sourced from trustworthy sources.

Questionnaires, focus groups, and interviews used to gather information for statistical analysis or personal information.

Ensuring data is correct to avoid garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) situations, using validation and verification techniques.

Storing data in a structured database and using queries to extract and sort data based on specific criteria.

Using mathematical calculations to simulate real-life systems, facilitating trend analysis and predictions.

Tabular or graphical representation of data, with tabular format for precise data and detail, and graphical format for interpretation and trend spotting.

Design considerations for interfaces, including easy navigation, accessibility, error reduction, intuitiveness, functionality, performance, and compatibility.