3 Types of Computer Security That You Should Know

There are various types of computer security that a company must monitor to avoid loss of data and/or prestige. It is one of the most important issues in organizations. With so much happening on the Internet, it becomes extremely necessary to secure the content of our network and our communications against possible problems of data loss or interception. Security is the branch of information technology that deals with the protection of data on a network, communications, or a separate computer. Because all organizations are dependent on computing, security-related technology requires constant development. These are three different types of computer security.

3 Types of Computer Security

Hardware Security

Hardware security can be related to a device that is used to scan a system or monitor network traffic. Common examples include hardware firewalls or firewalls and proxy servers. Other less common examples include hardware security modules (HSM), which supply cryptographic keys for critical functions such as encryption, decryption, and authentication for various systems. Among the different types of computer security, it is the hardware systems that can provide the most robust security, in addition to that they can also serve as an additional layer of security for important systems. Hardware security also refers to how we can protect our physical equipment from harm. To assess the security of a hardware device, it is necessary to take into account existing vulnerabilities since its manufacture, as well as other potential sources, such as code that runs on said hardware and the data input and output devices that are connected to the net.  

Software Security

Software security is used to protect software against malicious hacker attacks and other risks so that our software continues to function properly with these types of potential risks. This software security is necessary to provide integrity, authentication, and availability. Among types of computer security, this field of software security is relatively new. The first books and academic classes on this topic appeared in 2001, showing that it was only recently that developers, software architects, and computer scientists began to systematically study how to build secure software. Software defects have various security ramifications, such as implementation errors, buffer overflows, design defects, poor error handling, etc. Too often malicious intruders can get into our systems by exploiting some of these software flaws. Applications that are connected to the Internet also present a higher security risk. It is the most common today. Security holes in the software are common and the problem is growing. Software security leverages best practices in software engineering and tries to bring security into consideration early in the software life cycle.  

Network Security

Network security refers to any activities designed to protect the network. Specifically, these activities protect the usability, reliability, integrity, and security of your network and data. Effective network security addresses a variety of threats and how to prevent them from entering or spreading across a network of devices. And what are the threats to the network? Many threats to network security today are spread across the Internet. The most common include:

  • Viruses, worms, and Trojan horses
  • Spyware and adware
  • Zero-day attacks also called zero-hour attacks
  • Hacker attacks
  • Denial of service attacks
  • Data interception or theft
  • Identity Theft

You have to understand that there is no single solution that protects against a variety of threats. You need several levels of security. If one fails, the others still stand. Network security is carried out through hardware and software. The software must be constantly updated to protect itself from emerging threats. A network security system is usually made up of many components. Ideally, all components work together, minimizing maintenance and improving safety. Network security components include:

  • Antivirus, Total Security, and Complete Security
  • Firewall, to block unauthorized access to your network
  • Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS), to identify rapidly spreading threats such as zero-day or zero-hour attacks
  • Virtual Private Networks (VPN), to provide secure remote access

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