How Do We Secure Our Data and Computer Systems?

With all this technology surrounding us today—both new and old—it's a given that significant risks are involved.

Many of us have a friend or colleague who has multi-factor authentication on all their online accounts, who takes the time to decline websites' ability to collect cookies, and who flatly refuses to use unencrypted messaging services. Or, perhaps you are the one that others perceive as a little too paranoid when it comes to digital security?

Being careful online does not indicate paranoia, though. Even if you don't have a secret lover or possess state secrets, you probably wouldn't be comfortable giving away your email password, or walking around with a microphone that allows others to hear everything you say and do. Then you should not take digital security and privacy too lightly, either.

We've already discussed the many different ways we generate and give away data, as well as the danger that others—possibly with selfish or immoral intentions—could exploit it. In this section, we'll take a closer look at what data security is all about.

As our everyday lives are becoming increasingly digital, it's just as important to continuously increase awareness of the inherent dangers of the technologies we use.

Among other things, we'll take a closer look at how cybersecurity, information security, and ICT security are not quite the same, which is useful to bear in mind when you’re taking various security measures.

We will also learn a bit more about malicious software, also known as malware. And we will also look at security from a user perspective: both as an individual and as an employee in an organisation, it's important to take measures to protect against data breaches and misuse of one's accounts.