What is it?

What is it used for?

Advantages

Disadvantages

Cookies

Information stored as ‘text-strings’ on a user’s computer that stores a user’s ID and returns it to the server the next time they open the page.

It is used identify users and customise the webpage (for example, in online shopping, the website would recognise your location, currency and name)

Allows websites to cater information for their users.

Allows websites to track visitors to the website and specific page views.

There is infrastructure available to gather information from cookies to a variety of sites, creating accurate descriptions of interests, habits, jobs, political views etc. This poses a privacy threat when linked with personal information.

Encryption

Prevents unauthorized access to data by changing it into a form what is unreadable without a ‘key’

Transmitting personal data such as credit card details when online shopping

Protects privacy.

Expensive start-up cost.

Pressure on protecting the security of the ‘key.’

Proxy Servers

A computer or web server used to block access to sites or cache (store) frequently accessed data.

Keep machines behind it anonymous for security, log usage, scan content, prevent downloading the same content multiple times, restrict access to websites.

Stores data so you don’t have to download it multiple times.

If a network has restrictions about which websites are not allowed, a computer inside the network that knows an open proxy can use it to bypass those restrictions. This compromises the network, because malicious software can attack the computer through the open proxy and get inside the network.

Firewalls

A firewall is a software or hardware-based network security system that controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic by analysing the data packets and determining whether they should be allowed through or not, based on a rule set.

A Firewall is a software or hardware barrier, intended to prevent the spread of virus’ within a network. A hardware Firewall is a piece of hardware dedicated to preventing the spread of virus’. They are usually found in larger networks, such as a company’s intranet, and usually works for multiple machines at once. A software firewall is usually found for individual computers.

Firewalls work like a filter between your computer/network and the internet. There are many different ways firewalls use to filter out information which determines how specific the filter options can be.

Firewalls can be used to add security to your home or business. Many large corporations have very complex firewalls to protect these important networks from viruses.

Protects against viruses and malicious data.

-Ability to monitor and record information

-Can automatically block threats

-Can calculate the amount of internet data being transferred

-Firewalls can enforce company internet policies

No protection against the ‘inside attacker’ or a person within a corporation who attacks the network.

Virus Protection

A program that protects your computer against viruses that delete and damage files.

It recognises fragments of code that belong to a known virus. It can then remove the virus and repair damaged files.

Protects computers against viruses.

Needs constant updating to keep up with new viruses.

Digital Certificates

Binds a person or organisation to a ‘public key’ (large number) which can be used for encryption and confidentiality. It is distributed by a trusted authority and verifies the owner of the site and data.

 The digital certificate shows a serial number, digital signature, validity (dates to and from), issuer and the public key. In this way, a person viewing the certificate can ascertain if the website is trusted and who created it.

Allows the visitor to a site to know who is responsible for the site and its data. It is important for e-commerce (online shopping, banking etc)

It is based on trust and the establishment of certificate authorities to provide the digital certificates.

Built in ‘root certificates’ within the browser force the internet browser to accept any certificate from that organisation.  This means that the user has to trust on their chosen web browser and the organisations they have selected for their ‘root certificates.’