- Save work regularly and use different filenames you need to save your work on a regular basis and use different filenames. The reason for this is yet again by the cause of hackers. They can access the software and transfer it to their own personal computer. Saving work on a regular basis gives you an extra slice of safety to your documents. The reason for this being is that if you save your work regularly it is harder for the hacker to completely rid your computer of your document. Also saving it under a different filename inevitably adds to the prevention of the hacker gaining access to it also.
- Keeping data backup copies in another location enables you to gain more control over your personal data. It is another procedure that makes the hacker’s job harder to track down your data and personal files. The reason being for this is obvious: more locations, or locations that differ to its original location, increase the chances of your files being safe. Has to be dated, to find the correct document, which you are looking for.
- Managing your work effectively and using appropriate filenames helps because it helps to find your way around your documents easier e.g., if you have 100 documents and they are named doc1, doc2 etc, then it will be harder to find the document you are looking for. Putting these documents in a folder is also easier to sort them and it looks tidier.
- Work safely, e.g. use the correct position for the monitor and chair, avoid trailing cables, take regular breaks. This is to do with health and safety regulations, doing the point stated above stops unwanted accidents occurring. It also effects your eye sight, your brain (may get headache) feeling drowsy and suffering from mild radiation (depending on the computer). You need the correct position of the monitor and the chair because you need to have a healthy distance between the two. Also avoiding trailing cables can stop you from tripping on them or being broken.
- The Computer Misuse Act, 1990 was passed to deal with the problem of hacking of computer systems. In the early days of hacking, the problem wasn’t taken very seriously – it was seen as mischievous behaviour, rather than as something which could cause serious loss or problems to companies, organisations and individuals. Before 1990, it was difficult to prosecute people for hacking – existing laws were not written with that in mind. However, it became increasingly clear that hacking should be against the law, and that the laws should be effective and enforceable. As a result, the Computer Misuse Act was passed in 1990.
The computer misuse Act created three new offences:
• Unauthorised access to computer material
• Unauthorised access with intent to commit or facilitate commission of further offences
• Unauthorised modification of computer material.
Here is an example of the legislation law not being followed:
A rock band called “shell shock” own a copyright protection for their band and its products. Before its release, their music was pirated and sold for cheap and 19.3 million pirated copies were sold worldwide. It was the bands first album and they needed the money to boost their career, bearing in mind the average cost of an album is around £13 their total loss from piracy would be around £200 million.
A month later MTV sent emails to people invited for their annual guest party. Shell shock were invited and they would be able to perform live on TV for the first time. However a hacker managed to breach their files and delete the email. As a result Shell shock could not have their big first act live on TV.
Shell shock made their own website on the internet called www.shellshock.com but soon after hackers used their website to access codes and decrypt them, doing so he managed to gain control of their computer and managed to find out their credit details and inherit their profits from their band.
Computer Fraud.
With so many financial transactions being handled by computers it is a prime area for crime. There have been many reports of 'inside jobs', with the programmers working on the computer system responsible for building into their code a way to make money. One of the most popular stories is about the programmer who noticed that when interest payments were calculated on bank balances there was often the odd quarter of a penny left over. The programmer siphoned off all the odd fractions of pennies from millions of accounts into their own account.
It is often difficult to track computer fraud, it may take an expert to work out what is going on, and the program may destroy itself leaving little evidence that it ever existed. 'Outside jobs' are often due to copying or faking some IT item, for example duplicate credit cards or stolen cell phone numbers.
Computer Hacking.
'Outside jobs' can also be done by hacking or illegal entry into a computer system. With many computer systems using phone networks ( or even private networks ) it is often possible for someone to break into the network from a remote location and the commit fraud.
Some hackers go in with the intention of damaging or destroying the system rather than making money. In many cases hackers think that they are doing it for 'fun' and just to show that they can hack a system . Frequently these people are unaware of the damage that they cause, or of the amount of money that they are costing - companies after all have an obligation to protect data under the data protection act.
Copyright Abuse.
One advantage of computers for users is that it is easy to copy discs. This makes it possible to keep backup copies of valuable data or work. Unfortunately some people abuse this facility to copy programs. Such anti-social and illegal behavior is short sited. Some games software publishers estimate that for every legal copy sold 10 are copied. This means that they have to charge about 6 times as much for the program as they would otherwise - in other words honest people are paying for the copiers. In addition a lot of computer software is produced by small companies and individuals. Deprived of income these business and individuals cease to trade, and the whole world loses out on some good quality software. To put it the other way around if people did not copy software then we would have a lot more good quality cheap software for everyone to use!
The Computer Misuse Act 1990
This act made it a criminal offence for anyone to access or modify computer-held data or software without authority, or to attempt to do so. It created three specific offences to deal with the problems of hacking, viruses and other nuisances which have plagued computer users. These are:
- unauthorized access to computer programs or data
- unauthorized access with further criminal intent
- unauthorized modification of computer material (i.e. programs and data).
The latter covers the deliberate introduction of a virus into a system, or the creation and distribution of a new virus, even if the perpetrator cannot know in advance which computers it will end up on.
Copyright Designs and Patents Act
Computer software is now covered by the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988 and has the same status as a literary work, retaining copyright for 50 years after publication. Provisions of the Act make it illegal (for copyright protected software) to
- copy software
- run pirated software
- transmit software over a telecommunications line, thereby creating a copy
The Health and Safety at Work Act makes "…provision for securing the
health, safety and welfare of persons at work, for protecting others
against risk to health and safety in connection with the activities of
persons at work…"
If you run a food or hospitality business, office,
shop, garage, or such like then the regulations apply to you.
Social, Moral and Ethical Issues
Social issues are those concerning how computers are affecting the way society acts, and how people behave towards each other. Moral and Ethical issues are issues which face right and wrong. There are four main moral and ethical issues; they are what people generally agree on. But for each issue, everyone is entitled to there own opinion. Many people believe the forever expanding use of computers, is affecting and corrupting peoples behaviour.
With the Internet being so vast there is not much control on what is posted and downloaded. However you are able to filter out unwanted sites. It is very easy for people to be able to copy computer files. Many people do not take note of the copyright laws, and so there is a constant increase of people turning into criminals. Another issue is the forever expanding new technology. Many computers are seizing people’s jobs, as employers are able to reduce costs by using computers instead of people. For many the increase of computer technology gains many people jobs, but in other instances many people are losing jobs! When people send e-mails the ISP keeps a copy of the file. In the future it could be common for the government to request or even demand a copy, and access to a permanent record of ever e-mail. It is believed that by doing this, it will help to capture criminals. Although on the other hand there will be the worry that peoples private lives will be at risk, and a threat to civil liberty.
There are five main Social Issues:
Information Rich, and Information Poor. With computers being so expensive many people cannot afford them. People believe this will create a split in society. Those who have a computer, and are computer literate, and those who do not own a computer.
The Internet changing how we communicate. The use of e-mail, and shopping over the Internet, encourages people to stay at home. This could cause more people to become less fit, and no personal contact. People also fear that there will be a loss in personal skills, and communication will be limited to people with the same views.
Over-reliance on technology. Some people believe allowing there children to use new technology, will lead to them being less self-reliant in later life. This can then lead to the fears of the millennium bug as an example of the reliance of computer technology for a smooth running society.
Impact on Literacy. Some people believe the increasing use of computer games and multi-media software will result in people spending less time reading. This could lead to lower levels of literacy, and as a result education standards will decrease. Implicating the quality of the workforce.
Faster Pace of Life. Computer technology is rapidly changing, so people forever have to adapt to new ways of working. Also computers generate work faster, so people have to work harder to keep up with all the work generated.
Although you may class some of the above of bad affects of computer technology, the Internet can make it easier for people of different cultures, countries etc to communicate. Computers are able to perform routine tasks, leaving people to perform more complex ones. This can result in the need to travel.
In my opinion I think that the forever-expanding computer technology could make life easier, if used correctly. A big problem can be the Internet, the problem being the freedom, and accessibility of web sites and chat rooms. I think that it can be easy for children to access inappropriate web sites, and adults making inappropriate web sites.
