Topic > The Role of Information Security

In the current era, the power of personal information is sought not only by advertising companies and governments, but also by other malicious individuals. This could lead to technology users facing various threats when using the Internet, email, mobile devices and even cloud technologies. People generally use technologies to browse the web, store data, chat with each other, manage transactions, and so on. However, it is important to note that these technologies were initially invented to share information and therefore may not have sufficient security coverage for its large amount of users. When a leak of confidential or important information occurs, it can lead to data loss and loss of customer trust, thus impacting financial revenue, as well as fraud and identity theft. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The flourishing of the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence has also made it much easier to collect sensitive information and analyze data. This is especially true because companies have learned that data collection is a top priority for marketing by gaining insights into consumers' behavioral habits. The term “threats” and “strategies” can be defined as the possibility of problems or dangers occurring and having an action plan to achieve a long-term or overall goal. It is therefore important to discover the threats arising from the use of technologies and find out how to implement security measures so that this can lead to an improvement in the security of Internet users. This essay will discuss the threats that users face when using the Internet, email, mobile devices, and cloud technologies. Firstly, there are various threats that technology users face while using the Internet. Web browser features can improve the user's browsing experience but also pose risks to the operating system and applications. For example, features like Oracle Java can make web browsers vulnerable to hackers. Microsoft Active X, available in Internet Explorer 11, is also known to be exploited to install malware. Cookies can also pose a data breach when a user's browsing history is tracked. While browsing the Internet, you may be redirected to malicious websites and see pop-up ads on your web browser which may in turn infect your device with malware. Children who use the Internet are also victims of cyberbullying and tend to disclose personal information that cybercriminals can take advantage of. Cordero (2018) stated that social networks reveal the personal interests, environment, and location of Internet users, which can compromise the safety and security of users when infiltrated by hackers who intend to misuse these sensitive information. For example, hackers can steal users' identities to illegally take loans, purchase items on credit, obtain authentic user documents such as driver's licenses and passports, as well as send malware to other people. This can cause not only financial losses, but also put the person's reputation among friends and family at risk. Additionally, legal action can be taken against you for crimes you did not commit. Harris (2018) stated that in today's world where connected devices far outnumber the human population, the NationalCyber ​​Security Alliance found that nearly 50% of small businesses have experienced a cyber attack, and more than 70% of attacks are targeted at small businesses. companies leading 60% of affected small and medium-sized businesses to fail after six months. For example, hackers can introduce malware such as ransomware and root kits into a company's website by exploiting security gaps. Once the hacker takes control of the system, he can remotely change security settings, steal critical information, attack other computers, and even encrypt the affected person's software and hardware.computer and demand a ransom for recovering the data. This can lead to financial losses, loss of important data and, most importantly, loss of trust with customers. This can be avoided by changing browser settings, regularly updating browser patches, and installing security plug-ins. Therefore, using the Internet can lead to exposure to various threats for technology users. Secondly, technology users also face various threats when using email services. An email is used to communicate electronically from one computer to another using the Internet. Email threats arise from the fact that before the email is received, it is stored on the mail service provider's servers thus making it available to anyone who has access to the servers. Emails can also contain malware in attachments or embedded malicious scripts and install unwanted programs such as spyware. Users can choose an email client by examining its security coverage, privacy policy and settings, design, and reliability. McMillan (2018) stated that spam emails can be annoying for users and burdensome for email administrators who must manage the use of additional storage space on servers for spam emails. For example, spam emails pollute the Internet with irrelevant content and may contain illegal or unreliable content. It can destroy a company's reputation by masking and spamming its customers. Spam emails can also redirect people to useless or harmful websites. Rowlingson (2011) found that the content of emails is visible to any computer that handles it as it travels from source to destination. For example, all recipients of an email sent to multiple people can see the email addresses of other recipients unless the blind carbon copy (BCC) option is used. Emails can also be spoofed by hackers by modifying an email to make users believe the email was sent by a legitimate user. It is usually written in a way that scares or tricks users into doing things they shouldn't. This issue can be mitigated by using an HTTP-enabled email service provider, using email filtering, and scanning emails for malware. Therefore, emails can also pose various threats to users. Technology users also face threats when using their mobile devices. Mobile devices have become a part of our life in this modern era. Since it has been integrated into our lifestyle, users have started storing a lot of personal information on their mobile devices. This can cause serious problems with mobile device thefts and even mobile security breaches. A mobile device only has a mobile operating system as a security measure. It doesn't have a firewall like a computer. Therefore it is extremely important that the mobile operating system is not hacked by hackers and malicious software. Dunham.