Computer Security

Computer security is a branch of technology known as information security as applied to computers. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to remain accessible and productive to its intended users. There are various strategies and techniques used to design security systems. One technique enforces the principle of least privilegeto great extent, where an entity has only the privileges that are needed for its function. Even if anattackergains access to one part of the system, fine-grained security ensures that it is just as difficult for him to access the rest. In addition, the designers and operators of systems should assume that security breaches are inevitable.

Security architecture can be defined as the design artifacts that describe how the security controls are positioned, and how they relate to the overall information technology architecture. These controls serve the purpose to maintain the system’s quality attributes, among them confidentiality,integrity,availability,accountabilityandassurance. While many software-based security solutions encrypt the data to prevent data from being stolen, a malicious program may corrupt the data in order to make it unrecoverable or unusable. Hardware-based security solutions can prevent access to data and hence offer very strong protection against tampering.

Ultra-strong secure operating systems are based on operating system kerneltechnology that can guarantee that certain security policies are absolutely enforced in an operating environment. They are primarily used to protect national security information, military secrets, and the data of international financial institutions.

Exercise 3. Translate the following word combinations.

A branch of technology, information security, intended users, the principle of least privilege, to maintain the system’s quality attributes, availability,accountabilityandassurance, software-based security solutions, to prevent access to data, operating system kerneltechnology, strong protection against tampering, military secrets.

Exercise 4. Write English equivalents to the following words and word combinations.

- захист інформації і власності	- защита информации и собственности
- крадіжка і спотворення	- кража и искажение
- залишатися доступним і продуктивним	- оставаться доступным и продуктивным
- різноманітні стратегії та методики	- различные стратегии и методики
- розробляти систему безпеки	- разрабатывать систему безопасности
- об’єкт	- объект
- неминучий, невідворотний	- неминуемый, неизбежный,
- штучне представлення конструкції	- искусственное представление конструкции
- архітектура інформаційної технології	- архитектура информационной технологии
- конфіденційність і цілісність	- конфиденциальность и целостность
- шифрувати дані	- шифровать данные
- шкідлива програма	- вредоносная программа
- надійна операційна система	- надежная операционная система
- політика безпеки	- политика безопасности
- міжнародні фінансові заклади	- международные финансовые учреждения

Exercise 5. Put questions to the underlined words.

1. Computer security is a branch of technology known as information security.

2. Designers and operators of systems should assume that security breaches are inevitable.

3. Security architecture can be defined as the design artifacts.

4. Hardware-based security solutions offer very strong protection against tampering.

Exercise 6. Write out all Non-Finite forms of the verb (Infinitives, Participles and Gerunds) from the text. Identify their forms and functions.

Exercise 7. Translate the following sentences. Define the forms and functions of the Participles.

1. Malicious individuals have regularly penetrated well-designed, secure computer systems 2. Many of Microsoft software products are predominantly designed using the “trusted system” approach. 3. Malicious software is software designed to infiltrate a computer system without the owner's consent. 4. Having attached itself to executable files or documents, the virus propagates to other programs on the computer. 5. Spyware programs installed as Trojan horses are commercially produced for gathering information about computer users. 6. Having been attacked by hackers, the program lost some encrypted data.

Exercise 8. Point out the Objective Participial Constructions, the Subjective Participial Constructions and the Absolute Participle Constructions. Translate the sentences.

1. He watched the designer creating and maintaining web pages and applications for websites. 2. A long-distance surgery being available, doctors can cure people who are far away. 3. Computer operator was watched controlling data processing. 4. He had his system assembled. 5. A special gift having been offered, people happily sent off all their security details. 6. I saw the computer instructor teaching people how to protect computer systems and information. 7. Programmers were seen writing the instructions for ICT systems. 8. A firewall being installed, spyware cannot gain access to the internal network. 9. The specialist was considered being experienced in the area of computer security.

Exercise 9. Answer the following questions.

1. What is called computer security?

2. What does the objective of computer security include?

3. What strategies and techniques are used to design security systems?

4. What purpose do security controls serve?

5. What functions do software-based and hardware-based security solutions provide?

6. What can operating system kerneltechnology guarantee?

7. What are ultra-strong secure operating systems primarily used for?