DATA SECURITY

Data security refers to protecting data from destructive forces and unwanted actions of
unauthorized users. Data needs to be protected from loss through accidental or malicious
deletion, virus attacks hard disk or system failures, unauthorized access etc.

THREATS AND HAZARDS TO DATA

The following are among the threats to data security:
1. Data may get lost or damaged during a system crash - especially one affecting the hard
disk
2. It can be corrupted as a result of faulty disk drives, or power failures
3. It can be lost by accidental deletion or overwriting of files
4. It can be lost or become corrupted by computer viruses
5. It can be hacked into by unauthorized users and stolen, deleted or altered
6. It can be destroyed by natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or war
7. It can be deleted or altered by employees wishing to make money or take revenge on their
employer

METHODS OF SECURING DATA

i) Use of passwords (Access Authentication):
A password is a secret word or string of characters that is used for user
authentication/verification before the user can gain access to data. The password should be kept
secret from those not allowed access. Passwords are used together with usernames by users in a
log-in process that controls access to protected system data.

ii) Right of Access

This refers to the authorization you have to access different data files. Right of access helps
determines who has the right to do what in relation to certain data or information. For example,
database administrators may be able to remove, edit and add data while a general user may not
have the right to do the same. Right of access in an organization is usually given/ specified by
the system or database administrators.
 iii) Logs and Audit trails:
An audit trail is a record showing who has accessed a computer system, when and what
operations he or she has performed during a given period of time. An audit trail can also
maintain a record of activity by the system itself. Audit trails are useful both for maintaining data
security and for recovering lost transactions.

iv) Anti-virus programs

These are software used to prevent, detect and remove malicious software such as viruses which
can interfere with or lead to the loss of data stored on a computer. Examples of anti-virus
software include Norton, AVG, Kaspersky etc.

v) Encryption:
This is the process of encoding (convert into a coded form) information stored on a device
especially where the data is stored on a portable device or transmitted over a public network. The
key to decrypt the data should be kept securely.

vi) Firewalls:
A firewall is a software or hardware-based network security system that prevents unauthorized
access to or from a private network. Such a system is very important where there is any external
connectivity, either to other networks or to the internet.

vii) Physical Security:

This includes locking of offices and use of alarms, keeping computers or database servers in
strong-rooms, use of security cameras and employing security guards where necessary.

viii) Data Protection Act

This refers to an Act of Parliament enacted to regulate the collection, processing,
storage/keeping, use and misuse and disclosure of information relating to individuals that is
processed automatically. The Act created a Commission-Freedom of Information Commission of
Kenya-with the mandate of ensuring the implementation of the Act, to receive complaints
regarding violations of the Act, institute legal proceedings and settlement concerning such
violations. The Act, however, only applies to personal information held by public authorities and
excludes private bodies.

The act contains eight data protection principles. The principles specify that personal data must
be:
i) Processed fairly and lawfully

ii) Obtained for specified and lawful purposes

iii) Adequate, relevant and not excessive

iv) Accurate and up to date

v) Not kept any longer than is necessary

vi) Processed in accordance with the individual’s rights

vii) Securely kept

viii) Not transferred to any other country without adequate protection.

 ix) Data Back-up
This refers to the copying and archiving of computer data in a secure location so that it may be
used to restore the original data after a data loss event occasioned by either accidental or
malicious deletion, system failure, virus attack, data corruption or natural disasters.

HARDWARE SAFETY
Hardware safety protects the machine and peripheral hardware from theft and from electronic
intrusion and damage. Hardware safety can be ensured through:

a) Safety Against Theft

Computers are very valuable and relatively portable they and can easily be stolen which would
be made worse by the loss of the valuable data stored on them. Physical safety should be put in
place such as locking the rooms, installing alarm systems and Closed Circuit Television Cameras
(CCTV) where they are kept to prevent theft. The computers can also be bolted to benches or
cabinets in order to make theft difficult.

b) Protection from Power Interruptions

The power delivered to computers should be stable and constant but sometimes fluctuations in
power supply occur. For example, voltage surges and spikes, a blackout or brownout can cause a
computer to shut down abruptly. Information that is stored only in short-term memory will be
lost. As well, the fluctuation can physically damage computer components such as the power
supply unit. Computer systems can be protected from such interruptions through:

i) Use of uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)

A UPS is a device that allows a computer to keep running for at least a short time after the
primary power source is lost. The device also provides protection against power surges and
drops.

ii) Use of power surge protectors/suppressors

A surge protector or suppressor is an appliance designed to protect electrical devices from

voltage spikes caused by events like lightning strikes and short circuits. Voltage spikes might
damage a computer’s electronic parts, melting plastic and metal parts or even corrupting the data
stored on the computer. Surge protectors limit the voltage supplied to a device by either blocking
the unwanted voltages or by shorting the voltages to ground.

c) Environmental Safety
Computers also require the right balance of physical and environmental conditions to operate
properly. Measures should be put in place to protect computers from fire, smoke, dust, excessive
temperatures, high levels of humidity and electrical noise such as from motors. Such measures
include installation of climate control systems and dehumidifiers, fire fighting systems etc.

d) Other physical measures include the disabling of USB ports or CD ROM Drives,
installation of drive locks and case intrusion detection. This will help in protecting against
unauthorized copying and transfer of data as well as preventing infection of the computer
with viruses through portable storage devices such as pen drives.

SOFTWARE SAFETY
Logical/Software Safety consists of software safeguards for a system, including user
identification mechanisms and safety software. These measures ensure that only
authorized users are able to perform actions or access information in a network or a
workstation.

Elements of logical safety include:

a) Biometric authentication

Biometric authentication is the use of a user’s physiological features to confirm their identity
before they are allowed access to a computer system. These features include software that verify
user identification through fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial bone
structure etc.

b) Token authentication

Token authentication comprises safety tokens which are small devices that authorized users of
computer systems or networks carry to assist in identifying them as they log into the system.
They include smart cards or small USB drives with built-in code generators and are inserted to
the computer through USB ports.

c) Password authentication

This method uses secret data e.g. strings of character to control access to a system and is
normally used together with usernames. The passwords are either created by the user or assigned
by system administrators.

d) Access Rights
e) Audit Trails
 f) Use of Safety Software

Safety software refers to any computer program whose purpose is to help secure a computer
system or a computer network. Types of safety software include Antivirus software, Anti-key
loggers, Anti-Spam software, Firewall systems etc

Examples of malicious codes include:

o viruses

A virus is a malicious program that replicates itself and spreads from one
computer to another. They attach themselves to existing programs in order to
spread. Viruses almost always corrupt or modify files on a targeted computer.

o Trojan horses

This is a type of malware (malicious software) that gains privileged access to a

computer system while appearing to perform a desirable function but instead
installs a malicious code that allows unauthorized access to the target computer.
They usually come as free software offers in some websites which users
download and install on their machines.

o Worms

Worms are malware that spread themselves to other computers using computer
networks and do not need to attach themselves to existing software. They harm
networks by consuming bandwidth (by increasing network traffic etc) but do not
attempt to change the systems they pass through.

o Rootkits

A rootkit is a type of malicious software that is activated each time your system
boots up. Rootkits are difficult to detect because they are activated before the
Operating System has completely booted up. A rootkit often allows the
installation of hidden files, processes, hidden user accounts, and more in the
systems OS.

Keyloggers

This is a type of malware that records (or logs) the keys struck on a keyboard,
usually in a covert manner so that the person using the keyboard is unaware that
their actions are being monitored and then the information is transmitted to the
originators.

Anti-virus software include Norton, AVG, Kaspersky, MacAfee, Avast etc. These software
programs are meant to prevent, detect and remove malicious software from computer systems.
 g) Firewalls
A firewall is software or hardware-based network safety system that controls the incoming and
outgoing network traffic by analyzing the data packets and determining whether they should be
allowed through or not, based on set rules.