Welcome this module focuses on popular computer system security myths.
Let's start by reaching back in history to get a better picture of the origins of these false assumptions
PCs turned 30 just recently.
The first 32 bit computer was created in 1980 by AT&T and the first IBM PC was created in 1981.
Why do I mention that.
Notice how often we tend to disregard how much has changed in the past 30 years.
From our perspective 30 years is not a long time but for computer systems this is like dog years
another crucial factor that has turned the world of computer systems or the global network the Internet
on its head.
It's the year 1968.
This was when the Internet research began.
How did it all come about.
Anyway the history of the internet starts with Arpanet a network that joined four computers located
in four different universities.
Arpanet was originally designed for the military Why did Americans invest in researching it.
They lost the race to launch the world's first satellite.
This was 1968.
The fact that they lost the space race to the USSR was a major source of concern and brought up a near
panic in military circles.
The Russians appeared to be more innovative and more knowledgeable and they gained a potentially military
advantage over the US should they defend themselves against it.
Intelligence centers needed to be connected but in order to do this a way of transmitting information
had to be developed to connect them.
Arpanet was strictly military in its origin.
It was not created with users in mind and by users I refer to people that use the Internet today.
This has to be emphasized in this stage of the course.
The net we know today was developed in the 90s the World Wide Web was created only 20 years ago and
its appearance completely changed the way global computer networks have been used.
Another factor that contributed to the creation of computer system security myths which will list in
a minute is the fact that most of us use computer systems to a limited extent to achieve specific goals.
This is similar to having a driver's license and knowing how to drive that car but not understanding
what happens inside when we press the gas pedal.
Using computers can look a lot like that for most of us.
We think we know how to use them well especially teenagers who grew up with computers disability however
doesn't translate to knowing the mechanisms that are hidden under the eyes and the mechanisms that are
relevant for us security.
If you don't know something you're reluctant to admit it.
No one wants to own up to the fact that they accomplished computer tests by shooting in the dark or
only know how to click a mouse.
Instead we will often resort to opinions and stereotypes that have been picked up at home or at school.
These opinions are spread because they are repeated by millions of users not because they're true.
The first myth is you can ensure total protection of your computer system that would be something wouldn't
it.
Unfortunately this is merely a myth for several reasons.
If you wanted your system to be secure you would need to bar users from interacting with it.
You can't be sure whether or not the goals and aims of users are in fact malicious.
So the ideal computer in this scenario doesn't accept any input does not have a mouse or any keyboard
or any port that you could use to plug in a smartphone but it's still possible that this computer safe
and secure from users could still pose a threat.
It could for example have software that although tested sometimes brings up errors that could be exploited
to lower the security of the system.
An intrusion or data extraction is a concern here.
This shouldn't ever happen in a fully protected computer system.
The software has to go don't install any programs including operating systems and don't attach any devices
to your computer.
The principle of a secure computer is within reach.
Now it only needs to be physically protected
if it's turned on someone might use it to read data saved on the disks so to secure it physically you
could for example pour cement over it and throw it in the well.
Now you're nearly 100 percent secure though we can't guarantee full certainty your system is useless
but looks secure enough.