| | Security : Threats | 
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There are four main threats to the security of data :
| Accidental Damage | Data stored on magnetic media such as disks or tapes can easily be damaged by poor storage, dirt, heat or magnetic fields generated by televisions or loudspeakers. Computer equipment can be damaged by acts of nature such as fire or floods. People using a computer system can easily delete the wrong file from a disk or the wrong record from a database by selecting the wrong option in a software package. |
| Data Theft | Important data such as a list of a company’s customers or information about how products are produced could be stolen and sold. Often such data is stolen by employees of the company who have legitimate access to the data. Disgruntled employees can also sometimes destroy or change important data. |
| Hacking | Sometimes if computers are connected to a network "hackers" deliberately gain unauthorised entry to computer systems. They can delete files or change the data stored in them. Hacking is an offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990. |
| Computer Viruses | Computer viruses can deliberately delete or damage data stored on a computer. |
The threats to security become greater if computers are connected to a network. Organisations use many different measures to help enhance the security of the data that they store.
GCSE ICT Companion 04 - (C) P Meakin 2004