BANGALORE: 'Absolute security' exists neither in physical world nor in the virtual world. However, if we take care of some basics, the protection would become better and the harm curtailed but first, let us understand these terms.
Cyber security of one of its variant is often used in the enterprise context or by the governments where the notion is about the processes and technologies to protect a computer network and other critical information in a digital form.
On the other hand, Internet Safety denotes similar notions when we think of an individual using a computer to connect to other computers through the Internet – at home, in a school or college or for that matter, in a cyber café.
Outside a factory, there may be security gate manned by guards who are tasked with verifying the identity of those entering but once inside, the level of security often dips significantly except for some specific locations like treasury or facilities housing the Research & Development activities.
Now, if an intruder somehow makes it past the main gate, roaming within may become easy.
On the way out, inspections are rare and often limited to the physical search. An intruder could comes in with a stolen ID card, destroys or alter something within the premises and walks out undetected or could just observe the prototype of a new product without touching anything.
Isn't it similar to the case where someone uses a password – stolen or even shared at times and act as impostor who enters your online account and siphons off money to his account or just pores over your transaction records?
When your friend returns the key to your vehicle after a joy ride, you feel that the vehicle is in your control but when we share the password, we may think that the key is still with us but the fact is that the 'friend' not only still retains the key but might have even changed the lock and therefore, the key in the form of a changed password and by the time we realize this, it may be too late.
Just like we use keys to lock our houses, cupboards, rooms and vehicles to avoid theft and trespassing, we use the passwords in the cyber space. While we do find it a little burdensome to carry multiple keys of different shapes & sizes – each to fit its own respective lock, we find it difficult to remember different passwords and more often than not, do not even bother to change the password that the service providers send or settle for just 'password' – the most popular password in the world.
Simple to remember? Definitely yes, but also simple enough for a miscreant to crack easily!
