Computer Security

Many people fear that their right to privacy is threatened by the possible misuse or unauthorized disclosure of information in computer databases. Certain databases hold private and personal information, such as medical, banking, or tax records. Others contain business plans or inventions that a company wishes to conceal from competitors. Still others store top-secret military information and other kinds of data important to a nation's security.
Laws limit the disclosure of information in databases, and operating systems are designed to prevent unauthorized entry into a computer. Many computers require a user to enter a secret password. In addition, some computer systems automatically scramble information so that the information can be decoded only by authorized personnel. Nevertheless, computer crimes sometimes occur. Industrial spies and thieves often use telephone lines to gain access to computers. Some of these criminals steal or change the information in a computer database. Others steal money by transferring funds electronically.
In the late 1980's, computer experts became aware of a dangerous type of program called a computer virus. A computer virus is designed to do mischief, sometimes by deleting or changing information and sometimes by simply inserting a message. A virus can enter a computer's operating system via a modem, a floppy disk, or a CD-ROM. A virus can spread through a network by rapidly making copies of itself in computers connected to the network. Antivirus programs are available to prevent viruses.