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Sejarah Komputer

Mari kita berkenalan dengan nenek dan atok komputer

Tip-tip penggunaan Komputer

Untuk anda untuk kamu.. tip2 yang ader dalam fikiran ku

Monday 28 February 2011

keluarga Windows

Microsoft adalah pengeluar Sistem pengoperasian yang terkenal sejak dahulu lagi. Disamping itu juga ia menjadi pilihan masyarakat untuk di jadikan OS dalam komputer peribadi mereka kerana, antara muka pengguna yang mudah digunakan serta icon yang mesra pengguna. Lihat sahaja-lah bagaimana perubahan yang ditampikan oleh microsoft dalam memenuhi hati pengguna dulu dan sekarang, berikut screen shhot yang ditampilkan bermuala dari awal windos hinggalah sekarang.. :)

Realsed date: November 1985, Windows 1.0


Realsed date: November 1987, Windows 2.0


Realsed date: May 1990, Windows 3.0


Realsed date: March 1992, Windows 3.1


Realsed date: July 1993, Windows NT 3.1


Realsed date: August 24, 1995, Windows 95


Realsed date: July 29, 1996, Windows NT 4.0


Realsed date: March 18, 1998, Windows 98


Realsed date: February 17, 2000, Windows 2000


Realsed date: September 14, 2000, Windows ME (Millenium)


Realsed date: October 25, 2001, Windows XP


Realsed date: April 24, 2003, Windows Server 2003


Realsed date: January 2004, Windows XP Media Center


Realsed date: November 8, 2006, Windows Vista


Realsed date: February4, 2008, Windows Server 2008


Released date: September,2009, Windows 7 (Seven)

Wednesday 23 February 2011

Intel Sandy Bridge




Sandy Bridge adalah jembatan teknologi prosesor ke masa depan. Pantas saja jika kami sebut begitu. Pasalnya, Sandy Bridge adalah perubahan terbesar yang dilakukan Intel sejak era Pentium 4.Pada mikroarsitektur sebelumnya, Intel lebih banyak mengoptimasi kinerja tiap komponen, tanpa mengubah cara kerja komponen tersebut. Jika prosesor dianalogikan sebagai sebuah rumah, Intel cuma melakukan renovasi terhadap rumah tersebut. 

Namun di Sandy Bridge, Intel betul-betul membangun sebuah rumah baru. Seluruh komponen diperbarui, mulai dari branch predictor, out-of-order execution, sampai kerjamemory subsystem.Namun yang terpenting adalah Sandy Bridge adalah wujud sebenarnya dari fusion processor, alias prosesor yang menyatukan seluruh komponen prosesor ke dalam sekeping silikon.

Sebenarnya Intel sudah melakukan kebijakan integrasi ini sejak 2 tahun lalu. Pada generasi prosesor Bloomfield, mereka memasukkan memory controller. Pada Lynnfield, giliran PCI-Econtroller yang masuk. Puncaknya di era Clarkdale, ketika Intel chip grafis onboard.
Ada satu catatan penting dari seluruh proses tersebut: seluruh komponen sebenarnya masih terpisah dalam keping-keping silikon yang berbeda. Nah, hal itulah yang Intel rombak di Sandy Bridge. Seluruh komponen di dalam prosesor Sandy Bridge berada dalam sekeping silikon yang dibuat dengan fabrikasi 32nm.

Komponen di dalam prosesor ini sendiri kurang lebih sama seperti Nehalem. Yang pertama tentu saja inti prosesor. Pada Sandy Bridge generasi pertama ini jumlah inti masih 2 dan 4, namun akan disusul generasi berikutnya yang memiliki 6 dan 8 inti.

Masing-masing inti memiliki L2 cachesebesar 256KB. Kerja L2 cache dibantu dibantu cache level 3 (L3 cache) yang jumlahnya sama dengan inti dengan ukuran bervariasi antara 3-8MB, tergantung segmentasi. Sedangkan PCI Express, DMI, danmemory controller dan display interface berkumpul menjadi satu menjadi komponen yang disebut System Agent.

info dari http://www.infokomputer.com/hardware/preview-intel-sandy-bridge

Tuesday 22 February 2011

INTRODUCTION COMPUTER THREATS



The computer is a great tool to store important information. In certain cases, the information is very vital that losing it will harm the computer system.

Computer threats can come from many ways either from human or natural disasters. For example, when someone is stealing your account information from a trusted bank, this threat is considered as a human threat. However, when your computer is soaked in heavy rain, then that is a natural disaster threat.

MALICIOUS CODE
Malicious code is also known as a rogue program. It is a threat to computing assets by causing undesired effects in the programmer’s part. The effect is caused by an agent, with the intention to cause damage.

The agent for malicious code is the writer of the code, or any person who causes its distribution. There are various kinds of malicious code. They include virus, Trojan horse, logic door, trapdoor and backdoor, worm and many others.

a) VIRUS
• a program that can pass on the malicious code to other programs by modifying them
• attaches itself to the program, usually files with .doc, .xls and .exe extensions
• destroys or co-exists with the program
• can overtake the entire computing system and spread to other systems

b) TROJAN HORSE
• a program which can perform useful and unexpected action
• must be installed by users or intruders before it can affect the system’s assets
• an example of a Trojan horse is the login script that requests for users’ login ID and password
• the information is then used for malicious purposes
c) LOGIC BOMB
• logic bomb is a malicious code that goes off when a specific condition occurs.
• an example of a logic bomb is the time bomb
• it goes off and causes threats at a specified time or date

e) TRAPDOOR OR BACKDOOR
• a feature in a program that allows someone to access the program with special privileges

f) WORM
• a program that copies and spreads itself through a network

" Primary Differences Between Worms VS viruses "

Worm Virus
Operates through the network Spreads through any medium.
Spreads copies of itself as a standalone program Spreads copies of itself as a program that attaches to other programs

HACKER

Hacking is a source of threat to security in computer. It is defined as unauthorised access to the computer system by a hacker. Hackers are persons who learn about the computer system in detail. They write program referred to as hacks. Hackers may use a modem or cable to hack the targeted computers.

NATURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS
Computers are also threatened by natural or environmental disaster. Be it at home, stores, offices and also automobiles.Examples of natural and environmental disasters:
  1. Flood
  2. Fire
  3. Earthquakes, storms and tornados
  4. Excessive Heat
  5. Inadequate Power Supply

THEFT
Two types of computer theft:
  1. Computer is used to steal money, goods, information and resources.
  2. Stealing of computer, especially notebook and PDAs.
Three approaches to prevent theft:
  1. prevent access by using locks, smart-card or password
  2. prevent portability by restricting the hardware from being moved
  3. detect and guard all exits and record any hardware transported

DEFINITION OF COMPUTER SECURITY

DEFINITION OF COMPUTER SECURITY

Computer security means protecting our computer systems and the information they contain against unwanted access, damage, destruction or modification.
We need to protect our computer from any intruders such as hackers, crackers and script kiddie.

We do not want strangers to read our e-mail, use our computer to attack other systems, send forged e-mail from our computer, or examine personal information stored on our computer such as financial statements.

COMPUTER CRIMES

COMPUTER CRIMES
A computer crime is defined as any criminal activity that is related to the use of computers. These activities include computer fraud, copyright infringement, computer theft and computer attack.

COMPUTER FRAUD


Computer fraud is the crime obtaining money by deceiving people through the use of computers.There are many forms of computer frauds which include:-
  1. e-mail hoaxes(an attempt to make people believe something that is not true)
  2. Program fraud
  3. investment schemes
  4. sales promotions
  5. claim of expertise on certain fields

COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT


Copyright infringement is defined as a violation of the rights secured by a copyright. Copyright infringement involves illegal copy or reproduction of copyrights material by the black market group. The open commercial sale of pirated item is also illegal.
Copyright is the legal right to be only producer or seller of book,song and film - Selling pirates software.

COMPUTER THEFT


Computer theft is defined as the unauthorized use of another person’s property with the intention to deny the owner the rightful possession of that property or its use.
Examples of computer theft include:
  1. transfer of payments to the wrong accounts
  2. tap into data transmission lines on database at no cost
  3. divert goods to the wrong destination

COMPUTER ATTACK


Computer attack may be defined as any activities taken to disrupt the equipment of computer systems, change processing control or corrupt stored data.
Computer attack can be in the forms of:
  1. physical attack that disrupt the computer facility or its transmission lines.
  2. an electronic attack that uses the power of electromagnetic energy to overload computer circuitry.
  3. a computer network attack that uses a malicious code to exploit a weakness in software, or in the computer security practices of a computer user

X Perlu Registration


Kebanyakan Lawan web sekarang memerlukan username dan password untuk melayarinya, anda terpaksa mendaftar dengan memasukkan nama, e-mel, dan sebagainya.
Bagi sesetengah orang, proses pendaftaran ini adalah leceh dan menyusahkan. Kadang2 meraka akan memberikan nama dan e-mel palsu kerana tidak mahu e-mel terdedah kepada spam.

"Spam juga berbentuk junk mail adalah penyalahgunaan email (termasuk media penyiaran dan Email) untuk mengirim berita iklan dan keperluan lainnya. Secara umumnya, spam menampilkan email yang dihantar secara berulang tanpa diminta dan sering kali tidak dikehendaki oleh penerimanya. Pada akhirnya, spam dapat menimbulkan rasa marah bagi para pengguna web. Orang yang menciptakan spam elektronik disebut spammers."

Servis Bug MeNot menyediakan user name dan password percuma bagi hampir 14,000 buah laman web. Anda hanya perlu memasukkan nama laman web yang ingin anda layari dan BugMeNot akan memberi user name dan password yang boleh digunakan.Huhu jika yang tak boleh tuh harap maaf la ek. mungkin tak ada lagi dalam BugMeNot lagi :)

Monday 21 February 2011

CYBER LAW


CYBER LAW

What is Cyber Law?

Cyber law refers to any laws relating to protecting the Internet and other online communication technologies.

Why Need For Cyber Law?
  1. Almost all companies extensitively depend upon their computer network and keep their valuable data in electronoc form.
  2. Goverment forms including income tax return, company law forms etc are now filled in electronic form.
  3. Most people are using email, cell phones and SMS messages for communication.

These concerns and issues clearly indicate why cyber laws are needed in online activities.

THE CYBER LAW ACTS IN MALAYSIA
The Malaysian Government has already passed several cyber laws to control and reduce the Internet abuse. These cyber laws include:
  1. Digital Signature Act 1997
  2. Computer Crimes Act 1997
  3. Telemedicine Act 1997
  4. Communications and Multimedia Act 1998

DIGITAL SIGNATURE ACT 1997
The Digital Signature Act 1997 secures electronic communications especially on the Internet. Digital Signature is an identity verification standard that uses encryption techniques to protect against e-mail forgery. The encrypted code consists of the user’s name and a hash of all the parts of the message.

COMPUTER CRIMES ACT 1997
The Computer Crimes Act 1997 gives protection against the misuses of computers and computer criminal activities such as unauthorised use of programmes, illegal transmission of data or messages over computers and hacking and cracking of computer systems and networks. By implementing the Computer Crimes Act 1997, users can protect their rights to privacy and build trust in the computer system. At the same time, the government can have control at a certain level over cyberspace to reduce cyber crime activities.

TELEMEDICINE ACT 1997
The Telemedicine Act 1997 ensures that only qualified medical practitioners can practice telemedicine and that their patient's rights and interests are protected.These act provides the future development and delivery of healthcare in Malaysia.

COMMUNICATIONS AND MULTIMEDIA ACT 1998
The implementation of Communication and Telecommunication Act 1998 ensures that information is secure, the network is reliable and the service is affordable all over Malaysia.
This Act also ensures high level of user's confidence in the information and communication technology industry.

THE PROCESS OF INTERNET FILTERING


INTERNET FILTERING

It is our responsibility to ensure that the teenagers are protected from these corruptions of the mind by filtering access to the Internet.Internet filtering is a process that prevents or blocks access to certain materials on the Internet.

It is our responsibility to ensure that the teenagers are protected from these corruptions of the mind by filtering access to the Internet.

What is Internet filtering?

Internet filtering is a process that prevents or blocks access to certain materials on the Internet. Filtering is most commonly used to prevent children from accessing inappropriate material and to keep employees productive on the Internet.

CONTROLLING ACCESS TO THE INTERNET

The current preferred method of choice to limit access on the Internet is to filter content either by:

  • keyword blocking
  • site blocking
  • web rating systems

These methods require software to be installed at a client of server level.

KEYWORD BLOCKING

One of the strategies is by using the keyword blocking method. This method uses a list of banned words or objectionable terms.

As the page is downloading, the filter searches for any of these words. If found, it will block the page completely, stop downloading the page, block the banned words and even shut down the browser.

SITE BLOCKING

  • software company maintains a list of ‘dubious Internet sites’
  • the software prevents access to any sites on this list
  • ‘denial lists’ regularly updated
  • some software provides control over what categories of information you block
  • Who decides what goes on the ‘denial list’ and what criteria are they using?
  • can you keep track of the whole of the Internet?
  • filters can use both site blocking and word blocking

WEB RATING SYSTEMS

Web sites are rated in terms of nudity, sex, violence and language. The Recreational Software Advisory Council (RSACI) is responsible for the rating of the websites on the content on the internet.

  • ratings done either by the web page author or by the independent bureau.
  • browsers set to only accept pages with certain levels of ratings.

CONTROVERSIAL CONTENT


CONTROVERSIAL CONTENT

A controversial content is information that causes disagreement in opinions and may cause the disruption of peace because different people or culture will have different views


ISSUES ON CONTROVERSIAL CONTENTS

The issues on controversial contents are always focusing on pornography and slander. Malaysia considers pornography and slander as illegal.

Pornography Creative activity (writing or pictures or films etc.) of no literary or artistic value other than to stimulate sexual desire.

Slander Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person's reputation.
A false and malicious statement or report about someone.

DEFINITION OF PORNOGRAPHY

The definition of pornography is any form of media or material (like books or photographs) that depicts erotic behaviour and is intended to cause sexual excitement.

Pornography tends to exploit men, women and children in a distasteful manner.

SLANDER

Slander is another example of controversial content.

Slander is a legal term for false and malicious statement (meaning knowing that it is false, or “reckless disregard” that it was false) about someone.

Examples :
You wrote an e-mail that a fellow classmate was having an affair with a teacher, even though it was not true. You then sent it to five other friends.


IMPACTS ON MALAYSIAN SOCIETY

Pornography
• can lead to criminal acts such as exploitation of women and children
• can lead to sexual addiction or perversion
• can develop low moral value towards other men, women or children
• can erode good religious, cultural and social beliefs and behaviour

Slander
• can develop into a society that disregards honesty and truth
• can develop bad habit of spreading untruths and rumours
• can lead to unnecessary argument
• can cause people to have negative attitudes towards another person

VERIFICATION


VERIFICATION
Verification is the act of proving or disproving the correctness of a system with respect to a certain formal specification.

METHODS OF VERIFICATION

There are two methods commonly used in verification, which are user identification and processed object.
User identification refers to the process of validating the user. Processed object refers to something the user has such as identification card, security token and cell phone.

USER IDENTIFICATION

The examples of validating process using the user identification are:
  • Key in the user name to log-in to a system and the system will verify whether the user is valid or invalid user
  • Show the exam slip to verify that you are the valid candidate for the exam.
  • show a passport before departure.

Team View

NETWORK


1.Install perisian Komputer Dari Jarak Jauh.
Dengan mengunakan TeamView ,kita boleh melakukan banyak aktiviti pada komputer pengguna yang lain dari jarak jauh disampiang itu juga ia boleh mengawal 80% sistem komputer penguna lain daripada komputer pelayan. Perisian ini juga membolehkan pelayan untuk meng-install perisian pada komputer penguna.

2.Storan Maya.
Teamview membenarkan pengguna kedua untuk mengawal storan.
*share application software, utility and other

3.Membaik Pulih Sistem Komputer.
teamview itu pengguna boleh mengawal 80% sistem komputer tersebut serta boleh mengawal control panel,run dan sebagainya. Disamping itu juga perisian tersebut membenarkan pengguna untuk restart komputer.

Friday 18 February 2011

Kongsi Masalah Komputer



Senario Permasalahan


Fahmi telah menformat komputer-nya berdasarkan buku yang dibelinya beberapa hari yang lalu tetapi selepas memformat, fahmidapati komputer-nya selalu tiba-tiba “shut down” semasa sedang melakukan kerja atau menginstall apa-apa software. Fahmicuba memformat sekali lagi dan beberapa kali komputer “shut down” sendiri sebelum selesai.

Sampai sekarang keadaan masih serupa Tetapi komputer masih boleh on jika fahmi menutup semua supply dan on kembali selepas beberapa minit. Button “stand by”semasa ingin shut down juga tak aktif.

Jawapan:

Pada pendapat saya komputer yang telah diformat jarang berlaku masalah seperti ini. Komputer akan menjadi lebih baik dan lebih laju berbanding sebelum format. Saya memberikan sedikit pandangan kepadanya.

1. Mungkin disebabkan kepada power supply yang tidak berjalan dengan sempurna.
Cuba gantikan power supply yang baru.

2. Mungkin juga disebabkan oleh hard disk yang sudah rosak (corrupt).
Ketika format Windows jangan gunakan Quick Format bagi memastikan
bad sector dapat dikesan.

3. Mungkin juga disebabkan oleh processor yang sudah panas.
Bila terlampau panas, komputer tidak mampu menjalankan sebarang program dan kemudian akan shutdown dengan sendiri.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mengatasi masalah komputer

Apabila didapati komputer anda tidak berfungsi, anda boleh mengambil langkah-langkah berikut bagi mengenali punca masalah. Mengenalpasti masalah komputer mungkin berpunca dari:-


Kesilapan Sendiri.

Pengguna tanpa disedari, merupakan satu daripada punca berlakunya masalah yang dihadapi oleh komputer. Masalah yang disebabkan oleh pengguna sendiri termasuklah terlupa membuka suis atau memasukkan plug pada soket yang salah, meletak cakera dalam pemacu cakera yang salah, menekan kekunci (key) yang salah, kurang mahir dengan perisian (software), memberikan arahan yang salah (incorrect command), menggunakan perisian (software) yang telah rosak, dan beberapa perkara lain lagi.

Masalah biasa pencetak

Peralatan luaran seperti pencetak dan kabel juga boleh mendatangkan masalah kepada operasi komputer. Umpamanya air minuman yang tumpah ke atas cakera boleh menyebabkan komputer anda menghadapi masalah. Begitu juga pencetak yang kehabisan kertas juga mampu menyebabkan komputer tidak dapat mengeluarkan output yang dikehendaki.

Masalah biasa Monitor
Kesesuaian penggunaan monitor untuk sistem komputer yang tertentu adalah penting. Sekiranya anda menggunakan monitor pada komputer yang tidak serasi, maka monitor anda tidak dapat membuat paparan dengan sempurna. Jika monitor anda tidak memaparkan warna yang sepatutnya atau skrin menjadi lebih besar dari keadaan biasa, sila periksa samada komputer anda telah dipasangkan dengan driver yang sesuai bagi monitor anda.

Masalah biasa hard disk
Peralatan dalaman seperti cakera keras (hard disk) juga boleh menjadi punca kerosakan komputer. Jika cakera anda mengalami kerosakan sektor (bad sector) misalnya, ia boleh menyebabkan program komputer tidak dapat dijalankan dan ini akan menyebabkan keseluruhan sistem komputer tidak dapat digunakan.

Sekiranya perkara-perkara yang disebutkan di atas bukan menjadi punca kerosakan, barulah boleh membuat kepastian atau kesimpulan bahawa yang rosak ialah komputer itu sendiri. Kerosakan mungkin berpunca dari litar bersepadu (chip/IC). Dengan mengetahui Litar bersepadu manakah yang rosak barulah boleh dibaiki komputer dengan menggunakan peralatan khas.


Jika ada pendapat yang lain boleh berkongsi bersama :)



Thursday 17 February 2011

Tingkatkan Virtual Memori

Virtual Memory low adalah disebabkan kekurangan memori komputer untuk load dan run sesuatu program, ia berlaku apabila physical memory anda habis digunakan, secara amnya terdapat virtual memory yang berkapasiti kecil terdapat di local disk anda.Cara terbaik utk mengatasinya adalah dgn menambah kapasiti RAM anda, kapasiti yg anda perlukan terpulang kepada tahap penggunaan, untuk XP, 1Gb untuk kegunaan kasual sudah memadai manakala untuk Vista dan Windo 7adalah 2Gb.
Walaubagaimanapun, tetap ada alternatif lain, iaitu dgn memberikan lebih ruang utk virtual memory (guna ruang dari hard disk).

Cara-caranya :-

  1. Right Click "My Computer" - "Properties"
  2. Di system properties, ambil tab "Advance" - Klik "Settings" pada bahagian Performance
  3. Pada tetingkap "Performance Options" klik tab "Advanced" dan klik pada button "Change"
  4. Pada ruang "Virtual Memory" Klik pada radio button "Custom size" Cadangan: 2000-3000Mb dan klik set > ok
  5. Sebaik-baiknya restart komputer untuk melihat kesannya, selamat mencuba

Wednesday 16 February 2011

AUTHENTICATIONS


AUTHENTICATIONS

Authentication is a process where users verify that they are who they say they are. The user who attempts to perform functions in a system is in fact the user who is authorised to do so.

For Example : When you use an ATM card, the machine will verify the validation of the card then the machine will request for a pin number. This is where the authentication process takes place.

METHODS OF AUTHENTICATION

There are two commonly used authentication methods, which are biometric device and callback system.

Biometric device is a device that translates personal characteristics into a digital code that is compared with a digital code stored in the database.

Callback system refers to the checking system that authenticates the user.

BIOMETRIC DEVICES

Fingerprint Recognition

In order to prevent fake fingers from being used, many biometrics fingerprint systems also measure blood flow, or check for correctly arrayed ridges at the edges of the fingers.

Facial Recognition

Facial recognition analyses the characteristics of an individual's face images captured Through a digital video camera. Facial recognition is widely used, touted as a fantastic system for recognizing potential threats

(whether terrorists, scam artists, or known criminals).

Hand Geometry Scanning

Hand scanning involves the measurement and analysis of the shape of one's hand.

Unlike fingerprints, the human hand isn't unique. Individual hand features are not descriptive enough for identification.

It is possible to devise a method by combining various individual features and measurements of fingers and hands for verification purposes.

Iris Scanning

Iris scanning analyses the features that exist in the colored tissues surrounding the pupil which has more than 200 points that can be used for comparison, including rings, furrows and freckles.

The scans use a regular video camera and can be done from further away than a retinal scan. It will work perfectly fine through glasses and in fact has the ability to create an accurate enough measurement that it can be used for identification purposes.

The accuracy of this method is excellent while the cost involved is high.

Retinal Scanning

Retinal biometrics involves the scanning of retina and analyzing the layer of blood vessels at the back of the eye.

Retinal scanning involves using a low-intensity light source and an optical coupler and can read the patterns at a great level of accuracy.

Retina scanning requires the user to remove glasses, place their eye close to the device, and focus on a certain point. Whether the accuracy can outweigh the public discomfort is yet to be seen.

The accuracy in retinal scanning is very good and the cost involved is fair.

Voice Recognition

Voice recognition system compares a person’s live speech with their stored voice pattern.

Voice recognition biometrics requires user to speak into a microphone. What he speaks can be his password or an access phrase.

Verification time is approximately 5 seconds. To prevent recorded voice

use, most voice recognition devices require the high and low frequencies of the sound to match, which is difficult for many recording instruments to recreate well. Also, some devices generate random number of sequences for verification.

The accuracy in voice recognition is fair and the cost involved is very reasonable.

Signature Verification System

Signature verification system uses special pen and tablet. After pre-processing the signature, several features are extracted.

The authenticity of a writer is determined by comparing an input signature to a stored reference set (template) consisting of three signatures.

The similarity between an input signature and the reference set is computed using string matching and the similarity value is compared to a threshold.

The accuracy in signature verification system is fair and the cost involved is excellent.

CALLBACK SYSTEM

The callback system is commonly used in the bank operation and business transaction.

For example, when you book for the taxi service, the operator will ask you to hang up and she will call you back to confirm for the service required.

WHY IS AUTHENTICATION IMPORTANT?

Authentication is important in order to safeguard against the unauthorized access and use.

PRIVACY IN COMPUTER USAGE

WHAT IS PRIVACY?

Privacy in IT refers to data and information privacy.

Data refers to a collection of raw unprocessed facts, figures and symbols. Then, computer is used to process data into information. In general, data include texts, numbers, sounds, images and video.

Information privacy is described as the rights of individuals and companies to deny or restrict the collection and use of information about them.

WAYS COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY THREATEN OUR PRIVACY

Every time you click on an advertisement or register a software product online, your Information is entered into a database. Computer technology can also threaten privacy through spam. Do you know what spam is? Spam is unsolicited e-mail messages, advertisements or newsgroup postings sent to many recipients at once.

How does computer technology threaten the privacy of our data? It is done through:

Cookies

Electronic profile

Spy ware

Computer technology threatens our privacy through electronic profiling. For example, when we fill out a form such as a magazine subscription, purchasing products or contest entry form on the Internet, this data is kept in the database. It will include age, address, marital status and other personal details.

Cookies

  • are used to identify users by web casting, e-commerce and other web applications
  • contain user information and are saved in the computer hard disk
  • are used by some websites to store passwords and track how regularly we visit a website, that’s how we become potential targets for web advertisers
  • enable web sites to collect information about your online activities and store them for future use, then the collected details will be sold to any company that requests for it.

Electronic profile
  • electronic profile is the combining of data in a database that can be sold to the Internet by the company to the interested parties.
  • this database is in a form such as magazine subscription or product warranty cards that had been filled by online subscribers.
  • the information in electronic profile includes personal details such as your age, address and marital status.

Spyware

  • refers to a program that collects user information without the user’s knowledge.
  • can enter computers, sneaking in like a virus.
  • is a result of installing new programs.
  • communicates information it collects to some outside source while we are online.

WHY DO WE NEED PRIVACY?

We need privacy for anonymity. For example, the Internet creates an elaborate trail of data detailing a person surfing on the Web because all information is stored inside cookies. We do not want our trail to be detected.

We also need privacy for confidentiality. For example, online information generated in the course of a business transaction is routinely used for a variety of other purposes without the individual’s knowledge or consent.

We do not want our private lives and habits exposed to third parties.

CAN PRIVACY BE PROTECTED?

Privacy can be protected by:

(a) Privacy law

The privacy laws in Malaysia emphasizes on the following:

Security Services to review the security policy

Security Management to protect the resources

Security Mechanism to implement the required security services

Security Objects, the important entities within the system environment

(b) Utilities software

Example: anti-spam program, firewall, anti-spyware and antivirus.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

DEFINITION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Intellectual Property refers to works created by inventors, authors and artists. These works are unique and have value in the market place. In our daily lives, we are surrounded by things that are protected by IP. Your school bags, your shoes and even your socks are protected by Intellectual Property rights. Nike, Bata or Adidas, for example, are all protected by a group of legal rights.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW

Intellectual Property laws cover ideas, inventions, literary creations, unique names, business models, industrial processes, computer program codes and more.

INVENTIONS PROTECTED BY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS

As businesses continue to expand globally, business owners must realise the importance of getting professional advice on how to establish and safeguard their intellectual property rights. These include :

Trademarks

Service marks

Trade/company names

Domain names

Geographical indications

Copyrights

Patents

Example : Protected by property law.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROTECTION

There are four types of Intellectual Property protection. They are patents for invention, trademarks for brand identity, designs for product appearance and copyright for material.

Patents for inventions

Trademarks for brand identity

Design for product appearance

Copyright for material

Patents for inventions

Utility, design or plant patents that protect inventions and improvements to

existing inventions

Trademarks for brand identity

Words, names, symbols, devices and images that represent products, goods or services.

Design for product appearance

Literary and artistic material, music, films, sound recordings and road casts,

including software and multimedia.

Copyright for material

The features of, in particular, the lines, contours, colors, shape, texture or material of the product itself or its ornamentation.

THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ETHICS AND LAW

DEFINITION OF ETHICS

In general, ethics is a moral philosophy where a person makes a specific moral choice and sticks to it. On the other hand, ethics in computing means moral guidelines to refer to when using the computer and computer networks. This includes the Internet.

DEFINITION OF LAW

Law is a legal system comprising of rules and principles that govern the affairs of a community and controlled by a political authority. Law differs from one country to another. In the era of technology, computer law is needed to clarify goods or actions that fall under the computer law. Computer law refers to all areas in law that requires an understanding of computer technology such as hardware, software and Internet. Examples of laws of computing in Malaysia include the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Act, the Computer Crime Act 1997 and the Telemedicine Act 1997.

WHY DO WE NEED ETHICS AND LAW IN COMPUTING?

Respecting Ownership

Respecting Privacy

Respecting Property

RESPECTING OWNERSHIP

We must respect ownership by not stealing other people’s work either by duplicating or distributing it. Duplicating and distributing copies of audio tapes, video tapes and computer programs without permission and authorization from the individual or company that created the program are immoral and illegal.

RESPECTING PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITY

We should respect other people's privacy and confidentiality by refraining ourselves from reading their mails or files without their permission. If we do so, it is considered as violating an individual’s rights to privacy and confidentiality.

RESPECTING PROPERTY

Property here means ownership. Since an individual data and information are considered as property, therefore, an act of tampering and changing electronic information is considered as vandalism and disrespect for other people’s property.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN ETHICS AND LAW

Both ethics and law are complimentary to each other and are made:

to guide user from misusing computers

to create a healthy computer society, so that computers are used to contribute to a better life

to prevent any crime

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ETHICS AND LAWS

ETHICS

GUIDELINE - As a guideline to computer users.

MORAL STANDARDS - Ethical behavior is judged by moral standards.

FREE TO FOLLOW - Computer users are free to follow or ignore the code of ethics.

NO PUNISHMENTS - No punishment for anyone who violates ethics.

UNIVERSALS - Universal, can be applied anywhere, all over the world.

PRODUCE ETHICAL COMPUTER USERS - To produce ethical computer users.

IMMORAL - Not honoring computer ethics means ignoring the moral elements (immoral).

LAW

CONTROL - As a rule to control computer users.

JUDICIAL STANDARDS - Law is judged by judicial standards.

MUST FOLLOW - Computer users must follow the regulations and law.

PENALTIES, IMPRISONMENTS AND OTHER PUNISHMENTS - Penalties, imprisonments and other punishments for those who break the law.

DEPENDS ON COUNTRY - Depends on country and state where the crime is committed.

PREVENT MISUSING OF COMPUTERS - To prevent misuse of computers.

CRIME - Not honoring the law means committing a crime.


UNETHICAL VS. LAW BREAKING CONDUCTS

Unethical:

  1. using the office computer to do personal things
  2. reading your friend’s e-mail without his or her permission
  3. plagiarising and using materials from the Internet for your class assignment without giving credit to the original author

Law breaking:

  1. sending a computer virus via e-mail
  2. hacking into your school’s database to change your examination results.
  3. selling pirated software in a night market

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