Best Practices for Securing Public-Setting Computers
Introduction
Many organisations find it challenging to provide both enjoyable, and secure public computing experience. This is more so in areas such as the public libraries and printing shops. In some occasions, the computers are locked to the point that they are hard to use effectively. This leads to work burden in offering services to the public. Some of the treats the owners of these shops as well as the IT administrators are worried of range from physical to program and software based threats (Cropf, 2011). The public accessible computers are critical in providing essential services to the people. Therefore, managing these computers is a vital responsibility of the management and the administrators.
Security issues of computers in public setting and the settings
With the public setting, computers are prone to a variety of risks. The security personnel is focused on safeguarding the computers resources as well as the computer hardware and the peripherals. The purpose of this is to ensure there is no vandalism, ensure data integrity, maintain data confidentiality, and limit public access. The security threats range from data integrity threats, physical threats, errors and loss of data, among others. The public setting involves configuration of many computers together in a networks. Printers, scanners, phones and other peripherals are also added to the network.
Most computers in the public setting are configured using the client-server systems. This ensures that the essential data is stored in the main computer. The end users (clients in these places) use desktops to access the data from the main computer. Changing or editing such data or information is highly restricted. Some of the measures the IT administrators use to secure computers in the public settings are physical, authentication measures, and restricted access.
Physical security
In a public setting, anybody can access the computers. These computers are put in place for public use. This may be in the library, cyber cafes, printing and scanning shops or photo printing shops. Given the reliance of people on these computers, and the free access of the computers by anyone, physical security is essential to ensure that storage devices and hardware are not compromised by theft or unauthorised access (Nishioka and Komatsu, 2011). Instances of DVDs, CDs, hard disks, and other peripherals going missing in places with computers for public use, are very common, and they give the IT security people hard time trying to manage and contain the threats.
It is believed that physical computing security measures, which include external building safeguard, as well as controlled access of the areas accessible in the building in which the computers are located are vital. These areas are installed with cross circuit cameras (CCTVs). The cameras are used to observe what goes in or out of the room, and the activities the clients engage in while in the room. Other than the physical theft threats, other significant threats are damage to the computer equipment or the data stored in the computers due to power related challenges such as a surge or an outage. Hard disks are, in most cases, directly connected to the power systems (Michael and Louise, 2003). The security personnel use measures such as installing UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply), power surge protectors among others to protect against power related threats. This helps in protecting the people using these computers from losing the data they are accessing or having such data damaged (Michael and Louise, 2003).
Data protection, minimising error, failure and Loss
In a public setting, other than physical threats, data is also lost in several occasions due to user error or hardware failures. The best measure used by the security people to mitigate these threats is the installation of proper backup systems. The computers are configured in such a way that some programs make regular backups at given intervals (Bhaskar, 1993). This depends on how regular the programs are used. For instance, word processors are commonly used to write notes, articles and letters among others. For that reason, they are configured to save client data at given intervals. While addressing the main computer security issues, the security personnel choose carefully the location of the backups and the Medias to use as backups. The security personnel also encourage people to back up their data.
In most occasions, access to public computers is limited. Access is allowed but users are limited when it comes to the changes they can make to the computers. Clients are not allowed to install any software or program without the administrator’s authority. Passwords are set to limit changing, installing or opening certain files or programs. These passwords are allocated to the administrators only (Richard, 2003). Passwords are among the most common restrictions measures, but the other methods available are biometric identifications among others.
Internet Security
Internet related threats are among the major issues affecting computers in public settings. The connection of computers to the internet, together with the growth of cloud computing, has widened the space for IT security and control vulnerabilities. This leads to rogue programmers with criminal and malicious intend hacking into computers using the networks. Today, with the advancement of computers and use of personal computers, public settings are under threat more than before (Saxby, 2006). People are using their personal computers, which they carry to those places to access the internet. They then write, and send malicious programs and viruses that damage computers in the networks. They use disks and other peripheral to enter these threats into the computers (Richard, 2004). They also send malicious files using blogs, emails and the social media. Care need to be taken. Computers in the public setting should run only when there is updated antivirus software installed. The antiviruses are installed to ensure that any malicious programs introduced to the computers as well as viruses are intercepted and deleted before they can cause any critical damage to the data and other essential programs in the computer. In some places, any external peripherals used by the clients are subjected to scanning before they can be allowed to insert them in the computers. Firewalls are also essential and are installed to block malicious programs from downloading from the internet.
The most essential tool, which computer security personnel use to ensure more internal security in public settings, is the principle of least privilege (Vacca, 2004). No user is allowed to log in to the computers with the administrator rights unless it is a requirement to perform certain vital tasks. Even when that is the case, the administrator does the logging in and guides the client through. There are other software and programs installed in the main computer, which are accessible to the administrator only.
Conclusion
In most public settings, effective systems are those that ensure data integrity and efficiency. This means that computer security is crucial. Creating computer security, in such a setting, is highly demanding. This is because; different people with different knowledge of computers access them on a daily basis. Measures are taken from physical security to data and internet security. This ensures that public access to the computers is comfortable and efficient. Access to the computers, installation of software, and even changing data and settings is restricted. It is allowed depending on the level of privilege given. In most cases, the end user has few access rights and most of the rights are with the administrator. The end users have to get access rights from the administrator to do any major changes in the system. The computers are configured in a manner that access to the system and network is monitored. Some sites in the internet are blocked or restricted to ensure some downloads do not damage the computers.
References
Bhaskar, K. N. (1993). Computer security: threats and countermeasures. Manchester: NCC Blackwell.
Cropf, R. A. (2011). Information Communication Technologies and the Virtual Public Sphere Impact of Network Structures on Civil Society. Hershey: Pa IGI Global.
Michael P & Louise E. (2003). Neal-Schuman Directory of Management Software For Public Access Computers, Chicago: Neal-Schuman Publishers.
Nishioka, M., & Komatsu, N. (2011). Public-Key Encryptions with Invariant Security Reductions in the Multi-User Setting. IEICE Transactions on Fundamentals of Electronics, Communications and Computer Sciences. 1(2), 735-760.
Richard W. (2003, June). PC Reservation & Print Management Software. Public Library Association TechNotes. 4(2). 1-25.
Richard, W. (2004, March 10). Links to Desktop, Company, and Enterprise Security Resources. Strategic Information Management Services. 2(1). 47-68.
Saxby, S. (2006). Computer security. Computer Law & Security Review. 22(4), 338-339.
Vacca, J. (2009). Computer and Information Security Handbook. New York. Morgan Kaufmann.
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