Entry 10 - Cybersecurity

What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity or computer security is "the protection of computer systems from theft or damage to the hardware, software or the information on them, as well as from disruption or misdirection of the services they provide" (Wikipedia). Cybersecurity has become more important as the Internet has become more widespread. Currently, most electronic equipment, like computers, laptops, and smartphones, comes equip with a built-in security system. However, these security systems are not 100 percent accurate as there are ways to get around them. It is important for cybersecurity systems to improve as more tasks are being completed through computers.

How this relates to Computer Science
Cybersecurity works in many different ways depending on what specifically is being protected. For example, the process of encryption is used to hide sensitive information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, personal details, etc. Encryption encodes information so that only the person can decode it. Another type of security is firewalls. Firewalls generally come with electronic devices and are used to monitor network traffic based on built-in security rules. Firewalls can be built into either the software or hardware and determine if networks can be trusted. Although there are different methods in order to keep computers and information safe, all cybersecurity is dependent on algorithms. The algorithms help determine if sites and networks are safe as well as encode information to keep it safe from outside threats.

References
1. Tyson, Jeff. "How Encryption Works." HowStuffWorks. N.p., 06 Apr. 2001. Web.
2. "Computer Security." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web.
3. "Firewall." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web.