Security Features for Helping Secure a Computer Network - Research Paper Example

Computer networking Network security is fundamental in the development and sustenance of an effective computer networks.The process of developing such a network must therefore incorporate various security features that will help secure and maintain the integrity of both the data and the various communication channels. The essay below therefor investigates various security features that help secure a computer network. Such include the use of effective antiviruses, the development of effective firewalls, the use of passwords and dedicated manipulation of the user interface. The discussion further analyses the importance of backup as an operation security strategy that helps avail the data stored in the database in case of an external damage. Introduction Security is one of the most fundamental factors in the installation and maintenance of a computer network. This follows the understanding that the information shared on such computer networks is a key asset to the institutions that develop the information system. Computer networks refer to telecommunication networks that permit computers and other similar media to transfer data thus enabling communication. The interconnection of computers among other appliances such as telephones, fax machines and printers thus creates an information network that facilitates communication either within the organization or on a larger context with third parties outside the organization. The integrity of the data flowing within the information system relies on the security features employed by the information technology department in the organization (Wood, 2010). Security of a computer network requires the incorporation of various technologies as essay below elaborates. Among the various security features used in a network is end-to-end encryption, which is arguably the most effective security tool. While not often considered a security feature, end-to-end encryption is a paradigm that permits data protection through a series of encoding and decoding through appropriate platforms only. This allows for selective access to the information communicated through the network thus maintaining a degree of integrity in the entire communication process. The party that originates the data encrypts to an appropriate format conveyable through the network while the receiving party decrypts the data thereby obtaining the intended message. The process is simple but requires an effective utilization of appropriate resources in order to maintain the fidelity of the data communicated in any network. Furthermore, while end-to-end encryption promises more fidelity, it equally relies other security features of the network in order to maintain the security and integrity of the data communicated in the computer network. Among other security features that sustain the security of a network include network surveillance and network security both of which work concurrently with encryption in most cases thereby safeguarding the security of the network. Computer networks facilitate the sharing of files among other modes of communication. The type of a network depends on its uses and may include intranets such as Local Area Networks and Wide Area Network both of which permit communication within organization and the internet, which connects an organization to other users throughout the world. Regardless of the network type, communication through the networks is multi layered thereby permitting specific levels of access to the organizations’ databases (Simmonds, Sandilands & Van, 2004). This ensures that a manager for example access particular information while a customer access another. Either the connection of the elements in a computer network are wired or wireless, a wired network consists of routers, switches, computers and data cables, which facilitate the flow of data thus enabling communication. Wireless networks on the other hand rely on various technologies including the use of satellite, terrestrial microwave and radio spectrum among many others. Regardless of the technology used in the creation of the network, the security of the information system relies of specific intricate features of the system. Among the security features include the creation of firewalls. Firewalls are among the most effective surveillance techniques used in communication networks. Firewalls are boundaries that prevent external access of the database. They are programs that make it difficult for anyone without the appropriate protocols to enter the networks. Besides their dedicated deterrent of any unwarranted access, firewalls also monitor movement around the network thereby notifying any technician of an attempted entry into the network. This way, firewalls investigate and avail the internet protocol address of every computer that tries accessing the network thus facilitating an investigation into any of an unwarranted access of the network. Another equally effective security measure is the use of password to access a database within the network. Passwords are effective encryptions of digits unknown to the computer platform itself. The computer matches the digits entered by a user of the network to previously saved codes before permitting access to the network. The codes remain unknown to any third party including the computer itself, this implies that for anyone to access the database, they must obtain the password from a user of the network. This improves the security of the network since every user of the network retains a unique password. This limits the use of the network to the permitted users within the organization all of who access various sections of the database thereby maintaining an integrity of both the data and the communication process. Another great source of data interference in any communication network is virus infection. Computer viruses are programs developed and introduced to the network by malicious users who seek to hamper the operation of the network. Different viruses have different effects on both the database and the computer platforms used in the network. Other viruses replicate the data indiscriminately thereby filling the storage media thus corrupting their usability while other auto deletes the databases thereby eliminating the data. Others still convert the data on a database to unknown formats thereby rendering the files inaccessible to the users of the network. To prevent viral infection, the efficacy of a network relies on the installation of antiviruses, effective programs that delete the viruses thereby restoring the functionality of the computers and other similar media used to store the data (Andersen, Balakrishnan & Kaashoek, 2001). Antiviruses are also other effective surveillance features employable on the network. Just as the firewalls, antiviruses stay active and operational throughout the life of the network provided they are update frequently. They therefore maintain a dedicated surveillance of the network often deleting viruses and report the same as they enter the network. As foreign bodies, viruses enter the network only through third party introduction. The users of the network may introduce the viruses accidentally by using infected media such as flash disks among other secondary data storage facilities. The other potential sources of viruses include hackers who seek to either obtain or destroy the information stored on a database or through communication through the internet, which presents an omnipresent source of threat. An updated antivirus will therefore maintain the integrity of the database by deleting the viruses as they enter the network. Another equally effective security feature on a computer network is the user interface. This refers to the platform, always a computer monitor used to access the network. Each user of the network uses a specific interface, which may include a personal computer, a laptop, tablet or even a smart phone. Each of the gadgets named above has a dedicated monitor with various features that influence the usability of both the gadgets and the entire network. Through the customization of the interface, a user ensures a unique access of the network since such users employ strategic features known only to them to permit access of the network. Among the elements of an interface that makes one unique, include the theme colors, images and pictures that may easily represent intricate features of the network known only to the specific user. This way, the access of the network remains a unique affair and any third party who accesses a gadget may not easily navigate the interface in order to access the database. Besides the various security features discussed above, another precautionary feature may save the database and the entire network in the event of an external damage through such calamities as fire, earthquake and theft of instruments among many others. Back up is a precautionary method through which users of the network replicates their databases and stores them in secondary media for use in the case of a destruction of their databases. A backup is a secondary database stored on a secondary media such an external hard drive or even on the cyber space (Wakeman, 1992). This way, the system avails the information in case the original database is corrupt or damaged. In retrospect, the security of a database ensures the efficient use of the computer network. Users of the computer network must therefore employ strategic features to ensure the efficiency of the network and integrity of the data stored on the database through the employment of effective and dedicated security features. End to end encryption of data in the network is one of the efficient and foolproof ways of ensuring the security of the network. References Andersen, D. Balakrishnan, H & Kaashoek, M. (2001). Resilient Overlay Networks. Association for Computing Machinery. Simmonds, A., Sandilands, P. & Van E. L. (2004). "An Ontology for Network Security Attack". Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Lecture Notes in Computer Science 3285: 317–323. Wakeman, I (Jan. 1992). "Layering considered harmful". IEEE Network: pp. 20–24. Wood, J. (2010). "The Darknet: A Digital Copyright Revolution". 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