Secure computing refers to the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from unauthorized access, misuse, and cyber threats. As the digital landscape grows, securing computing resources becomes increasingly critical, especially with the rise of cloud computing, IoT, and data-driven technologies. This field encompasses a broad range of topics, from cryptography to network security and threat mitigation.
Confidentiality: Ensures that information is only accessible to those authorized to see it. This is typically achieved through encryption, access control policies, and secure authentication methods.
Integrity : Ensures that data is accurate, consistent, and hasn't been tampered with. Techniques such as checksums, hashes, and digital signatures are used to verify data integrity.
Availability : Ensures that data and services are accessible to authorized users when needed. Protection against Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks and ensuring redundancy and fault tolerance are key to maintaining availability.
Authentication : The process of verifying the identity of users or systems (e.g., using passwords, biometrics, or multi-factor authentication).
Authorization : Determines whether an authenticated user has permission to access a specific resource or perform a certain action (e.g., access control lists, role-based access control).