Explain the following in the context of Internet and its applications: (i) Security threats on Internet (ii) E-learning processes
Answers
Education via the Internet, network, or standalone computer. E-learning is essentially the network-enabled transfer of skills and knowledge. E-learning refers to using electronic applications and processes to learn. E-learning applications and processes include Web-based learning, computer-based learning, virtual classrooms and digital collaboration. Content is delivered via the Internet, intranet/extranet, audio or video tape, satellite TV, and CD-ROM. [
Here’s a quick explanation of some of the common security threats you may come across:
Malware: Malware is short for “malicious software.” Wikipedia describes malware as a term used to mean a “variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or program code.” Malware could be computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, dishonest spyware, and malicious rootkits—all of which are defined below.
Computer virus: A computer virus is a small piece of software that can spread from one infected computer to another. The virus could corrupt, steal, or delete data on your computer—even erasing everything on your hard drive. A virus could also use other programs like your email program to spread itself to other computers.
Rogue security software: It appears legitimate and asks you to click on a link to install the “update” or “remove” unwanted malicious software that it has apparently detected. This could be rogue security software designed to lure people into clicking and downloading malicious software.
Trojan horse: Users can infect their computers with Trojan horse software simply by downloading an application they thought was legitimate but was in fact malicious. Once inside your computer, a Trojan horse can do anything from record your passwords by logging keystrokes (known as a keystroke logger) to hijacking your webcam to watch and record your every move.
Malicious spyware: Malicious spyware is used to describe the Trojan application that was created by cybercriminals to spy on their victims. An example would be keylogger software that records a victim’s every keystroke on his or her keyboard.
Computer worm: A computer worm is a software program that can copy itself from one computer to another, without human interaction. Worms can replicate in great volume and with great speed.
Botnet: A botnet is a group of computers connected to the Internet that have been compromised by a hacker using a computer virus or Trojan horse. An individual computer in the group is known as a “zombie“ computer.
Spam: Spam in the security context is primarily used to describe email spam —unwanted messages in your email inbox.
Phishing: Phishing scams are fraudulent attempts by cybercriminals to obtain private information.
Rootkit: According to TechTarget, a rootkit is a collection of tools that are used to obtain administrator-level access to a computer or a network of computers.