Security Precautions
Passwords
Some data is sensitive and has to be kept secure. So usernames and passwords can be used to authenticate users on a network. This can also limit access to certain files.
Password Policies
A strong password is deemed that it is long enough and has a mix of alphanumeric characters in it. It should also not be ‘guessable’.
Some organisations will ensure a strong password policy by following some or all of the following measures:
Requiring users to change their password every x months.
Requiring passwords to have a mix of alphanumeric and special characters.
Requiring passwords to be certain lengths.
Not allowing them to use a password they have used before in a certain time frame.
Encryption
It is very difficult to ensure that data is not intercepted. Due to the way that packets of information are sent across networks or even if someone has access to the mail server your mail is hosted on.
Encryption is a way of putting the message into a code so that even if the data is intercepted then it is unreadable.
To encode the message you need a key, and you ensure that anyone who is allowed to read the message has a copy of the key so that the can decipher the message.
It can also a criminal offence to not supply a decryption key to the police when requested.
A key is used to encrypt the message and another key is used to decrypt the message