MMTK

Access control

Session overview

• Introduction to access control

• Passwords– Computers

– Files

– Online spaces and networks

• Firewalls

Introduction

• Access control is about ensuring that information is– Accessible to those who are authorized to see it– Not accessible to others

• In general, do not prevent access to information without good reason

• Main type of access control are passwords and firewalls.

Passwords

• Used for authenticate access• Not infallible, but an important basic

step• Use passwords to secure

– Computers– Files– Online spaces– Networks

Password tips• Don’t reveal your password to anyone else• Don’t use personal information as a password• Best to choose a random sequence of alphanumeric

characters not less than six characters long, using both upper and lower case character, e.g. KH92hw

• Never use sequential passwords (such as the names of days or months)

• Don’t reuse passwords (or at least not within a year or two)

• Change your passwords immediately if you think someone else has had access to them

• Never use the same password more than once on the same system

Firewalls

• Firewalls are hardware and software tools which – Prevent unauthorized access to and from

computers via the internet– Restrict access to particular services or

programmes

• “Good” traffic can move freely; “bad” traffic is kept out

• ANY computer or network which is connected to the internet should be firewalled