Threats to communications security

Abstract

An autonomous computer, with no external communications links and with all its terminals and peripherals housed within a secure, screened computer room, is vulnerable only to the entry of unauthorised users and users gaining access to information which they are not authorised to receive. These security risks may be reduced by an efficient means of user identification and control on access to the computer room, plus a system of access controls for information within the computer. These aspects are outside the main theme of this chapter because they are computer and physical security issues. This chapter is concerned with security threats which arise when the computer is connected to external terminals or peripherals and to communications networks which provide remote access or file transfers with other computers. Computer and communications security are considered in greater detail in reference 11.1.