NCJ Number
45596
Date Published
1976
Length
34 pages
Annotation
AN OVERVIEW OF PRIVACY AND SECURITY IN COMPUTER SYSTEMS IS PRESENTED WITH THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR THE DESIGN, OPERATION, AND USE OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS.
Abstract
UNITED STATES LAW REQUIRES PROTECTION OF INDIVIDUAL PRIVACY IN COMPUTERIZED PERSONAL INFORMATION RECORDKEEPING SYSTEMS MAINTAINED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SIMILAR LAWS APPLY IN CERTAIN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. LEGISLATION HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO EXTEND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVACY PROTECTION TO THE PRIVATE SPHERE. CENTRAL IN PRIVACY PROTECTION ARE THE RIGHTS OF AN INDIVIDUAL TO KNOW WHAT DATA ARE MAINTAINED ON HIM, TO CHALLENGE THEIR TRUTH AND RELEVANCE, TO LIMIT THEIR NONROUTINE USE OR DISSEMINATION, AND TO BE ASSURED THAT THEIR QUALITY, INTEGRITY, AND CONFIDENTIALITY ARE MAINTAINED. IN ALL COMPUTER SYSTEMS THAT MAINTAIN AND PROCESS VALUABLE INFORMATION OR PROVIDE SERVICES TO MULTIPLE USERS CONCURRENTLY, IT IS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE SECURITY SAFEGUARDS AGAINST UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS, USE, OR MODIFICATION OF ANY DATA FILE. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT YET BEEN SOLVED IN THE GENERAL CASE. COMPUTER SYSTEMS MUST ALSO BE PROTECTED AGAINST UNAUTHORIZED USE, DISRUPTION OF OPERATIONS, AND PHYSICAL DAMAGE. THE GROWING NUMBER OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS INVOLVING VALUABLE INFORMATION OR ASSETS PLUS THE GROWING NUMBER OF CRIMINAL ACTIONS DIRECTED AGAINST COMPUTER APPLICATIONS AND SYSTEMS OR PERPETRATED BY USING COMPUTERS UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR FINDING EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE COMPUTER SECURITY PROBLEM. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT IN THE FUTURE, CONCERNS FOR PRIVACY AND SECURITY MUST BECOME INTEGRAL IN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND THEIR APPLICATIONS (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED -- VDA)