additional security of data online

Preventing hacking

Authentication techniques:

There are various methods you can use to help stop hackers from accessing your computer files and data. 

The best method is to just check that a person accessing a computer system or a network is allowed to do so.

Common authentication techniques include:

• User-Id's and passwords
• Biometrics.

This method of security is where users are authenticated using one of their body parts. Common biometric authorisation methods include: Face scans Iris scans Fingerprint scans.	Examples: Eye scans can be used to authenticate users. Face scans can be used to authenticate users. Some modern smart phones use fingerprints to authenticate the owners of the device. Biometric security methods are almost impossible to forge.

#	With biometric authorisation, the user's body parts replace a user-id and password.
#	This method of authorisation is considered to be more secure than user-id's and passwords.

Advantages of using biometric authentication:

1.	Passwords can be forgotten. You cannot forget your eyes or fingers.
2.	It is not possible to forge body parts. (Everyone has slightly different eyes, faces and fingerprints)
3.	It is also possible to write a password down and leave it somewhere for someone to find and use. This cannot happen with body parts as they are with you always.

Firewall's
Firewall's provide a 'shield' between your computer and the Internet. Data Encryption Encryption makes the files on you system unreadable  if the user does not know the password to un-encrypt them. NOTE! Encryption does not prevent hackers from accessing your files it just makes them unreadable and useless.	Firewall's can block unwanted data (including hackers) from reaching your computer. They can also stop your computer from connecting to unwanted websites. If someone try's to read an  encrypted file they will just see random junk instead of the real data.