1.  How can you tell if your computer is safe?

Have you found that when you are looking for a file in your computer, that it has gone missing? Does your computer freeze and the fan begin to whirl up when performing a simple function such as opening Notepad? When you look at the details of your files do you see that the “last modified date” is not consistent with the last time you modified it? Have you been unable to access your files until you pay 10 million in bitcoin? If your answers to these questions are “yes” then your computer is not safe. 

But what if the answer is “no”? Does that mean you’re in the clear? Well not necessarily. There are tools on the market that you can use to answer this question. If you are using a Windows computer, it most likely has Windows Defender built in. It “provides real-time malware detection, prevention, and removal with cloud-delivered protection.” Meaning, it will tell you if there is malware installed on your device and will remove it for you. If you are using a password manager, such as Google or Nordpass, they typically have a report that will tell you if your passwords are weak or have possibly been compromised. 

So you’ve done all of these things and your computer appears to be safe. Now what? Keep it that way- ensure your passwords are complex, utilize two factor authentication, continually run your antivirus software, ensure you are up to date on updates and patches, and make sure only those who need access to your computer have it!

2. Describe three ways that computers have made the world safer and less safe.

What is a computer? A computer is an electronic device that manipulates information, or data and has the ability to store, retrieve, and process data. By this definition a lot of things are considered computers that you may typically not think about. 

3 ways computers have made the world safer:

1. The apple watch has a feature that lets the wearer know if they are having a heart attack. Or maybe a person has fallen during a hike and requires emergency services. The latest apple watch has a feature that can indicate an emergency event has occurred and will notify the respective emergency services to come to your location for help. 
2. Data encryption and cloud backups have allowed for your important files to remain safe from hackers and recovered if a physical event such as a fire occurs.
3. The military uses Missile defense systems to indicate if a missile attack is about to happen and can lock onto the target and stop it.

3 ways computers have made the world less safe:

1. People are more vulnerable to identity theft nowadays than they were 60 years ago. Someone can simply send you an email with a link, and suddenly with one click, your life has changed for the worse. 
2. Modern cars such as Teslas run on computers and electricity, making them susceptible to being hacked.  
3. Advanced technology means advanced warfare. Cyberwarfare is just another method that a country’s adversary can use to disrupt an economy, military, or to spy on its citizens.