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System Protection in Operating System

Last Updated : 19 Jun, 2023

Introduction:

System protection in an operating system refers to the mechanisms implemented by

the operating system to ensure the security and integrity of the system. System
protection involves various techniques to prevent unauthorized access, misuse, or
modification of the operating system and its resources.

There are several ways in which an operating system can provide system protection:

User authentication: The operating system requires users to authenticate themselves

before accessing the system. Usernames and passwords are commonly used for this
purpose.

Access control: The operating system uses access control lists (ACLs) to determine
which users or processes have permission to access specific resources or perform
specific actions.

Encryption: The operating system can use encryption to protect sensitive data and
prevent unauthorized access.

Firewall: A firewall is a software program that monitors and controls incoming and
outgoing network traffic based on predefined security rules.
Antivirus software: Antivirus software is used to protect the system from viruses,
malware, and other malicious software.

System updates and patches: The operating system must be kept up-to-date with the
latest security patches and updates to prevent known vulnerabilities from being
exploited.

By implementing these protection mechanisms, the operating system can prevent

unauthorized access to the system, protect sensitive data, and ensure the overall
security and integrity of the system.

What is Protection?

Protection refers to a mechanism which controls the access of programs, processes,

or users to the resources defined by a computer system. We can take protection as a
helper to multi programming operating system, so that many users might safely share
a common logical name space such as directory or files.

Need for Protection:

To prevent the access of unauthorized users

To ensure that each active programs or processes in the system uses resources
only as the stated policy
To improve reliability by detecting latent errors

Role of Protection:

The role of protection is to provide a mechanism that implement policies which

defines the uses of resources in the computer system. Some policies are defined at
the time of design of the system, some are designed by management of the system
and some are defined by the users of the system to protect their own files and
programs. Every application has different policies for use of the resources and they
may change over time so protection of the system is not only concern of the designer
of the operating system. Application programmer should also design the protection
mechanism to protect their system against misuse. Policy is different from
mechanism. Mechanisms determine how something will be done and policies
determine what will be done. Policies are changed over time and place to place.
Separation of mechanism and policy is important for the flexibility of the system.

Advantages of system protection in an operating system:

1. Ensures the security and integrity of the system

2. Prevents unauthorized access, misuse, or modification of the operating system and
its resources
3. Protects sensitive data
4. Provides a secure environment for users and applications
5. Prevents malware and other security threats from infecting the system
6. Allows for safe sharing of resources and data among users and applications
7. Helps maintain compliance with security regulations and standards

Disadvantages of system protection in an operating system:

1. Can be complex and difficult to implement and manage

2. May slow down system performance due to increased security measures
3. Can cause compatibility issues with some applications or hardware
4. Can create a false sense of security if users are not properly educated on safe
computing practices
5. Can create additional costs for implementing and maintaining security measures.

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