• Define System Software.

• Define Operating System.

• Different types of System Software and Operating Systems.
• Role of Virtual Machines in the use of Operating System.
• Define System calls and its types.
• Operating System concepts like Buffering and spooling
• Information security
System Software
• A system software helps the user and the hardware device to function and
interact with each other.
• Basically, it is a type of software which is used to manage the department
of a computer hardware to provide the very basic functionalities that are
required by the user.
• In simple words, we can say that system software works like an
intermediatory middle layer between the user and the hardware.
• A system software provides a necessary platform or an environment for the
other software to work in.
• Due to this reason a system software plays an important role in handling
the overall computer system
• Following are the most common examples of a system software
Operating System (OS):
It is one of the popularly used System Software throughout the digital
arena. It is a collection of software that handles resources and provides
general services for the other applications that run over them
Device Drivers
• It is a type of software that controls the hardware device which is
attached to the system.
• Hardware devices that need a driver to connect to a system include
displays, sound cards, printers, mouse, and hard disks.
• Further, there are two types of device drivers: User Device Driver and
Kernel Device Drivers.
• Some examples of device drivers are VGA Drivers, VGA Drivers, Virtual
Device Drivers, BIOS Driver, Display Drivers, Motherboard Drivers,
Printer Drivers, ROM Drivers, Sound card Driver, USB Drivers, USB
Drivers, etc.
Firmware
• It is the permanent software that is embedded into a read-only
memory.
• It is a set of instructions permanently stored on a hardware device.
• It provides essential information regarding how the device interacts
with other hardware.
• Firmware can be considered as ‘semi-permanent’ as it remains
permanent unless it is updated using a firmware updater.
• Some examples of firmware are: BIOS, Computer Peripherals,
Consumer Applications, Embedded Systems, UEFI, etc.
Programming Language Translators
• These are mediator programs on which software programs rely to
translate high-level language code to simpler machine level code.
• Besides simplifying the code, the translators have the capability to
Assign data storage, enlist source code as well as program details,
Offer diagnostic reports, Rectify system errors during the runtime.
• Examples of Programming Language Translators are Interpreter,
Compiler and Assemblers.
Utility
• This software is designed to aid in analyzing, optimizing, configuring
and maintaining a computer system.
• It supports the computer infrastructure.
• This software focuses on how an OS functions and then accordingly it
decides its trajectory to smoothen the functioning of the system.
Software like antiviruses, disk cleanup & management tools,
compression tools, defragmenters, etc are all utility tools.
Application Software
• Also known as end-user programs or productivity programs are
software that helps the user in completing various tasks.
• In contrast to system software, these software are specific in their
functionality or tasks used by the end-user.
• These software are placed above the system software.
• Application Software or simply apps can also be referred to as non-
essential software as their requirement is highly subjective and their
absence does not affect the functioning of the system.
For example, such as a text editor
Application software
• There are various types of application software:
• Word Processors: These applications are widely used to create the
documentation. It also helps in storage, formatting, and printing of
these documents.
• Some examples of word processors areAbiword, apple iWorkPages,
Corel WordPerfect, Google Docs, MS Word etc.
• Database Software: This software is used to create and manage a
database. It is also known as the Database Management System or
DBMS
• Multimedia Software:
• It is the software that can play, create, or record images, audio or video files.
• They are used for video editing, animation, graphics, and image editing, some examples of
Multimedia Software areAdobe Photoshop, Inkscape, Media Monkey, Picasa, VLC Media
Player, Windows Media Player, Windows Movie Maker etc.
• Education and Reference Software: These types of software are specifically designed to
facilitate learning on a particular subject. There are various kinds of tutorial software that
fall under this category. They are also termed as academic software. Some examples
areDelta Drawing, GCompris, Jumpstart titles, KidPix, MindPlay, Tux Paint etc.
• Hbbvfc cxzxxxzxxGraphics Software: As the name suggests, Graphics Software has been
devised to work with graphics as it helps the user to edit or make changes in visual data or
images. It comprises of picture editors and illustration software. Some examples areAdobe
Photoshop, Autodesk Maya, Blender, Carrara, CorelDRAW, GIMP, Modo, PaintShop Pro etc
• Web Browsers: These applications are used to browse the internet.
They help the user in locating and retrieving data across the web.
Some examples of web browsers are Google Chrome, Internet
Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, Safari, UC Browser
etc.
• Other than these, all the software that serves a specific purpose fall
under the category of Application Software
Security and Protection
• An OS must ensure that no person can illegally use programs and
resources in the system or interfere with them in any manner.
• The security function counters threats of illegal use or interference
that are posed by persons or programs outside the control of an
operating system, where as the protection function counters similar
threats posed by its users.
• The security function counters threats of illegal use or interference
that are posed by persons or programs outside the control of an
operating system, whereas the protection function counters similar
threats posed by its users.
• Figure below illustrates how security and protection threats arise in
an OS
• In a classical stand-alone environment, a computer system functions
in complete isolation
• In such a system, the security and protection issues can be handled
easily.
• The identity of a person wishing to use a computer system is verified
through a password when the person logs in.
• This action, which is called authentication, ensures that no person
other than a registered user can use a computer system
Information security triad
Confidentiality
• Is the first element of the CIA triad, which means
keeping sensitive information private and secure.
• The aim is to prevent unauthorised access to the data
by cyber criminals or employees without legitimate
access.
• To ensure confidentiality, organisations need security
measures that can identify unauthorised personnel and
prevent them from accessing the data.
Confidentiality…
• Data confidentiality usually applies to personal
information, like customers’ names, contact details, and
payment card information. These details should be
stored in relevant databases and made accessible only
to those who need it.
• This might mean password-protecting files or setting up
access controls. You should also consider storing
different pieces of information in the separate
databases.
 Integrity
The second element of the CIA triad is integrity.
• This refers to the completeness and accuracy of data, as well
as the organisation’s ability to protect it from corruption.
• Data integrity plays an essential and unique role in data
protection. We often think of it in relation to who has (or
doesn’t have) have access to information. However, it’s just as
important to consider whether the information itself is correct.
• If there are mistakes within the data, organisations might
accidentally share classified information with the wrong
person. There is also the possibility that the information won’t
be delivered at all.
• An example of data integrity would occur in relation to a
healthcare firm mailing a patient information about their
medical condition.
• The organisation must be certain that their records are
correct, otherwise the recipient will receive incorrect
information about their health status, or they might not
receive an update at all.
• Data integrity can also refer to corporate data. For
example, an organisation must ensure that the price of
products on their e-commerce site are listed correctly
Availability
• The third element of the CIA triad is availability. This
refers to an organisation’s ability to access information
when needed. This might be the case, for example, if a
power cut knocks out an organisation’s servers or if a
Cloud hosting provider’s systems are disrupted.
• Although data availability often refers to these sorts of
organisation-wide issues, it can also apply to individual
circumstances. For instance, an employee might have a
technical problem that prevents them viewing a
sensitive file, or they don’t have keys to a filing cabinet.
Availability…
• An organisation’s systems, applications and data must be
accessible to authorised users on demand. If, for example,
the organisation suffers a power outage that knocks their
systems offline, their operations will grind to a halt.
• Likewise, if cyber criminals encrypt the organisation’s files
in a ransomware attack, they will face major disruption.
• Availability can also apply to a specific employee’s ability to
view information. If there is a problem with their account or
hardware, they might not be able to access information
necessary to perform their job.
Why is CIA IMPORTANT
• Each aspect of the CIA triad represents the foundational
principles of information security. Between them, they
cover every possible way that sensitive data can be
compromised.
Types of information controls