Lesson 6
Week 6 Students learning objectives
1. Explain the concept of electronic commerce and its
applications
2. Define information security: - Confidentiality, Integrity and
Availability as used in information security.
3. Define artificial intelligence and give examples of intelligent
systems.
4. Understand why artificial intelligence is needed in computing.
5. Explain artificial intelligence as applied in the field of
computing and business.
Topics
Electronic commerce and Information Security.
Artificial Intelligence and Society.
Making Decisions about Computers and Information,
E-Commerce
Simply put, e-commerce is the online transaction of business verses real-world commerce. E-
commerce includes retail shopping, banking, stocks and bonds trading, auctions, real estate
transactions, airline booking, movie rentals e.t.c, featuring linked computer systems of the
vendor, host, and buyer. Electronic transactions involve the transfer of ownership or rights to use
a good or service. Most people are familiar with business-to-consumer electronic business
(B2C). Common illustrations include Amazon.com, llbean.com, CompUSA.com,
travelocity.com, and hotels.com.
E-commerce can be divided into:
E-tailing or "virtual storefronts" on Web sites with online catalogs, sometimes gathered
into a "virtual mall"
The gathering and use of demographic data through Web contacts
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the business-to-business exchange of data
e-mail and fax and their use as media for reaching prospects and established customers
(for example, with newsletters)
Business-to-business buying and selling (B2B)
Information security
What is information security?
Information security defines information as an asset, which adds value to an organization and
consequently needs to be suitably protected.
1|Page
, Information security is therefore the process of protecting information. It protects its availability,
privacy and integrity.
Information can be printed or written on paper, stored electronically, transmitted by post or using
electronic means, shown on films, or spoken in conversation.
Information security protects information from a wide range of threats in order to ensure
business continuity, minimize business damage and maximize return on investments and
business opportunities.
Information security is achieved by implementing a suitable set of controls, which could be
policies, practices, procedures, organizational structures and software functions. These
controls need to be established to ensure that the specific security objectives of the organization
are met.
Information security is characterized in the standard as the preservation of:
confidentiality
integrity
Availability.
This will initiate, implement, maintain and manage information within your organization and
help you manage your inherent vulnerability to information security issues.
Confidentiality: The protection of certain types of information from being disclosed to
unauthorized individuals, entities or processes.
Integrity of Data: The state that exists when computerized data is the same as that in source
documents and has not been exposed to accidental or malicious alteration or destruction.
Availability: A condition in which data, information, and communications systems are
accessible and usable on a timely basis and in the required manner without special skills as a
prerequisite for use.
Data integrity refers to the validity of data. Data integrity can be compromised in a number of
ways:
Human errors when data is entered
Errors that occur when data is transmitted from one computer to another
Software bugs or viruses
Hardware malfunctions, such as disk crashes
Natural disasters, such as fires and floods
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is usually defined as the science of making computers do
things that require intelligence when done by humans.
the branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve
problems creatively
2|Page
Week 6 Students learning objectives
1. Explain the concept of electronic commerce and its
applications
2. Define information security: - Confidentiality, Integrity and
Availability as used in information security.
3. Define artificial intelligence and give examples of intelligent
systems.
4. Understand why artificial intelligence is needed in computing.
5. Explain artificial intelligence as applied in the field of
computing and business.
Topics
Electronic commerce and Information Security.
Artificial Intelligence and Society.
Making Decisions about Computers and Information,
E-Commerce
Simply put, e-commerce is the online transaction of business verses real-world commerce. E-
commerce includes retail shopping, banking, stocks and bonds trading, auctions, real estate
transactions, airline booking, movie rentals e.t.c, featuring linked computer systems of the
vendor, host, and buyer. Electronic transactions involve the transfer of ownership or rights to use
a good or service. Most people are familiar with business-to-consumer electronic business
(B2C). Common illustrations include Amazon.com, llbean.com, CompUSA.com,
travelocity.com, and hotels.com.
E-commerce can be divided into:
E-tailing or "virtual storefronts" on Web sites with online catalogs, sometimes gathered
into a "virtual mall"
The gathering and use of demographic data through Web contacts
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the business-to-business exchange of data
e-mail and fax and their use as media for reaching prospects and established customers
(for example, with newsletters)
Business-to-business buying and selling (B2B)
Information security
What is information security?
Information security defines information as an asset, which adds value to an organization and
consequently needs to be suitably protected.
1|Page
, Information security is therefore the process of protecting information. It protects its availability,
privacy and integrity.
Information can be printed or written on paper, stored electronically, transmitted by post or using
electronic means, shown on films, or spoken in conversation.
Information security protects information from a wide range of threats in order to ensure
business continuity, minimize business damage and maximize return on investments and
business opportunities.
Information security is achieved by implementing a suitable set of controls, which could be
policies, practices, procedures, organizational structures and software functions. These
controls need to be established to ensure that the specific security objectives of the organization
are met.
Information security is characterized in the standard as the preservation of:
confidentiality
integrity
Availability.
This will initiate, implement, maintain and manage information within your organization and
help you manage your inherent vulnerability to information security issues.
Confidentiality: The protection of certain types of information from being disclosed to
unauthorized individuals, entities or processes.
Integrity of Data: The state that exists when computerized data is the same as that in source
documents and has not been exposed to accidental or malicious alteration or destruction.
Availability: A condition in which data, information, and communications systems are
accessible and usable on a timely basis and in the required manner without special skills as a
prerequisite for use.
Data integrity refers to the validity of data. Data integrity can be compromised in a number of
ways:
Human errors when data is entered
Errors that occur when data is transmitted from one computer to another
Software bugs or viruses
Hardware malfunctions, such as disk crashes
Natural disasters, such as fires and floods
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is usually defined as the science of making computers do
things that require intelligence when done by humans.
the branch of computer science that deal with writing computer programs that can solve
problems creatively
2|Page
