This document discusses data, information, and information and communication technology (ICT). It defines data as facts or instructions represented in a formal way for communication or processing. There are five main types of data: text, numbers, audio, pictures, and video. Data processing involves inputting, processing, and outputting data to make it more useful. Information is organized or classified data that has meaning. ICT refers to infrastructure like networks, databases, and components that enable computing. ICT is important for businesses as it allows for better decision making, increased productivity, improved customer service, and greater collaboration.

1. ROCK INSTITUTE OF HUMAN LIFE
MANAGEMENT STUDIES (RIHMS)
MODULE CODE: BAT05104
MODULE NAME: INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
QUALIFICATION: TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATE
(NTA Level 5) IN BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION

2. Data
 can be defined as a representation of facts,
concepts, or instructions in a formalized manner,
which should be suitable for communication,
interpretation, or processing by human or electronic
machine.

3. Types of Data
Five types of data stored and processed by
computers.
 Text which consists of strings of characters.
 Numbers.
 Audio, namely speech, and music.
 Pictures
 Video which is sequence of pictures such as
movies or animation. Usually, video data has an
accompanying soundtrack which is synchronized
with the pictures

5. Data processing
 is the re-structuring or re-ordering of data by people
or machine to increase their usefulness and add
values for a particular purpose. Data processing
consists of the following basic steps - input,
processing, and output. These three steps constitute
the data processing cycle

6.  Input − In this step, the input data is prepared in
some convenient form for processing. The form will
depend on the processing machine. For example,
when electronic computers are used, the input data
can be recorded on any one of the several types of
input medium, such as magnetic disks, tapes, and so
on

7.  Processing − In this step, the input data is changed
to produce data in a more useful form. For example,
pay-checks can be calculated from the time cards, or
a summary of sales for the month can be calculated
from the sales orders
 Output − At this stage, the result of the proceeding
processing step is collected. The particular form of
the output data depends on the use of the data. For
example, output data may be pay-checks for
employees

8. Information
Data + Meaning = Information
 is organized or classified data, which has some
meaningful values for the receiver. Information is
the processed data on which decisions and
actions are based
 For the decision to be meaningful, the processed
data must qualify for the following characteristics
 Timely − Information should be available when
required.
 Accuracy − Information should be accurate.
 Completeness − Information should be complete

9. Characteristics of data and
information in computer
operation.

10. The characteristics information
The characteristics of good quality information, it
should be:
 Accurate
 Up-to-date
 Relevant
 Complete
 On-time
 Appropriately presented
 Intelligible

11. INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT 1
 Explain the importance of data and
information in computing
 OUTLINE the key differences of information
and data

12. ICT
 ICT, or information and communications
technology (or technologies), is
the infrastructure and components that enable
modern computing
 Infrastructure is the foundation
or framework that supports a system or
organization. In computing, information

13. ICT infrastructure
comprised of many components including
 switching,
 transmission/transport
 signaling
 network access (such as radio base stations)
 databases,
 ICT data.

14. Components of an ICT system
 ICT encompasses both the internet-enabled
sphere as well as the mobile one powered by
wireless networks. It also includes antiquated
technologies, such as landline telephones, radio
and television broadcast all of which are still
widely used today alongside cutting-edge ICT
pieces such as artificial intelligence and robotics

15.  The list of ICT components is exhaustive, and it
continues to grow. Some components, such as
computers and telephones, have existed for
decades. Others, such as smart phones, digital TVs
and robots, are more recent entries.

17. Importance of ICT in business
operation
1.BETTER DECISION-MAKING
 ICT systems allow your business to store,
process, analyze and share vast amounts of data.
The information available from corporate data
enables managers and employees to make
decisions quickly and accurately so that they can
manage operations effectively and respond
rapidly to business opportunities or threats.
Communication networks also enable decision-
makers in different locations to work together
easily when they need to take joint decisions

18. 2.INCREASED MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY
 By automating business processes and giving
employees ICT tools, your business can improve its
individual and overall productivity. On the production
line, for example, solutions such as computer-aided
design can help to reduce set-up times and improve
manufacturing accuracy so that employees spend
less time on reworking. Access to manufacturing
data enables managers to plan production more
effectively, making better use of resources and
reducing lead times

19. 3. IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE
 Quality of customer service is an important
differentiator for businesses. Your company can use
ICT solutions to offer faster response to and higher
standards of service to its customers. If you run a
call center, for example, your agents can access
databases that provide comprehensive customer
information, including purchase history and product
preferences. The information helps them deal quickly
and efficiently with inquiries, boosting customer
satisfaction. Service personnel working in the field
can access customer, service and product
databases using smartphones with secure Internet
connections. This enables them to fix problems
quickly and effectively, again boosting customer

20. 4.GREATER AND VIRTUAL
COLLABORATION
 Communication networks enable your project teams
to collaborate effectively. By using videoconferencing
or web conferencing over the Internet, teams can
hold virtual meetings that bring together members
from different locations, or different organizations,
such as suppliers or business partners. This helps to
create stronger project teams and enables the teams
to maintain progress on important projects, rather
than waiting for members to meet in a single
location. In a product development program, for
example, teams can reduce overall project time and
get new products to market faster, giving the
company a strong competitive advantage

21. 5.IMPROVED FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
 ICT solutions can help your organization reduce
costs, increase revenue and improve profitability.
Using videoconferencing to host meetings between
members in different locations, for example, reduces
travel costs. Production data can help staff identify
quality problems, reducing waste and reworking
costs. Call center agents can use information
available on their customer databases to increase
revenue by identifying opportunities for selling
additional products or services. Cost reductions and
revenue gains make an important contribution to
overall profitability

22. Computer data processing
methods
 Data processing refers to the transforming raw data
into meaningful output.
 Data can be done manually using a pen and
paper, mechanically using simple devices e.g.
typewriter or electronically using modern data
processing tools e.g. computers

23. Stages of data processing
methods
 Data collection involves getting the data/facts
needed for processing from the point of its origin
to the computer
 Data Input- the collected data is converted into
machine-readable form by an input device, and
send into the machine.
 Processing is the transformation of the input
data to a more meaningful form (information) in
the CPU
 Output is the production of the required
information, which may be input in future

24. Data processing methods
1. Manual Data Processing
data is processed manually without using
any machine or tool to get required results.
In manual data processing, all the
calculations and logical operations are
performed manually on the data. Similarly,
data is transferred manually from one
place to another. This method of data
processing is very slow and errors may
occur in the output. Mostly, is processed
manually in many small business firms as
well as government offices & institutions. In
an educational institute, for example,

26.  In mechanical data processing method, data is
processed by using different devices like typewriters,
mechanical printers or other mechanical devices.
This method of data processing is faster and more
accurate than manual data processing
2. Mechanical Data Processing

27. 3. Electronic Data Processing
 Electronic data processing or EDP is the modern
technique to process data. The data is processed
through computer; Data and set of instructions are
given to the computer as input and the computer
automatically processes the data according to the
given set of instructions. The computer is also known
as electronic data processing machine
 This method of processing data is very fast and
accurate. For example, in a computerized education
environment results of students are prepared
through computer; in banks, accounts of customers
are maintained (or processed) through computers
etc

28. What is data processing?
 Data processing occurs when data is collected
and translated into usable information. Usually
performed by a data scientist or team of data
scientists, it is important for data processing to be
done correctly as not to negatively affect the end
product, or data output

29. Data Processing
1. Batch Processing
 Batch Processing is a method where the information
to be organized is sorted into groups to allow for
efficient and sequential
processing. Online Processing is a method that
utilizes Internet connections and equipment directly
attached to a computer. It is used mainly for
information recording and research. Real-Time
Processing is a technique that has the ability to
respond almost immediately to various signals in
order to acquire and process information. Distributed
Processing is commonly utilized by remote
workstations connected to one big central
workstation or server. ATMs are good examples of
this data processing method

30. 2. Online Processing
 This is a method that utilizes Internet connections
and equipment directly attached to a computer. This
allows for the data stored in one place and being
used at altogether different place. Cloud computing
can be considered as a example which uses this
type of processing. It is used mainly for information
recording and research

31. 3. Real-Time Processing
 This technique has the ability to respond almost
immediately to various signals in order to acquire
and process information. These involve high
maintenance and upfront cost attributed to very
advanced technology and computing power. Time
saved is maximum in this case as the output is seen
in real time. For example in banking transactions
 Theatre (cinema) booking
 Hotel reservations
 Hospitals to monitor the progress of a patient

32. 4. Distributed Processing
 This method is commonly utilized by remote
workstations connected to one big central
workstation or server. ATMs are good examples of
this data processing method. All the end machines
run on a fixed software located at a particular place
and makes use of exactly same information and sets
of instruction

33. Computer security
computer security, also called cybersecurity, the
protection of computer systems and information from
harm, theft, and unauthorized use. Computer
hardware is typically protected by the same means
used to protect other valuable or sensitive
equipment—namely, serial numbers, doors and locks,
and alarms. The protection of information and system
access, on the other hand, is achieved through other
tactics, some of them quite complex.

34.  The security precautions related to computer
information and access address four major threats:
(1) theft of data, such as that of military secrets from
government computers; (2) vandalism, including the
destruction of data by a computer virus; (3) fraud,
such as employees at a bank channeling funds into
their own accounts; and (4) invasion of privacy, such
as the illegal accessing of protected personal
financial or medical data from a large database

35. Main objectives of the computer
security
1.Confidentiality
 Data confidentiality assures that private or
confidential information is not made available or
disclosed to unauthorized individuals
Privacy assures that individuals control or
influence what information related to them may
be collected and stored and by whom and to
whom that information may be disclosed

36. 2.Integrity
Data integrity assures that information and programs
are changed only in a specified and authorized
manner
System integrity assures that a system performs its
intended function in an unimpaired manner, free from
deliberate or inadvertent unauthorized manipulation
of the system

37. 3. Availability
assures that systems work promptly and service is
not denied to authorized users

38. Group assignment 1
 Briefly explain characteristics of the
computer security

39. Types of Computer Security
 Here are a few types of computer security tactics
that are used widely for the protection of
software, hardware, electronic data, and network
in computer systems
1.Application Security
 Application security is the introduction of security
features in applications during their development
process. This actively helps prevent potential
cyber threats such as data breaches, denial-of-
service attacks (DoS), SQL injection, and many
others. Some examples of application security
tools are antivirus software, firewalls, web
application firewalls, encryption, etc

40. 2.Information Security
 Information security is a set of practices that aim to
protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability
(known as the CIA triad) of data from unauthorized
access and misuse
3.Network Security
Network security is any activity that aims to protect
the integrity and usability of a network and data. It
consists of both hardware and software technologies
that are specifically designed to prevent
unauthorized intrusion into computer systems and
networks.

41. 4.Endpoint Security
 End-users are increasingly becoming the biggest
security risk unintentionally. With no-fault from their
end, exempting the lack of awareness, the virtual
gates of an organization are open to hackers and
attacks. Most of the end-users are unaware of the
ICT policy, and therefore, it is imperative that the
users who handle sensitive information on a regular
basis understand and be knowledgeable about all
comprehensive security policies, protocols, and
procedures

42. 5.Internet Security
 Internet security is one of the most important types
of computer security that come with a set of rules
and protocols that focus on specific threats and
activities that happen online. It provides protection
against hacking, DoS attacks, computer viruses, and
malware

43. Healthy Computer Security
Principles and Practices
 Ensure physical computer security:
 Update your software and stay alert on news and
the latest software
 Do not click on email attachments from unknown
senders
 Make your passwords strong and change them
regularly
 Ignore pop-ups and drive-by downloads when
using the Internet
 Educate yourself on the fundamentals of
computer security and the latest cyber threats
 Perform regular scans and create system

44. Types of computer attack
 When there is an unauthorized system/network
access by a third party, we term it as a cyber
attack. The person who carries out a cyber attack
is termed as a hacker/attacker
 Cyber-attacks have several negative effects.
When an attack is carried out, it can lead to data
breaches, resulting in data loss or data
manipulation. Organizations incur financial
losses, customer trust gets hampered, and there
is reputational damage

45. Types of Cyber or Computer Attacks
1. Malware Attack
 This is one of the most common types of cyber
attacks. “Malware” refers to malicious software
viruses including worms, spyware, ransom ware,
adware, and Trojans.
 The trojan virus disguises itself as legitimate
software. Ransomware blocks access to the
network's key components, whereas Spyware is
software that steals all your confidential data without
your knowledge

46. 2. Phishing Attack
 Phishing attacks are one of the most prominent
widespread types of cyberattacks. It is a type of
social engineering attack wherein an attacker
impersonates to be a trusted contact and sends the
victim fake mails
 Unaware of this, the victim opens the mail and clicks
on the malicious link or opens the mail's attachment.
By doing so, attackers gain access to confidential
information and account credentials

47. 3. Password Attack
 It is a form of attack wherein a hacker cracks your
password with various programs and password
cracking tools like Air crack, Cain, Abel, John the
Ripper, Hash cat, etc. There are different types of
password attacks like brute force attacks, dictionary
attacks, and keylogger attacks

48. 4. Man-in-the-Middle Attack
 A Man-in-the-Middle Attack (MITM) is also known as
an eavesdropping attack. In this attack, an attacker
comes in between a two-party communication, i.e.,
the attacker hijacks the session between a client and
host. By doing so, hackers steal and manipulate data

49. 5. Denial-of-Service Attack
 A Denial-of-Service Attack is a significant threat to
companies. Here, attackers target systems, servers,
or networks and flood them with traffic to exhaust
their resources and bandwidth.
 When this happens, catering to the incoming
requests becomes overwhelming for the servers,
resulting in the website it hosts either shut down or
slow down. This leaves the legitimate service
requests unattended.

50. 6. Insider Threat
 As the name suggests, an insider threat does not
involve a third party but an insider. In such a case; it
could be an individual from within the organization
who knows everything about the organization.
Insider threats have the potential to cause
tremendous damages.
 Insider threats are rampant in small businesses, as
the staff there hold access to multiple accounts with
data. Reasons for this form of an attack are many, it
can be greed, malice, or even carelessness. Insider
threats are hard to predict and hence tricky.

51. Securing business data by using
various computer security
methods.
1.Use strong passwords
Strong passwords are vital to good online
security.
Make your password difficult to guess by:
 using a combination of capital and lower-case
letters, numbers and symbols
 making it between eight and 12 characters long
 avoiding the use of personal data
 changing it regularly
 never using it for multiple accounts
 using two-factor authentication

52. 2.Control access to data and systems
 Make sure that individuals can only access data
and services for which they are authorized. For
example, you can:
 control physical access to premises and computers
network
 restrict access to unauthorized users
 limit access to data or services through application
controls
 restrict what can be copied from the system and
saved to storage devices
 limit sending and receiving of certain types of email
attachments

53. 3.Put up a firewall
 Firewalls are effectively gatekeepers between your
computer and the internet. They act as a barrier to
prevent the spread of cyber threats such as viruses
and malware. It's important to set up firewall devices
properly and check them regularly to ensure their
software/firmware is up to date, or they may not be
fully effective.

54. 4.Use security software
 You should use security software, such as anti-
spyware, anti-malware and anti-virus programs, to
help detect and remove malicious code if it slips into
your network. See out detailed guidance to help
you detect spam, malware and virus attacks.

55. 5.Update programs and systems regularly
 Updates contain vital security upgrades that help
protect against known bugs and vulnerabilities. Make
sure that you keep your software and devices up-to-
date to avoid falling prey to criminals.
6.Monitor for intrusion
 You can use intrusion detectors to monitor systems
and unusual network activity. If a detection system
suspects a potential security breach, it can generate
an alarm, such as an email alert, based upon the
type of activity it has identified

56. 7.Raise awareness
 Your employees have a responsibility to help keep
your business secure. Make sure that they
understand their role and any relevant policies and
procedures, and provide them with regular cyber
security awareness and training

57. AVITUS RUTENGANYA
Thank you for
cooperation may God
guide you throughout
this course AND ALL
THE BEST