Contemporary Conditions of Information Security

In the age of the information society, determined by the evolution of digital technology, information has become an essential element of the functioning of every human being. Its acquisition, processing and distribution serves to satisfy the key areas of society’s life and constitutes a necessary component of every decision-making process. These days became dominated by the increasing demand for information. The problem of its protection against unwanted obtaining (disclosure) has become a challenge for many scientific communities. This state of affairs has forced us to take a number of steps to ensure the security of useful information, characterized by accuracy, unambiguity, completeness and authenticity. The problem of information security is inseparably linked to the threats present in the cyberspace environment. They are commonly identified with the so-called computer crime, resulting in factors like: infiltration, obtaining passwords and other data used for logging in, identity theft, damage (blocking) of systems and their software. Information manipulation is a completely different and underestimated threat to rational decision-making process. Wherefore, useful information that is characterized by the expected properties, is exposed not only to destruction or unauthorized acquisition, but also to distortion. Rising anxiety about the credibility of the information received in the virtual space and the sources of its transmission forced the need to distinguish the real form from the one that was modified. The presented conditions prompted the author to propose solutions with regard to information security, determined by the difficulty of obtaining it and manipulating it.