Question

Ms. Seema works on a computer that is shared with other teachers and staff. She wants to ensure that no one can open or modify a spreadsheet that contains her personal information. Which of the following is the best way for her to protect digital data?

• A. Save the file on the desktop
• B. Rename the file
• C. Take a printout of the spreadsheet
• D. Password-protect the spreadsheet

Hint:

Always enforce cryptographic safety on shared systems. Modern spreadsheet processors (Excel, LibreOffice, Google Sheets) allow you to apply high-grade AES encryption via a simple “Save with Password” option.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Identifying the Security Threat:
In shared-computing environments (e.g., school staff rooms, internet cafes), local access by unauthorized parties is a primary vulnerability. Anyone with physical access to the machine can inspect, copy, modify, or delete files stored locally on open directories.

Step 2: Evaluating the Safety Measures:

• (A) Saving on the desktop makes the file highly visible and easily accessible to anyone who logs into the shared machine.
• (B) Renaming the file (e.g., giving it a deceptive name) is a form of “security through obscurity,” which is incredibly weak as users can still accidentally open it, or find it via basic search queries.
• (C) Taking a printout does not protect the digital copy from being accessed, and creates physical security vulnerabilities (paper records can be misplaced or stolen).
• (D) Password-protecting the spreadsheet uses cryptographic controls to lock the file contents. Even if another user copies or double-clicks the file, they cannot view or modify the cells without the correct decryption key (password).