computer-security
UK[kəmˈpjuːtə sɪˈkjʊərəti]US[kəmˈpjuːtər səˈkjʊrəti]
n
The protection of computer systems and networks from information disclosure, theft of or damage to their hardware, software, or electronic data, as well as from the disruption or misdirection of the services they provide.
Morpheme Breakdown
computer
security
computer
computing device
security
state of being secure
Etymology
The term is a modern compound noun, formed by combining 'computer', a 17th-century agent noun for a person who computes, which later specialized in the 20th century to mean an electronic calculating machine, with 'security', a state of safety. 'Security' originates from the Latin 'securus', meaning 'free from care', itself from 'se-' (without) and 'cura' (care). The compound 'computer-security' logically follows the pattern of domain-specific security, analogous to 'home security' or 'national security', to denote the specific field concerned with safeguarding digital systems and data from threats, reflecting the evolution of 'security' from a general concept of safety to a highly technical discipline.
Analysis
Structure: computer (computing device) + security (state of being secure)
- computer: From Latin 'computare' (to calculate, to sum up). In this compound, it functions as a noun specifying the domain or object of protection.
- security: From Latin 'securitas' (freedom from care or danger). In this compound, it functions as the head noun indicating the state or practice of protection.
Examples
Strong passwords are a fundamental aspect of computer-security.
The company invested heavily in computer-security after the data breach.
His research focuses on emerging threats in computer-security.