Protection structures

The ability to selectively control access to information in computing systems has taken on a heightened importance in recent years, and we can expect that concern to continue to grow. Large amounts of data are now being concentrated in readily processible form, technical developments in networking are linking those collections, and the computing power available to examine these data continues to increase. Each of these developments is being accompanied by dramatic decreases in costs. Public, institutional, governmental, and military concern over the impact of improper, inadequate controls and safeguards for this increasingly concentrated, inexpensive, and pervasive information processing power is rightfully increasing.