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Contamination
Last Updated: August 18, 2011
Definition - What does Contamination mean?
A contamination can occur when classified information is found on a computer or information system that is not accredited for classified information. Contamination of a computer can also occur when malware infiltrates it.
Techopedia explains Contamination
Contamination may have occurred in an information system when classified information is found on a computer system which is not supposed to be there. This may have happened:
- By accident
- By transmission of insecure data
- Because the information was changed to a different classification rating
- Because users did not follow protocol and transferred information through insecure methods such as floppy disks or thumb drives
Contamination can also occur through a computer virus or other form of malware. An anti-virus tool should be enabled to remove an active virus from a system.
