Why are computer systems so vulnerable? Why should information security be a pri

Question

Why are computer systems so vulnerable? Why should information security be a prime concern to management? Is security a technical issue? A business issue? Both? Support your answer. Compare information security in an organization with insuring a house. Why are authentication and authorization important to e-commerce? Why is cross-border cybercrime expanding rapidly? Discuss possible solutions. Discuss why the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is having an impact on information security What types of user authentication are used at your university and/or place of work? Do these measures seem to be effective? What if a higher level of authentication were implemented? Would it be worth it, or would it decrease productivity? Why are federal authorities so worried about SCADA attacks?

Explanation / Answer

1) Why are computer systems so vulnerable?

Computers are so vulnerable because of today’s interconnected, interdependent, wirelessly networked business environment, smaller, faster, cheaper computers and storage devices, decreasing skills necessary to be a computer hacker, international organized crime taking over cybercrime, and lack of management support.

2) Why should information security be a prime concern to management?

Information security refers to all of the processes and policies designed to protect an organization’s information and information systems (IS) from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.

3) Is security a technical issue? A business issue? Both? Support your answer. (Hint: Read Kim Nash, “Why Technology Isn’t the Answer to Better Security,” CIO (www.cio.com), October 15, 2008.)

Security is both a technical and business issue. I

4) Compare information security in an organization with insuring a house.

Just like insuring a house is mandatory and essential for protecting the property of the owner, information security is crucial to protecting personal information about the user.

5) Why are authentication and authorization important to e-commerce?

Without authentication and authorization, eCommerce can be used by anyone. When a user puts a credit card or any type of monetary value online, it can only be accessed by the user after authentication and authorization is given to use the certain value.

6) Why is cross-border cybercrime expanding rapidly? Discuss possible solutions.

Hundreds of potential threats exist. Computing resources may be situated in many locations. Many individuals control or have access to information assets. Computer networks can be located outside the organization, making them difficult to protect. Rapid technological changes make some controls obsolete as soon as they are installed. Many computer crimes are undetected for a long period of time, so it is difficult to learn from experience. People tend to violate security procedures because the procedures are inconvenient

7) Discuss why the Sarbanes-Oxley Act is having an impact on information security.

The sections of the bill cover responsibilities of a public corporation's board of directors, adds criminal penalties for certain misconduct, and create regulations to define how public corporations are to comply with the law.

8) What types of user authentication are used at your university and/or place of work? Do these measures seem to be effective? What if a higher level of authentication were implemented? Would it be worth it, or would it decrease productivity?

A user name or ID number and password are required to log into university services. The measures seem to be effective, as there has not been reports of students’ information being hacked. Obviously, a higher level of authentication would promote more security but may be considered more time-consuming and difficult for students to remember more authorized passwords.

9) Why are federal authorities so worried about SCADA attacks?

SCADA systems are used to monitor or to control chemical, physical, and transport processes such as those used in oil refineries, water and sewage treatment plants, electrical generators, and nuclear power plants. If attackers gain access to the network, they can cause serious damage.

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