Organizations must ensure the security and control of systems and transactions with clients and vendors. What security breaches may cause harm to an organization or its clients? Why is it important to ensure a proper level of security? What tools are available to prevent breaches?
When the Internet becomes part of the organization network, the organization information system is more vulnerable to hackers (Laudon). The fixed Internet address creates a fixed target for hackers. Hackers can intercept conversation or shut down voice service by bogging down servers supporting VoIP (Voice over IP) with bogus traffic. Vulnerability increase through e-mails containing attachments. These attachments can contain viruses, worms, and spyware (Malicious software) that can cause harm to the organization system and or computers. The Malicious software can also steal company trade secret, financial, and other confidential data.
Ensuring proper level of security is important for a business because it is crucial to the operations. The business must protect the valuable asset, confidential information pertaining to trade secrets, financial data, product development, business strategy, and customer’s information. Inadequate security could result in legal liability and demise of business. Strong security and control can result in an increase of employee productivity and lower operational costs. Some tools available to prevent breaches are firewalls, intrusion detection, and antivirus software.
Firewalls are a combination of software and hardware that prevent unauthorized users from entering private networks. Controls the flow of incoming and outgoing network traffic. It is the gatekeeper that examine the credentials of the user before allowing access to the network. Can deter but not completely prevent intruders.
Intrusion detection a full time monitoring tool place in hot spots of corporate network to detect intruders. This monitoring software