Identifying Potential Risk, Response, and Recovery - Assignment Example

Security in Computer Systems Abstract In the recent years, there has been a lot of development in regards to technology. New, novel, and faster computing systems have hit the market. They have brought numerous benefits to its users covering a broad range of fields. As much as there are significant benefits, there are many risks arising, as a result. Recent statistics has shown that security in computing and information systems is a matter of urgency to concerned institutions. Organization should have policies to identify malicious attacks and threats. Consequently, retaliatory mechanisms should be applied to alleviate these risks. It can be done by having a strategy to counter these risks spanning risk mitigation, risk assignment, risk acceptance and risk avoidance. Moreover, control mechanisms ranging from administrative, preventive, detective and corrective should be put in play. In this document, we center around four main security threats to the company. They include data security, computer virus risk, Keystroke logging and adware. These risks if not properly managed may cost the organization a great deal. First, the entire processing in the organization will significantly be lowered. The institution, as a result, may delay in meeting its deadlines. Secondly the resources may not last to the projected time frame and thus call for replacement earlier than anticipated. The worse part could be losing the organizations secret or procedures to other competitors in the market that may completely cripple the existence of the institution. After noting the adverse effects the threats could have on the organization as a whole, there is an urgent need to avoid reaching such an extent. Our method of selecting which method to effect will highly depend on the nature of the threat at hand. Adware In its entirety, adware is a sequence of instructions written to effect downloading of adverts to one's computer system. It also functions on its own and could perform various displays. The source of the adware is through application software that has instructions to work on your computer (Bersani, 2008). Alternatively, they could arise when that software is in use. Whereas it is easier to avoid such software’s, acquiring them elsewhere could be involved or more costly. Users consequently sacrifice for the free use of such software. The greatest threat is adware that is in the form of spyware. That compromises the privacy of the organization. It could also degrade the capabilities of such a system. There have been numerous ways of countering adware especially those in a form of spyware through software's developed. Such software applications include Ad-ware and Spybot –search and destroy. Their primary role is to discover the existence of spyware in your system. However, they cannot detect viruses. In contrast, some recent antivirus has the capability of detecting adware and spyware. These antiviruses if available could be of utmost importance since they kill one two or more birds with one stone. It also minimizes the costs of the institution. If those are not available, then purchasing the latter software's is inevitable. Finally, the organization could burn software's found to be frequent victims and instead replace with alternative sources. Data Security Data in an organization concerns the facts and figures gathered over an extended period. Such data forms the history and the milestones the institution has achieved. It includes their strategies, policies, how to execute certain procedures and information concerning their security systems. When third parties get such information, they could do anything they wish with it. For instance, they can sell it to their competitors at a substantial amount of money ('Cybercrime moves up risk charts', 2011). The competitor institutions will use that information to outsmart them and render them market less. First they will release their products earlier to the market and secondly, they will win a larger market share. Such Information can get out of the institution through hackers and crackers who bypass the systems security system. Also, there are spy persons working in organizations. These individuals release the institutions secrets to other persons outside for a specified fee. It is very difficult to catch such individuals. Further, physical breakages can be carried out to access a section of institutions target data. People were doing these also has a lead person in the system especially the security that not wanting to take the blame may leave a loophole to the attackers. Data security needs to protection from physical attacks. It includes of using padlocks of higher magnitude, shift to steel doors and windows. Doors for servers should be double with different locking mechanism. Use of biometric systems to authenticate liable users only to the institution's premises. The agencies should set different levels of security accessibility to prevent other users from accessing particular information. Investing in a proper network system that will use VLAN technology to segment the various departments so that users from one department do not access very sensitive information belonging to another ministry. Use of CCTV cameras to trace the perpetrators of such evil and prosecute them in a court of law. Computer virus It refers to a malicious piece of code whose architecture is highly trained computer programmer who has ill intentions. When such programs get to your system, they alter the normal orientation of the programs and files. Some create shortcuts of the original document thus one is not able to recover what was in the original records. Other viruses remit sensitive information in your system to other parties outside your geographical location. Typical instances of viruses in your system include: disorganization of files, deletion of files and strange warning messages frequently appear on the screen. Computer viruses can be countered by having a sound security policy that outlines the kind of antivirus you should buy in the institution and how to use it (Kitko et al., 2013). There should be antivirus for the server and client workstations. These antiviruses should frequently be updated to acquire the latest security updates and patches for novel viruses. Segmentation of local area networks is vital to put boundaries on the spread of antiviruses in case one section or one workstation gets attacked. Finally, scanning of the computer systems at intervals is essential preferably at the end of the week will boost the security of such regimes? Conclusion Computer security is not negotiable for any institution that has a vision of progression in this technology-based economy. Stipulation of proper policies will go hand in guarding such an organization. The players to implement these policies are valuable if suitable outcomes are to expect. References Bersani, C. (2008). Advanced technologies and methodologies for risk management in the global transport of dangerous goods. Washington, DC: IOS Press. Cybercrime moves up risk charts. (2011). Computer Fraud & Security, 2011(12), 3. doi:10.1016/s1361-3723(11)70120-8 Kitko, C., Saliba, R., Paczesny, S., Kennel, M., Choi, S., & Reddy, P. et al. (2013). Non-Relapse Mortality in Chronic Graft Versus Host Disease: Risk Factors at Onset and Response to Treatment. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, 19(2), S332. doi:10.1016/j.bbmt.2012.11.505 Read More