Public Sector Cybersecurity Issues - Coursework Example

Private Sector-Public Sector Cybersecurity Issues Table of Contents Introduction 3 When collection of mega data by the food companies may not be good for customers 4 Activities in the American food industry that can be controlled by lawmakers 5 Goals of lawmakers in public sector 6 Effects of cybersecurity regulations on American food industry and public sector 7 Conclusion 8 References 9 Private Sector-Public Sector Cybersecurity Issues Introduction The main goal of the private and public sectors is to serve the interests of people. The private sector serves interest of the people through provision of goods and services that earn profit. Private organizations sometimes collect private information about customers and potential customers for various reasons. For example, they may collect information concerning all customers so as to study their needs. Customers’ metadata, for example, helps players in the food industry to know customers’ wants and serve them accordingly. Some data collection activities are, however, harmful to customers and potential customers, especially those undertaken without their consents. This makes lawmakers, who fall within the domain of the public sector, to come in to protect customers’ privacy and interests. Lawmakers in the public sectors also aim at ensuring that interests of all members of the public are served satisfactorily. Established cybersecurity regulations have, however, affected the delivery of services in both sectors. This paper will discuss private sector-public sector cybersecurity issues with a focus on the American food industry. Goals of American Food industry and how it uses customers’ metadata The food industry is the biggest industry in the American society under the private sector. There are many companies within the industry including U.S. Foods and McDonalds among others. Its main goal is to provide members of the public with quality food and services (Nutt, 2005). Other goals of the industry include: offering ethnically different food options which are fairly priced; and ensuring excellent customer services which are available when needed or ordered. It also aims at providing high quality and fair paying jobs for all food service employees. The management in all businesses in this industry makes sure that these goals are prioritized so as to maintain a positive image for the organization among customers (Nutt, 2005). The American food industry has many players and therefore each one of them is devoted to win and retain customers. This can only be assured by providing customers with quality and attractive goods and services. While some goods are manufactured for customers to buy, others are processed on customers’ requests and based on their preferences. Many businesses in the food industry collect and store customers’ metadata in their databases as noted by Goldstein (2014). Metadata is very important in defining the customers’ needs (Goldstein, 2014). This enables companies in the food industry to know the goods and services that different customers prefer. These companies are also able to know different locations of different customers for easy delivery of goods and services. Metadata also helps to classify customers based on age, location, and class among other relevant criteria (Goldstein, 2014). This helps players of this industry to know different markets that they need to target. Locations with many customers may be rewarded by the creation of outlets to enable customers to access goods and services with ease (Goldstein 2014). Preferences of different age groups within the society may also be established. This helps companies to produces goods and services which are acceptable to each age group. When collection of mega data by the food companies may not be good for customers Over the years, collection and storage of metadata concerning customers has not been a problem in the American society. Different companies have been collecting data so as to improve customer relations and satisfaction. Metadata collection has, however, turned out to be harmful to the customers in some occasions. In some cases, for example, customers’ information such as phone numbers and email addresses have been handled wrongly and, therefore, threatened customers personal privacy (Jisc, 2014). The collection of metadata is not good for customers when this data will be revealed or sold to third parties or when some of this information is stored without their knowledge and consent. Some companies have no capacity to ensure the privacy of their customers. Security agencies such as the National Security Agency (NSA) have revealed its surveillance system which includes monitoring calls and emails. This interferes with the privacy of the members of the public (Jisc, 2014). People need their privacy to be respected at all times. Collection of metadata by organizations is turning to be harmful to customers’ privacy and, therefore, customers are not willing to give some of their private information to companies. In all circumstances where customers’ metadata may be accessed from companies’ databases, the customers’ privacy is lost, at least to a limited extent. This may bring a feeling of insecurity among customers and leading to their loss of trust in the company. In addition to government security agencies, ill-intentioned people such as terrorist and other criminals may use metadata from companies’ database to track their targets, commit identity theft, send unwanted messages, or commit other offences (Jisc, 2014). Activities in the American food industry that can be controlled by lawmakers Data insecurity is a problem that many companies and organizations should avoid or overcome. To ensure that companies take metadata concerning their customers seriously, lawmakers have come up with different ways to control the collection and handling of metadata (Jisc, 2014). This move has been welcomed by members of public. Lawmakers may not stop companies from collecting customers’ metadata but they can control some of the activities undertaken by them (Jisc, 2014). Some growing companies may ask for customers’ metadata from bigger companies which are not competitors. Data sharing among companies may be risky to customers’ privacy. Growing companies may not have established systems that are able to protect customers’ data sufficiently (Jisc, 2014). It is the duty of the lawmakers to control data sharing so that the public’s privacy is secured and respected at all times. Some company systems are not well guarded against intrusion by unauthorized individuals (Ehling, 2014). Law makers come in to regulate the type of data that different companies may collect depending on their security ratings. Poorly rated companies should be limited to collect the most basic information – information that do not threaten the individual’s privacy to a great extent even when exposed to third parties. The use of secret cameras and drones in data collection by companies should be regulated by the lawmakers (Ehling, 2014). This will ensure that only the data that are voluntarily given by customers are collected and stored (Ehling 2014). Goals of lawmakers in public sector The public sector is mainly dedicated to serve interests of members of the public. Failure to serve them according to their expectations, and as stipulated by law, amounts to failure on their part (Grimstad, 2010). The public sector, just like private sector, must win the trust of the members of the public. Lawmakers in the public sector are made to regulate operations within the sector in line with existing laws (James, 2000). For the lawmakers in the public sector to serve their purposes well, they should understand all the players in the sector and the needs of members of the public (Grimstad, 2010). The goals of the lawmakers in this sector, therefore, include making laws that will ensure equity in sharing national resources; protection of private information; efficient and effective running of public sector organizations; and accountability in the way public sector organizations are managed (James, 2000). The private and public sectors rely on each other in ensuring that goods and services are available to members of the public (Nutt, 2005). Some goods and services are provided by private entities while others are provided by public organizations. Sometimes the private sector fails to meet the needs of the members of the public. In such cases, the lawmakers should come in to ensure that the public sector extends its services to fill the void (Grimstad, 2010). Different players in the public sector collect and store metadata concerning their employers, customers, and recipients of their services. Lawmakers should ensure that these data are secure and that people’s privacy is assured. They should also ensure that this data is not shared or published without following the relevant procedures and laws (James 2000). Effects of cybersecurity regulations on American food industry and public sector The government has put in place several cybersecutrity regulations to help in controlling the sophisticated nature of modern terrorism and crimes (Bucci, Rosenzweig & Inserra, 2014). The new regulations require extensive sharing of the information among players in private and public sectors. Cybersecurity regulations may not affect the public sector as much as they impact the private sector (Bucci, Rosenzweig & Inserra, 2014). This is because the goals of the public sector are directed towards serving the interests of members of the public. Ensuring national security is a main goal of players in the public sector and, therefore, the success of the cybersecurity regulations will be an achievement on their part (Internet Security Alliance, 2011). The extensive sharing of information will facilitate achievement of goals for public sector players. Players in the private sector may fail to attain their goals as customers may shy away from sharing their personal data in some cases (Internet Security Alliance, 2011). Also, private organizations may be prohibited from collecting, storing, and sharing some information that they need to improve their services and performance. Conclusion The food industry is an important industry in every nation. In America, it has tried to meet different needs of the public. It collects and stores relevant data about customers to facilitate smooth supply of goods and services. Some data collection activities are, however, not good for customers and, therefore, are not acceptable by law. Lawmakers try to ensure that all operations of the public and private sectors are done in ways that ensure people’s personal information is protected and only used in accordance with the law. Cybersecurity regulations have been set to fight modern terror threats but they are likely to affect the achievement of organizational goals. References Bucci, S., Rosenzweig, P. & Inserra, D. (2014). Congressional Guide: Seven Steps to U.S. Security, Prosperity, and Freedom in Cyberspace. Washington DC: National Security and Defense. Ehling, M. (2014). Lawmakers must act to curtail mass surveillance. Public Record Media. Retrieved March 21, 2014 from: http://www.minnpost.com/community-voices/2014/01/lawmakers-must-act-curtail-mass-surveillance Goldstein, M. (2014). What Is Metadata And Why Is It So Dangerous? March 21, 2014 from: http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/13971/legal_matters/what_is_metadata_and_why_is_it_so_dangerous.html Grimstad, T. (2010). Goals and challenges for public sector. New York: Karde AS Innovation, Consulting and Management. Internet Security Alliance (2011). Improving our Nation’s Cybersecurity through the Public‐Private Partnership. A White Paper, pp. 1-26 James, O. (2000). Regulation inside government: public interest justifications and regulatory failures. Public Administration, 78(2): 327–343. Jisc (2014). Digital media: An Introduction to Metadata. Retrieved March 21, 2014 from:http://www.jiscdigitalmedia.ac.uk/guide/an-introduction-to-metadata Nutt, P. (2005). Comparing Public and Private Sector Decision-Making Practices. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 16:289–318. Read More