Effect of Decision Making in Cybersecurity - Essay Example

Effect of Decision Making in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity is a practice adopted to defend computers, mobile devices, electronic systems, data, and networks from malicious attacks. In modern times, the level of technology advancement has called for continuous security improvement to ensure significant information is protected from malicious attacks. As technology evolves, hackers continue to improve their skills as a malicious attack continues to be reported in different areas across the globe. The attackers rely on any vulnerability that exists in a network to breach the adopted security measures. It is important to highlight security measures are critical on grounds organization, and people experience huge losses when personal information is stolen or privacy breached by hackers. The decision adopted by stakeholders at any given time about cybersecurity has a significant impact in the long run because they determine the measures they might take or those leading the IT department. With the risk surrounding network and data breach by hackers, some of the vital decisions need to be taken to by those in leadership/ management. A wrong decision risks an entire organization or institute considering, with digitization storage is done electronically. In the past, several organizations have incurred losses out of lawsuits from different parties affected when personal data is lost. The significance of critical measures on cybersecurity can be evidenced by the seriousness the governments put on these issues. There exist Acts that are aimed to guide every party on their responsibilities in an attempt to protect vital information from hackers. Thus, stakeholders' decision on issues related to cybersecurity needs to put several factors into perspective to avoid creating a vulnerability that can be used by malicious attackers. With these factors put into perspective, it remains essential to explore the effect of human decision making in cybersecurity.

Some of the areas that experienced most breaches include medical services, retailers, and public entities in 2019. A report by Risk Based Security indicated about 7.9 billion files were accessed maliciously in 2019, and the figure was almost 112% increase compared to 2018. Cybercriminals are attracted to some sectors than others due to the data they are likely to get. For instance, financial and medical data appeals to them more than others, but all businesses or institutions using customer data, customer attacks, and corporate espionage. Thus, decision making determines the impacts of these business experiences in the long run by lowering the level of cyber threat or heightening vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals. The decision-makers are expected to reflect on areas that need strengthening to ensure evolvement in cybercrime does not manage to access their network or data. These decisions involve determining the system the organization needs to use and software to protect itself from cyber threats. The right decision guarantees the organization a secure system that cannot be accessed maliciously, and it requires a competent workforce that understands the dynamics in the IT industry. The human factor influences the strategy adopted by an organization in an attempt to provide the perfect cybersecurity. Understanding the evolution of cybercrime enables the adoption of the best approach to counter malicious attacks. It is the people's role to understand their responsibility in dealing with cyber-security in a specific organization. There exist companies across the globe that has never suffered a cyber-attack, and it all rests on the decision adopted and implemented by a human.

The leadership of an organization has the mandate to make a decision that focuses on ensuring cybersecurity. The leadership goes ahead to outsource an IT department that takes care of all the issues involving data. It is about using a competent workforce that can assist the organization in delivering without cyber threats. For a company like Target, it lost a huge amount of money as the victim went to court for compensation. The human factor played a critical role in this case on the ground; some people shared vital information that heightened the system's vulnerability by giving cybercriminal an upper hand. Some of the vital information accessed to enable malicious attacks in a company like Sony included passwords, and thus, it takes smart people to make poor choices. People need to understand the risks they can expose an institution through irresponsible behaviors concerning the systems.

The non-IT personnel in an organization have become the weakest link that cybercriminals are targeting in realizing their goals. For instance, there are cases in which an employee with local administrator rights disabled security solutions on their computers, allowing the infection to spread to the entire corporate network. Currently, businesses believe they are at risk from within due to staff vulnerability to a cybercriminal, either intentionally, carelessness, or lack of knowledge on IT subjecting the organization at high risk to a cyber threat. The decision made by uninformed or irresponsible employees increases the vulnerability of an organization in cyber threats. Human factors and employee behavior are among the top three fears in business on issues of cyber threat. A human error at the moment can cost an organization millions of money and its reputation due to cybercrime. The employee can share inappropriate details or data through mobile devices, physical loss, or mobile and inappropriate use of IT resources by an employee. These actions expose an organization to cybercriminals as they focus on available opportunities to exploit the systems. Phishing is the leading strategy used by cybercriminals to exploit the human errors made by the uniformed employees to maliciously access the system of an organization. In this consideration, the decision of an employee in modern times where digitization is available everywhere can have a huge impact in the future on issues related to cybersecurity.

The effect of decision making in cybersecurity also revolve around the products or the vendor an organization might opt to use. The vender needs to continuously update its software to cope with ever-evolving cyber threats in modern times. Failure for the responsible individuals to make or ask for updates exposes the system to cybercrime by increasing vulnerability. On matters related to cybersecurity, a frequent system update is critical to ensure the cybercriminals do not move ahead and develop the capability to intrude. In most cases, human factor comes into play resulting in forgetfulness, ignoring the basics, or avoiding to incur a cost by purchasing the up-to-date software or system. Giving out passwords to outsiders can also affect the organization's security by other people having access to the system.

The issue of errors triggered by cybercriminals' ploys has subjected the employees and other stakeholders to make the wrong decision that exposes an organization's security. Cybercriminals look at the access of a weak link such as those with low levels of IT knowledge. Psychological manipulation is heavily relied upon by cybercriminals to persuade the users of the targeted system to make an error that would give access. For instance, phishing techniques use emails where clicking a link allows an intruder to access vital information such as passwords, downloading of malware such as ransomware or financial authorization. Thus, human factors have subjected organizations to continuously lose critical information and, to some extent, finances. In some instances, an organization has to pay a substantial amount of money to hackers to regain control.

On a positive aspect, when an organization has set clear boundaries for information sharing, the people are in a position to detect any threat coming from an outsider or attacker. Decision made by leadership to invest in the workforce on issues related to cybersecurity ensures the organization is secure and can overcome any attack. Investments directed on training assist the workforce in becoming responsible and understanding what is at stake when it comes to system and data loss. When a workforce is cognizant about the risks some decision poses to the organization, they are likely to cross-examine their activities, specifically those that involve systems. Human factors in an organization top the vulnerability risks attacker might use to access the system. With the organization understanding employees are the weak link used by hackers, some of the decision taken reduces the risks. For instance, training employees to improve their knowledge of IT and the precautions that need to be adopted makes it hard for an intruder to exploit employees.

Decisions of having the best systems and software strengthen the cybersecurity and lower the chances of intruders. This factor has led to the adoption of the best systems that are hard to hack or access. It is about having software that can detect an intruder and notify the user for appropriate decisions or actions without compromising the organization's security. The decision to recruit a competent workforce in the IT department influence the organization milestone on the ground; the security is rarely compromised. In some instances, management decisions about an organization focus on reaching the set goals in line with the vision. Putting these factors into perspective, an organization gauges the best strategies that guarantee the cybersecurity and cost-effectiveness. In some instances, setting up a team within the organization tends to be costly compared to outsourcing a third party. These decisions might affect the organization if the contracted third party fails to take the critical measures needed to guarantee the system's safety. The third-party has subjected some organization to losses by failing to use the top software, enabling hackers to access the systems. In this consideration, a decision that is taken by the management needs to reflect and cross-examine all the alternatives and end up with the best for the organization.

Conclusion

Decisions adopted in any organization have a huge impact, either positive or negative. In the case of cybersecurity, the decision taken about the system and software to be used in the organization determines how secure or vulnerable it becomes. The human factor plays a critical role in the cybersecurity of an organization with errors exposing or increasing the vulnerability. These human factors that expose the organization can be reduced by enlightening the employees about the importance of examining their decisions before acting on cybersecurity issues. The employee needs to understand the risk they may pose to the organization by involving a third party on cybersecurity issues.

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The decision-makers are expected to reflect on areas that need strengthening to ensure evolvement in cybercrime does not manage to access their network or data. These decisions involve determining the system the organization needs to use and software to protect itself from cyber threats. The right decision guarantees the organization a secure system that cannot be accessed maliciously, and it requires a competent workforce that understands the dynamics in the IT industry. The human factor influences the strategy adopted by an organization in an attempt to provide the perfect cybersecurity. Understanding the evolution of cybercrime enables the adoption of the best approach to counter malicious attacks. It is the people's role to understand their responsibility in dealing with cyber-security in a specific organization. There exist companies across the globe that has never suffered a cyber-attack, and it all rests on the decision adopted and implemented by a human.

The leadership of an organization has the mandate to make a decision that focuses on ensuring cybersecurity. The leadership goes ahead to outsource an IT department that takes care of all the issues involving data. It is about using a competent workforce that can assist the organization in delivering without cyber threats. For a company like Target, it lost a huge amount of money as the victim went to court for compensation. The human factor played a critical role in this case on the ground; some people shared vital information that heightened the system's vulnerability by giving cybercriminal an upper hand. Some of the vital information accessed to enable malicious attacks in a company like Sony included passwords, and thus, it takes smart people to make poor choices. People need to understand the risks they can expose an institution through irresponsible behaviors concerning the systems.

The non-IT personnel in an organization have become the weakest link that cybercriminals are targeting in realizing their goals. For instance, there are cases in which an employee with local administrator rights disabled security solutions on their computers, allowing the infection to spread to the entire corporate network. Currently, businesses believe they are at risk from within due to staff vulnerability to a cybercriminal, either intentionally, carelessness, or lack of knowledge on IT subjecting the organization at high risk to a cyber threat. The decision made by uninformed or irresponsible employees increases the vulnerability of an organization in cyber threats. Human factors and employee behavior are among the top three fears in business on issues of cyber threat. A human error at the moment can cost an organization millions of money and its reputation due to cybercrime. The employee can share inappropriate details or data through mobile devices, physical loss, or mobile and inappropriate use of IT resources by an employee. These actions expose an organization to cybercriminals as they focus on available opportunities to exploit the systems. Phishing is the leading strategy used by cybercriminals to exploit the human errors made by the uniformed employees to maliciously access the system of an organization. In this consideration, the decision of an employee in modern times where digitization is available everywhere can have a huge impact in the future on issues related to cybersecurity.

The effect of decision making in cybersecurity also revolve around the products or the vendor an organization might opt to use. The vender needs to continuously update its software to cope with ever-evolving cyber threats in modern times. Failure for the responsible individuals to make or ask for updates exposes the system to cybercrime by increasing vulnerability. On matters related to cybersecurity, a frequent system update is critical to ensure the cybercriminals do not move ahead and develop the capability to intrude. In most cases, human factor comes into play resulting in forgetfulness, ignoring the basics, or avoiding to incur a cost by purchasing the up-to-date software or system. Read More