Information Security and Ethics - Essay Example

Information Security and ethics Security threat Hackers are a key threat in information systems established by organizations (Khosrowpour, 2003). They access private details about the organizations. This is a dangerous threat to the organization’s privacy and security. Description Hacking in a professional vice that records an elevating trend in the digital era (Gish, 2013). Increased use of technology like computerization has brought an increase of new vices like hacking. In an organizational context, hacking is either external or internal.

External hackers do not work for the organization. Internal hackers are workers within the organization. Both external and internal hacking has negative ramifications to the organization (Gish, 2013). Competition is the key consequence of external and internal organizational hacking. The hackers benefit their interests while the victims suffer immense losses. Companies keep spending billions to curb a hacking process. For instance, Google spent five hundred thousand dollars. This was in 2005, when the organization detected a hacking process into their information system (Gish, 2013).

Therefore, organizations incur massive losses in response to a hacking process. Hackers have an objective to benefit from the process. They access crucial information such as researches, financial reports as well as business strategies. Rival organizations oversee the hacking process. A hacked organization is susceptible to immense danger in business (Khosrowpour, 2003). Massive investment to curb a hacking process is a mild expenditure if it is compared with the ultimate consequences. As denoted previously, hackers have access to private information such as research, financial reports and strategies implemented by an organization (Gish, 2013).

In most cases, rival organization uses this information to compete for market. A successful implementation of the hacked information may lead to business growth. A small business might grow significantly due to the new and vital information at their disposal. However, this is not an ethical move to gain growth and stability in the market (Khosrowpour, 2003). The victim organizations of the hacking process might lose their client base. This has an ultimate consequence of bankruptcy. Clients will easily make a shift to the pleasant new organization.

Evidently, most of the hacking cases are attributable to organizational rivalry. Competitors seek to outdo other organizations through studying their information system (Gish, 2013). What organizations can do to keep their information secure from hacking? Computer virus Hackers use computer viruses to invade an organization’s information system. The viruses corrupt the functionality of the information system and transmit the stored particulars to the hackers. Viruses are programs that alter the functionality of a computer system (Aycock, 2011).

Viruses are majorly malicious, since the user of the computer system does not grant permission for the inducement of the program. Malicious hacking in organizations leads to limited or no access to crucial files (Khosrowpour, 2003). It also leads to automatic deletion of crucial files in the information system. This is unethical, and it ought to be curbed through implementation of an outstanding IT department. The department should entail qualified experts to offer secure measures against the viruses.

Adware Adware is a program that brings automatic download and display of advertisements (Aycock, 2011). Adware is known to be a secure feature. However, some adware constitutes spyware and programs that might invade the privacy of the information system (Aycock, 2011). Therefore, organizations should minimize the use of adware downloads. Organizations should also install security programs in their information system through the IT experts (Khosrowpour, 2003). Spyware This entails a program that installs itself in a computer and gathers passwords and other security details (Aycock, 2011).

The security details are maliciously distributed. Definitely, this would facilitate hacking processes. Therefore, organizations ought to invest in internet security programs (Khosrowpour, 2003). Integral IT experts would also propagate the security of the organization’s information system. Trojan Trojan is a program that appears legitimate to computer users (Aycock, 2011). However, the program manipulates the operations of the computer files and entire system. It also invades the information system through its access to passwords (Aycock, 2011).

Organizations should therefore invest in legitimate programs from authorized distributers. They should also emphasize security measures in the programs installed by the IT department (Khosrowpour, 2003). Sniffer This is a hardware or software that intercepts the digital networks of an organization (Aycock, 2011). Organizations link their computers for the intentions of credible audits and operations. Interception of such networks shares private data to hackers (Aycock, 2011). Therefore, organizations should invest in security strategies and programs through IT experts to curb network interceptions (Khosrowpour, 2003).

Organizations should also use legitimate software and hardware to curb the effects of sniffers. References Aycock, J. D. (2011). Spyware and adware. New York: Springer. Gish, W. (2013). The Effects of Computer Hacking on an Organization. HEARST NEWSPAPERS. Retrieved on March 27th 2013. http://smallbusiness.chron.com/effects- computer-hacking-organization-17975.html Information Resources Management Association., & Khosrowpour, M. (2003). Information technology & organizations: Trends, issues, challenges & solutions.

Harrisburg, Pa., U.S.A: Idea Group Pub.