Information Security
Information Security
American Public University
Professor Michael Brown
August 10, 2012
One of the biggest issues in the Information Technology field these days is information security. Today almost anything can be found on the internet. Even like how to videos on how to put in a window, break-into a house, or even hack computers. The digital age has many perks but it also has many down falls to it as well. The perks that we enjoy so much from the internet also leaves us open to identity theft and company information theft. This gives Information Technology professionals a lot to think about when they consider Information Technology. One of the biggest threats facing the IT industries today is the end users non-malicious security violations that leave companies vulnerable to attack. In a recent Computer Security Institute survey, 41 percent of the participating U.S organizations reported security incidents. (Guo, 2012 p. 203-236) Also according to the same survey it was found that 14 percent of the respondents stated that nearly all of their company’s loses and or breaches were do to non-malicious and or careless behavior by the end users. (Guo, 2012 p. 203-236) Some of the end users behaviors that help these threats along were the peer-to-peer file-sharing software installed by the end user that might compromise company computers. Some other examples of security being compromised by end users would be people that use sticky notes to write there passwords down and leave them where other people can see them and employees that allow other employees to use their work station without knowing what they are doing on their work station. This seemed to be prevalent in companies where the end users perceived that threat was at the low end. This means that if the end user does not perceive a security threat or a consequence to their action they will continue to practice non-malicious security violations without any thought to the potenal
American Public University
Professor Michael Brown
August 10, 2012
One of the biggest issues in the Information Technology field these days is information security. Today almost anything can be found on the internet. Even like how to videos on how to put in a window, break-into a house, or even hack computers. The digital age has many perks but it also has many down falls to it as well. The perks that we enjoy so much from the internet also leaves us open to identity theft and company information theft. This gives Information Technology professionals a lot to think about when they consider Information Technology. One of the biggest threats facing the IT industries today is the end users non-malicious security violations that leave companies vulnerable to attack. In a recent Computer Security Institute survey, 41 percent of the participating U.S organizations reported security incidents. (Guo, 2012 p. 203-236) Also according to the same survey it was found that 14 percent of the respondents stated that nearly all of their company’s loses and or breaches were do to non-malicious and or careless behavior by the end users. (Guo, 2012 p. 203-236) Some of the end users behaviors that help these threats along were the peer-to-peer file-sharing software installed by the end user that might compromise company computers. Some other examples of security being compromised by end users would be people that use sticky notes to write there passwords down and leave them where other people can see them and employees that allow other employees to use their work station without knowing what they are doing on their work station. This seemed to be prevalent in companies where the end users perceived that threat was at the low end. This means that if the end user does not perceive a security threat or a consequence to their action they will continue to practice non-malicious security violations without any thought to the potenal