Bis 221 - Information Systems and Security

Information Systems and Security

Shraina Sanders

BIS/221

April 4, 2015

Jacquelyn Newsom

Information Systems and Security

In researching for this paper, I got a little more than I bargained for in just the 4th chapter alone. You would think you already know all this information, but I am slowly and truly finding out, that the more I know, the more I need to know. One thing is for sure, and that is, it is imperative that we protect ourselves and our personal information, especially within a business.

There are 5 factors that can increase the vulnerability of information.

1. The internet
2. Less expensive computers and storage devices (netbooks flash drives ECT.)
3. Non skilled hackers (now they can learn to do this on YouTube)
4. Lack of management
5. Organized cybercriminals

We are now able to connect to the internet wirelessly, and independent of your office cubicle. When a person uses an open internet access, they are leaving themselves vulnerable to cybercriminals. The cheaper computers and smaller devices, also make it easier to steal and conceal information. There was a time when an individual, had to be super smart to be able to hack into a computer, but now you can just go on the internet and learn step by step. Lack of management means that someone didn’t do their due diligence and realize that protection was needed or, they just were not keeping abreast of what employees are doing.

When a business system compromised it can cost millions to come back form that hacking. One example was not long ago, Home Depot had an incident where customer’s personal information got out and they had to monitor credit for a year which cost a pretty penny.  The customer’s had to get new debit cards and some of their cards were used. I happened to be one of the victims.

There are also very deliberate attacks on computers such as, software, theft, sabotage or vandalism just to name a few. A software attack usually is some type of virus, or malicious software. Criminals steal by using thumb drives for instance to steal information. Sabotage and vandalism is, when a group purposefully defaces an organizations website to damage their image or to attempt to make them conform to whatever the agenda is at that time. The software attacks come in the form of viruses, malicious software and things of that nature. This is dangerous because these things can literally wipe out a hard drive.