Information Security - Assignment Example

Discussion Questions Information security, decision support system, OLTP and OLAP ……………………. College: ……………………….. Every month seems to bring news of an organization that has lost a laptop with the names and private information of thousands of people on it. Discuss the legal, technological, and organizational risks from such losses. What would you suggest doing at your organization to lower the chances of such a loss, or to mitigate the damage once it has occurred? Information is a virtual asset of an organization and protecting it is as crucial as protecting its most valuable resources. Securing the IT and the data is one of the most challenging and critical function of IT management today. Computer and internet have brought a number of advantages to the organization as well as it increased the vulnerability of both internal and external threats of information related risks (Cannoy and Palvia, 2006, p. 1). Loss of a laptop that has contained an abundant of information about thousands of people is an example of IT security threat that creates loss of intellectual property and it can be sued in the US courts against the loss. There are chances that the laptop loss can be simply damage or theft of data by other organizations in order to find information about the stakeholders or by agencies to find secrets of the business. if it is a damage, it can be considered to be a technological loss as well as missing of valuable information. If the laptop is stolen, it is basically an intellectual property loss, because, information contained in the computer has been stolen and it can be considered to be a counterfeit. Organizations need to form effective strategies to secure information from security breaches including both intentional and unintentional. Kieke (2006) reported that a survey reveals that organizations are taking measures to improve the security and to mitigate the loss. The most cited significant steps are: Documenting the security policies Creating security education policies for the employees, and Creating a chief information security officer position in the organization (Journal of Healthcare Compliances) When information loss occurs, the IT management must seek ways to recover the lost data from other information sources and create backups. Forming better information security policies, educating it to the workforce and authorizing efficient people for IT security will help the organization protect itself from repeating the same loss. 2. Decision support systems are often built on the information garnered by one organization. How will integrating the data of outside organizations from partnership data exchange improve or degrade the ability of decision support systems to strengthen management’s strategies? Please provide examples from your organization or an organization you are familiar. Decision support system is a system designed for network security management that can evaluate the security of network domains and it supports a security manager in taking decisions regarding security management (Davida and Frankel, 2001, p. 497). In forming a decision support system, it is of primary importance that a tool that can automate the security tests and analysis is required. This tool must be capable of security evaluation of then network domains and also to analyze the individual hosts and sub networks. Integrating the data of outside organization from partnership data exchange and integration program, decision making will be a faster process within the organization. Majchrzak and Jarvenpaa (2004) emphasized that when knowledge is not shared with either external or internal parties, decision making will slow down and opportunities will be wasted. When sharing of the knowledge is limited to pre cleared documents, the knowledge integration among the collaborative partners will be harmed and this will adversely affect the decision support system (Emergence: Complexity & Organization). The IBM is a good example that has efficient knowledge and information share practice that in turn helps decision support system function effectively. 3. Does the requirement for electronic data interchange (EDI) drive organizations toward flat-file storage technologies and away from relational, toward relational, or have no influence? Support your contention. Electronic data interchange has been promoted as a measure to enhance business transactions with greater speed, accuracy and cost effectiveness. Electronic data interchange is a system that allows a company transfer electronic documents between companies in a structured and computer processed data formats (Muller, 2002, p. 306). Electronic data interchange encompasses basically four elements namely, Electronic store and retrieve facilities which is in the form of a mailbox, a communication network that transmits and receives messages, a translation software that converts documents in to structured message and an application program that software links the transaction of the business. The electronic data interchange has changed the organizations into flat file storage technology because, data flow within the organization is streamlined and therefore auditing and analyzing of transactions are made easier. When all these information are available online, it is very easy task to perform vendor tracking, cost benefit analysis etc. most of the basic business analysis and data controlling can be held effectively and in easier ways. The electronic data interchange drives the firm away from relational file storage system. 4. As technology improves, the need to have separate systems to support transactional data and reporting data diminishes. Is the convergence of OLTP and OLAP systems only of operational, or also of strategic, importance to the organization? Discuss your rationale. OLTP (online transaction processing) and OLAP (online analytical processing) are the two types of data processing. OLTP includes a large number of relatively simple transactions including accounting records and updating those that are stored in different tables. In the OLTP, the relevant data are collected from the invoice table, delivery table and consumer table etc. OLAP is characterized by online transactions that can access in to a very large number of data. OLAP can analyze the accounting relationship between various business elements like purchase, sales, distribution channels etc. Once the data is gathered and analyzed, it will be able to present data in different perspective like arranging data on geographic basis etc (Hall, 2008, p. 533). Both OLTP and OLAP systems are both operational and strategic importance to an organization. The OLTP and OLAP systems are able to analyze large volume of data and present reports or results and this forms to be a strategic step forward that a business can have to maximize the operational efficiency. As decision support system, the OLTP system is also generally to review the information. The OLTP system is designed to process transaction in mind and not monetary transactions. The database will be able to interact with human with the help of web interface created. This system eliminates the redundancy in analysis performance and data integrity. The OLAP system is used to help improve the performance. These are thus both operationally and strategically important to the firm. References Davida G and Frankel Y (2001), Information security: 4th International Conference, ISC 2001, Malaga, Spain, October 1-3, 2001 : proceedings, Illustrated Edition, Springer Muller N.J (2002), Desktop encyclopedia of telecommunications, Third Edition, McGraw-Hill Professional Hall (2008), Accounting Information Systems, Cengage Learning Cannoy, S., Palvia, P., & Schilhavy, R. (2006), A research framework for information systems security, Journal of Information Privacy & Security, 2(2), 3, Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/ehost/pdf?vid=1&hid=111&sid=aeb5e7fe-47c7-4a26-8745-8360e7fb91e8%40sessionmgr110 Majchrzak, A., & Jarvenpaa, S. (2004), Information security in cross-enterprise collaborative knowledge work. Emergence: Complexity & Organization, 6(4), 40-50, retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/start.do?prodId=AONE&userGroupName=apollo Kieke, R. (2006, September/October). Survey shows high number of organizations suffered security breach in past year. Journal of Health Care Compliance, 8(5), 49-68, Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/start.do?prodId=AONE&userGroupName=apollo Read More