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- 1. Management Information Systems MANAGINGTHE DIGITAL FIRM, 12TH EDITION SECURING INFORMATION SYSTEMS Chapter 8
- 2. What is WannaCryRansomware? • On 12 May 2017, a new strain of the Ransom.Crypt.XXX (WannaCry) ransomware began spreading widely impacting a large number of organizations across the world. • WannaCry infects the system by encrypting all its files.
- 3. Vulnerable Microsoft OS Thefollowing list of Microsoft Operating Systems (OS) are known to be vulnerable if they have not been updated with Microsoft security bulletin (MS17-010- Critical) which was released in March 2017: •Windows 10 •Windows RT 8.1 •Windows 8.1 •Windows 7 •Windows Vista Machines running on Windows XP would not have patches to protect against this ransomware as the OS has been de-supported by Microsoft.
- 4. What I needto do for my home computer to prevent WannaCry Ransomware? • Ensure all Windows-based systems are fully- patched, especially that MS17-010 has been applied as in the advisory sent yesterday. • Disable SMB (file sharing) services on the system and block SMB port access from external if it is not required. • Update Anti-virus software with the latest malware definitions.
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- 6. Management Information Systems •Why are information systems vulnerable to destruction, error, and abuse? • What is the business value of security and control? • What are the components of an organizational framework for security and control? • What are the most important tools and technologies for safeguarding information resources? Learning Objectives CHAPTER 8: SECURING INFORMATION SYSTEMS © Prentice Hall 2011 6
- 7. Management Information Systems •Facebook – world’s largest social network • Problem – Identity theft and malicious software – Examples: • 2009 18-month hacker scam for passwords, resulted in Trojan horse download that stole financial data • Dec 2008 Koobface worm • May 2010 Spam campaigned aimed at stealing logins • Illustrates: Types of security attacks facing consumers • Demonstrates: Ubiquity of hacking, malicious software You’re on Facebook? Watch Out! CHAPTER 8: SECURING INFORMATION SYSTEMS © Prentice Hall 2011 7
- 8. Boston Celtics ScoreBig Points Against Spyware • Problem: Spyware infecting laptops during team travel affecting accessibility and performance of proprietary system • Solutions: Deploy security software to reduce spyware. • Mi5 Network’s Webgate security appliance tool sits between corporate firewall and network to prevent spyware entering network or infected computers connecting to network • Demonstrates IT’s role in combating malicious software • Illustrates digital technology’s role in achieving security on the Web
- 9. System Vulnerability andAbuse • Security: • Policies, procedures and technical measures used to prevent unauthorized access, alteration, theft, or physical damage to information systems • Controls: • Methods, policies, and organizational procedures that ensure safety of organization’s assets; accuracy and reliability of its accounting records; and operational adherence to management standards
- 10. • Why systemsare vulnerable • Hardware problems • Breakdowns, configuration errors, damage from improper use or crime • Software problems • Programming errors, installation errors, unauthorized changes) • Disasters • Power failures, flood, fires, etc. • Use of networks and computers outside of firm’s control • E.g., with domestic or offshore outsourcing vendors System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 11. Contemporary Security Challengesand Vulnerabilities Figure 8-1 The architecture of a Web-based application typically includes a Web client, a server, and corporate information systems linked to databases. Each of these components presents security challenges and vulnerabilities. Floods, fires, power failures, and other electrical problems can cause disruptions at any point in the network. System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 12. • Internet vulnerabilities •Network open to anyone • Size of Internet means abuses can have wide impact • Use of fixed Internet addresses with permanent connections to Internet eases identification by hackers • E-mail attachments • E-mail used for transmitting trade secrets • IM messages lack security, can be easily intercepted System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 13. • Wireless securitychallenges • Radio frequency bands easy to scan • SSIDs (service set identifiers) • Identify access points • Broadcast multiple times • War driving • Eavesdroppers drive by buildings and try to intercept network traffic • When hacker gains access to SSID, has access to network’s resources • WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) • Security standard for 802.11 • Basic specification uses shared password for both users and access point • Users often fail to use security features System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 14. Wi-Fi Security Challenges Figure8-2 Many Wi-Fi networks can be penetrated easily by intruders using sniffer programs to obtain an address to access the resources of a network without authorization. System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 15. • Malicious software(malware) • Viruses: Rogue software program that attaches itself to other software programs or data files in order to be executed • Worms: Independent computer programs that copy themselves from one computer to other computers over a network • Trojan horses: Software program that appears to be benign but then does something other than expected • Spyware: Small programs install themselves surreptitiously on computers to monitor user Web surfing activity and serve up advertising • Key loggers: Record every keystroke on computer to steal serial numbers, passwords, launch Internet attacks System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 16. • Spoofing • Misrepresentingoneself by using fake e-mail addresses or masquerading as someone else • Redirecting Web link to address different from intended one, with site masquerading as intended destination • Sniffer: Eavesdropping program that monitors information traveling over network • Denial-of-service attacks (DoS): Flooding server with thousands of false requests to crash the network • Distributed denial-of-service attacks (DDoS): Use of numerous computers to launch a DoS • Botnets: Networks of “zombie” PCs infiltrated by bot malware System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 17. • Identity theft:Theft of personal Information (social security id, driver’s license or credit card numbers) to impersonate someone else • Phishing: Setting up fake Web sites or sending e-mail messages that look like legitimate businesses to ask users for confidential personal data. • Evil twins: Wireless networks that pretend to offer trustworthy Wi-Fi connections to the Internet • Pharming: Redirects users to a bogus Web page, even when individual types correct Web page address into his or her browser • Click fraud: Click fraud is clicking on online ads to artificially inflate the number of clicks, often to drain an advertiser's budget or damage their ad ranking. System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 18. • Global threats- Cyberterrorism and cyberwarfare • Concern that Internet vulnerabilities and other networks make digital networks easy targets for digital attacks by terrorists, foreign intelligence services, or other groups System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 19. • Internal threats– Employees • Security threats often originate inside an organization • Inside knowledge • Sloppy security procedures • Social engineering • Software vulnerability Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems System Vulnerability and Abuse
- 20. • Legal andregulatory requirements for electronic records management • Firms face new legal obligations for the retention and storage of electronic records as well as for privacy protection • HIPAA: Medical security and privacy rules and procedures • Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act: Requires financial institutions to ensure the security and confidentiality of customer data • Sarbanes-Oxley Act: Imposes responsibility on companies and their management to safeguard the accuracy and integrity of financial information that is used internally and released externally Business Value of Security and Control
- 21. • Electronic evidence •Evidence for white collar crimes often found in digital form • Data stored on computer devices, e-mail, instant messages, e-commerce transactions • Proper control of data can save time, money when responding to legal discovery request • Computer forensics: • Scientific collection, examination, authentication, preservation, and analysis of data from computer storage media for use as evidence in court of law • Includes recovery of ambient and hidden data Business Value of Security and Control
- 22. Goals of InformationSecurity Availability C o n f i d e n t i a l i t y Prevents unauthorized disclosure of systems and information. I n t e g r i t y Prevents unauthorized modification of systems and information. Prevents disruption of service and productivity.
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- 24. IT Security Requirements(cont.)
- 25. Security Blueprint Solutions •Blueprints are used to identify, develop and design security requirements for a particular business solution: – Portal – Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) – Supply Chain – Customer Relationships Management (CRM) – Manufacturing, etc. • Not all aspects of a particular blueprint will apply but all should be considered.
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- 29. Establishing a Frameworkfor Security and Control • Information systems controls • General controls • Govern design, security, and use of computer programs and data throughout organization’s IT infrastructure • Combination of hardware, software, and manual procedures to create overall control environment • Types of general controls • Software controls • Hardware controls • Computer operations controls • Data security controls • Implementation controls • Administrative controls Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems
- 30. • Application controls •Specific controls unique to each computerized application, such as payroll or order processing • Include both automated and manual procedures • Ensure that only authorized data are completely and accurately processed by that application • Types of application controls: • Input controls • Processing controls • Output controls Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Establishing a Framework for Security and Control
- 31. • Risk assessment •Determines level of risk to firm if specific activity or process is not properly controlled • Types of threat • Probability of occurrence during year • Potential losses, value of threat • Expected annual loss EXPOSURE PROBABILITY LOSS RANGE (AVERAGE) EXPECTED ANNUAL LOSS Power failure 30% $5K - $200K ($102,500) $30,750 Embezzlement 5% $1K - $50K ($25,500) $1,275 User error 98% $200 - $40K ($20,100) $19,698 Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Establishing a Framework for Security and Control
- 32. • Security policy •Ranks information risks, identifies acceptable security goals, and identifies mechanisms for achieving these goals • Drives other policies • Acceptable use policy (AUP): Defines acceptable uses of firm’s information resources and computing equipment • Authorization policies: Determine differing levels of user access to information assets • Authorization management systems • Allow each user access only to those portions of system that person is permitted to enter, based on information established by set of access rules, profile Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Establishing a Framework for Security and Control
- 33. Security Profiles fora Personnel System Figure 8-3 These two examples represent two security profiles or data security patterns that might be found in a personnel system. Depending on the security profile, a user would have certain restrictions on access to various systems, locations, or data in an organization. Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Establishing a Framework for Security and Control
- 34. • Disaster recoveryplanning: Devises plans for restoration of disrupted services • Business continuity planning: Focuses on restoring business operations after disaster • Both types of plans needed to identify firm’s most critical systems and business processes • Business impact analysis to determine impact of an outage • Management must determine • Maximum time systems can be down • Which systems must be restored first Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Establishing a Framework for Security and Control
- 35. • MIS audit •Examines firm’s overall security environment as well as controls governing individual information systems • Reviews technologies, procedures, documentation, training, and personnel • May even simulate disaster to test response of technology, IS staff, other employees • Lists and ranks all control weaknesses and estimates probability of their occurrence • Assesses financial and organizational impact of each threat Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Establishing a Framework for Security and Control
- 36. Sample Auditor’s Listof Control Weaknesses Figure 8-4 This chart is a sample page from a list of control weaknesses that an auditor might find in a loan system in a local commercial bank. This form helps auditors record and evaluate control weaknesses and shows the results of discussing those weaknesses with management, as well as any corrective actions taken by management. Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Establishing a Framework for Security and Control
- 37. Technologies and Toolsfor Security • Access control: Policies and procedures to prevent improper access to systems by unauthorized insiders and outsiders • Authorization • Authentication • Password systems • Tokens • Smart cards • Biometric authentication Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems
- 38. • Firewall: Hardwareand/or software to prevent unauthorized access to private networks • Screening technologies • Packet filtering • Stateful inspection • Network address translation (NAT) • Application proxy filtering • Intrusion detection systems: Monitor vulnerable points on networks to detect and deter intruders • Examines events as they are happening to discover attacks in progress • Scans network to find patterns indicative of attacks Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 39. A Corporate Firewall ManagementInformation Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security The firewall is placed between the firm’s private network and the public Internet or another distrusted network to protect against unauthorized traffic. Figure 8-5
- 40. • Antivirus andantispyware software: • Checks computers for presence of malware and can often eliminate it as well • Require continual updating • Unified threat management (UTM) • Comprehensive security management products • Tools include • Firewalls • Intrusion detection • VPNs • Web content filtering • Antispam software Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 41. • Securing wirelessnetworks • WEP security can be improved: • Activating it • Assigning unique name to network’s SSID • Using it with VPN technology • Wi-Fi Alliance finalized WAP2 specification, replacing WEP with stronger standards • Continually changing keys • Encrypted authentication system with central server Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 42. • Encryption: • Transformingtext or data into cipher text that cannot be read by unintended recipients • Two methods for encrypting network traffic • Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and successor Transport Layer Security (TLS) • Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (S-HTTP) • Two methods of encryption • Symmetric key encryption • Public key encryption Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 43. Public Key Encryption Figure7-6 A public key encryption system can be viewed as a series of public and private keys that lock data when they are transmitted and unlock the data when they are received. The sender locates the recipient’s public key in a directory and uses it to encrypt a message. The message is sent in encrypted form over the Internet or a private network. When the encrypted message arrives, the recipient uses his or her private key to decrypt the data and read the message. Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 44. • Digital certificate: •Data file used to establish the identity of users and electronic assets for protection of online transactions • Uses a trusted third party, certification authority (CA), to validate a user’s identity • CA verifies user’s identity, stores information in CA server, which generates encrypted digital certificate containing owner ID information and copy of owner’s public key • Public key infrastructure (PKI) • Use of public key cryptography working with certificate authority • Widely used in e-commerce Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 45. Digital Certificates Figure 8-7 Digitalcertificates help establish the identity of people or electronic assets. They protect online transactions by providing secure, encrypted, online communication. Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 46. • Ensuring systemavailability • Online transaction processing requires 100% availability, no downtime • Fault-tolerant computer systems • For continuous availability • Contain redundant hardware, software, and power supply components to provide continuous, uninterrupted service • High-availability computing • Helps recover quickly from crash • Minimizes, does not eliminate downtime Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 47. • Recovery-oriented computing •Designing systems that recover quickly with capabilities to help operators pinpoint and correct of faults in multi- component systems • Controlling network traffic • Deep packet inspection (DPI) • Security outsourcing • Managed security service providers (MSSPs) Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 48. Can Salesforce.com On-DemandRemain in Demand? • Read the Interactive Session: Technology and then discuss the following questions: • How did the problems experienced by Salesforce.com impact its business? • How did the problems impact its customers? • What steps did Salesforce.com take to solve the problems? Were these steps sufficient? • List and describe other vulnerabilities discussed in this chapter that might create outages at Salesforce.com and measures to safeguard against them. Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 49. • Ensuring softwarequality • Software Metrics: Objective assessments of system in form of quantified measurements • Number of transactions • Online response time • Payroll checks printed per hour • Known bugs per hundred lines of code • Testing: Early and regular testing • Walkthrough: Review of specification or design document by small group of qualified people • Debugging: Process by which errors are eliminated Management Information Systems Chapter 8 Securing Information Systems Technologies and Tools for Security
- 50. All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Copyright © 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall
Editor's Notes
- #6 This chapter discusses the need for security to guard information systems and data as well as technologies used to secure information systems. Ask students what types of threats can harm an information system. Internet security, or the lack thereof, will continue to be a topic of major concern to corporations and countries. Ask students why there is so much attention paid to Internet security issues in the press.
- #7 This slide discusses the chapter opening case, which describes the security problems Facebook has had. Note that the size of Facebook is one major factor that makes it an especially tempting target for hackers. Why is the size of the user base such a factor ? (It’s another example of a “network effect”!)
- #8 The chapter opening case discusses the problems that spyware caused the Boston Celtics network; spyware that infected coaches, recruiters, and other staff member’s laptops at hotels. Ask students if they have had any personal problems with spyware and to describe this problem. How did they get rid of the spyware?
- #9 This slide introduces the need for both security and controls in today’s businesses in order to safeguard information systems. Ask students to give an example of security technique and an example of a control that might be used in a business.
- #10 This slide discusses the main categories of threats to information systems. Note that when large amounts of data are stored digitally, on computers and servers and in databases, they are vulnerable to many more kinds of threats than when they were stored in manual form, on paper in folders and file cabinets. When data are available over a network, there are even more vulnerabilities. Ask students if they have ever lost data on their computers. What was the reason (hardware, software, “disaster,” other people, etc.).
- #11 This graphic illustrates the types of threats to system security and the points over the network at which these threats are prevalent. Some problems occur at the client computer, others through the network lines, corporate servers, or in corporate hardware and software.
- #12 This slide discusses the types of threats that large public networks, like the Internet, face because they are open to virtually anyone. Note that Internet is so huge that when abuses do occur, they can have an enormously widespread impact. And when the Internet becomes part of the corporate network, the organization’s information systems are even more vulnerable to actions from outsiders.
- #13 This slide discusses security threats related to wireless networks. Local-area networks (LANs) using the 802.11 standard can be easily penetrated by outsiders armed with laptops, wireless cards, external antennae, and hacking software. Hackers use these tools to detect unprotected networks, monitor network traffic, and, in some cases, gain access to the Internet or to corporate networks. Ask students if they have connected to the Internet through an unknown wireless network that a person or business had established and left unprotected.
- #14 This graphic illustrates why wireless networks are vulnerable - The service set identifiers (SSIDs) identifying the access points in a Wi-Fi network are broadcast multiple times (as illustrated by the orange sphere) and can be picked up fairly easily by intruders’ sniffer programs.
- #15 This slide identifies the various types of malware that threaten information systems and computers. Ask students if they have ever had a problem with a virus. Do they know how they got infected? Note that there are now over 200 viruses and worms targeting mobile phones, and Web 2.0 applications like MySpace and blogs are new conduits for malware and spyware. Malware is a serious problem - over the past decade, worms and viruses have cause billions of dollars of damage to corporate networks, e-mail systems, and data.
- #16 This slide continues the discussion of different types of computer crimes. Ask students what the ultimate purpose of spoofing and sniffing are. Note that there are legitimate uses of sniffing – sniffers can help identify network trouble spots or spot criminal activity on a network. What is the result of a DoS attack? The text notes that in the first six months of 2007, security product provider Symantec observed over 5 million distinct bot-infected computers. Bots and botnets are an extremely serious threat because they can be used to launch very large attacks using many different techniques.
- #17 This slide continues the discussion of types of computer crime. Have any students encountered any of these types of crimes personally? Note that The U.S. Congress addressed the threat of computer crime in 1986 with the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. This act makes it illegal to access a computer system without authorization. The text lists other legislation to counter computer crime, such as the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act in 1996 to make virus distribution and hacker attacks to disable Web sites federal crimes.
- #18 This slide continues the discussion of types of computer crime. Note that cybercriminal activities are borderless: The global nature of the Internet makes it possible for cybercriminals to operate anywhere in the world. Ask students if there should be legislation outlawing click fraud.
- #19 This slide looks at another source of security problems – people inside the company with access to the system. Ask students if they have ever worked somewhere with a vulnerable password system. Have they ever revealed to anyone what their password is or was?
- #20 This slide continues the look at the business value of security and control, examining the legal requirements for electronic records management. Note that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act was designed to protect investors after the scandals at Enron, WorldCom, and other public companies. Sarbanes-Oxley is fundamentally about ensuring that internal controls are in place to govern the creation and documentation of information in financial statements. Because managing this data involves information systems, information systems must implement controls to make sure this information is accurate and to enforce integrity, confidentiality, and accuracy.
- #21 This slide continues the discussion of the business value of security and control. Security, control, and electronic records management are essential today for responding to legal actions. Ask students what the most common form of electronic evidence is (e-mail). Note that in a legal action, a firm is obligated to respond to a discovery request for access to information that may be used as evidence, and the company is required by law to produce those data. The cost of responding to a discovery request can be enormous if the company has trouble assembling the required data or the data have been corrupted or destroyed. Courts impose severe financial and even criminal penalties for improper destruction of electronic documents. Ask students what ambient data is and to give an example. Given the legal requirements for electronic records, it is important that an awareness of computer forensics should be incorporated into a firm’s contingency planning process.
- #22 The cornerstone of information Security.
- #23 All security solutions should be designed and implemented to focus on two areas, the functional requirements of the solution, and also the assurance requirements, which really address how the functional requirements are actually working properly. No solution is complete unless it addresses these two areas. Example: a firewall addresses the functional requirements, but it is the ‘logging and monitoring’ aspect of the firewall that addresses the assurance requirements and makes the entire ‘firewall solution’ a complete solution.
- #24 For each security requirement and function, there must be a corresponding check or assurance that the function is working correctly. This graphic is a pictorial representation of the previous slide
- #25 The Security Blueprints provide a method of organizing the requirements and the resulting components of a security architecture. They can be used to address the security requirements of a specific topic or across the enterprise.
- #26 As we mentioned previously, the security blueprints provide a structure for organizing requirements and solutions. They are used to ensure that security is considered from a holistic view. The ISO 17799 Code of Practice for Security Information Management provides a broad base of security controls that provides a point of reference for completeness of the components within the blueprints. The ISO 17799 reference standard does not however, provide all of the guidance that is required for an effective, holistic security architecture.
- #27 This diagram provides more detail on the components that make up the blueprints. Consideration should given to each of these components in relation to the decisions and direction that they provide for the blueprint topic. You should be able to identify what each of the components contributes to the eventual solution. For example, under privacy you should be able to point to the strategy the organization has chosen to manage privacy issues. You should have the privacy policy at hand and and enabling standards and procedures. You should be able to identify what components and processes are in place to monitor adherence to privacy policies.
- #28 An effective security architecture will always be able to “connect the dots” between the business decisions of the organization, how these are reflected in the principles, policies and standards of the organization, how these have been turned into requirements and how the requirements map to the blueprints.
- #29 To improve security for a firm’s information systems, it is important to create a framework that supports security. This includes establishing information systems controls, understanding the risks to the firm’s information systems, and establishing security policies that are appropriate for the firm. This slide looks at controls used in information systems. Remember that controls are methods, policies, and organizational procedures that ensure safety of organization’s assets; accuracy and reliability of its accounting records; and operational adherence to management standards. There are two main types of controls, general controls and application controls. General controls apply to all computerized applications. Ask students what the functions are of the different types of general controls.
- #30 This slide examines the second type of information systems controls, application controls. Ask students what each type of application control does. (Input controls check data for accuracy and completeness when they enter the system. There are specific input controls for input authorization, data conversion, data editing, and error handling. Processing controls establish that data are complete and accurate during updating. Output controls ensure that the results of computer processing are accurate, complete, and properly distributed.)
- #31 This slide looks at another important factor in establishing an appropriate framework for security and control, risk assessment. While not all risks can be anticipated and measured, most businesses should be able identify many of the risks they face. The table illustrates sample results of a risk assessment for an online order processing system that processes 30,000 orders per day. The likelihood of each exposure occurring over a one-year period is expressed as a percentage. The expected annual loss is the result of multiplying the probability by the average loss. Ask students to rank the three risks listed here in order of most important to minimize.
- #32 This slide looks at the need for a firm to establish a security policy for protecting a company’s assets, as well as other company policies the security policy drives, and how information systems support this. The text provides the example of the security policy at Unilever, a multinational consumer goods company, which requires every employee with a laptop or mobile handheld to use an approved device and employ a password or other method of identification when logging onto the corporate network. Ask students what types of issues would be covered under an AUP. (Privacy, user responsibility, and personal use of company equipment and networks, unacceptable and acceptable actions for every user and consequences for noncompliance.)
- #33 This graphic illustrates the security allowed for two sets of users of a personnel database that contains sensitive information such as employees’ salaries and medical histories. Divisional managers cannot update the system but can read all employee data fields for his or her division, including medical history and salary. Clerical employees who input employee data into the system can update the system but can neither read nor update sensitive fields. These security profiles are based on access rules supplied by business groups in the firm.
- #34 This slide continues the discussion of essential activities a firm performs to maximize security and control, here looking at planning for activities should a disaster occur, such as a flood, earthquake, or power outage. Note that disaster recovery plans focus primarily on the technical issues involved in keeping systems up and running, such as which files to back up and the maintenance of backup computer systems or disaster recovery services. The text provides the example of MasterCard, which maintains a duplicate computer center in Kansas City, Missouri, to serve as an emergency backup to its primary computer center in St. Louis. Ask students why it is important that both business managers and information systems specialists work together on these plans.
- #35 This slide looks at the role of auditing. An MIS audit enables a firm to determine if existing security measures and controls are effective.
- #36 This graphic illustrates a sample page from an auditor’s listing of control weaknesses for a loan system. It includes a section for notifying management of such weaknesses and for management’s response. Management is expected to devise a plan for countering significant weaknesses in controls
- #37 This slide begins a look at the technologies and tools an organization can use to secure systems and data, ensure system availability, and ensure data quality. Here, techniques for preventing unauthorized access to a system are listed. Ask students what the difference between authentication and authorization is. Have any students used authentication methods other than passwords to access a system?
- #38 This slide looks at two methods to prevent intruders from accessing private networks. To create a strong firewall, an administrator must maintain detailed internal rules identifying the people, applications, or addresses that are allowed or rejected. Firewalls can deter, but not completely prevent, network penetration by outsiders and should be viewed as one element in an overall security plan. Ask students to differentiate between the screening technologies listed here. Note that these are often used in combination. Ask students if they use firewall software on their own computers.
- #39 This graphic illustrates the use of firewalls on a corporate network. Notice that here, a second, “inner” firewall protects the Web server from access through the internal network.
- #40 This slide looks at additional tools to prevent unwanted intruders and software from accessing the network. Ask students what antivirus and antispyware tools they use. Ask why these tools require continual updating. Ask why UTM packages would include antispam software.
- #41 This slide looks at the tools and technologies used to secure wireless networks. Ask students with laptops what types of wireless security they have.
- #42 This slide discusses the use of encryption to ensure that data traveling along networks cannot be read by unauthorized users. Ask students to explain the difference between symmetric key encryption and public key encryption. (In symmetric key encryption, the sender and receiver establish a secure Internet session by creating a single encryption key and sending it to the receiver so both the sender and receiver share the same key. Public key encryption uses two keys: one shared (or public) and one totally private. The keys are mathematically related so that data encrypted with one key can be decrypted using only the other key. To send and receive messages, communicators first create separate pairs of private and public keys. The public key is kept in a directory and the private key must be kept secret. The sender encrypts a message with the recipient’s public key. On receiving the message, the recipient uses his or her private key to decrypt it. Ask students why public key encryption is stronger than symmetric key encryption. Note that the strength of an encryption key is measured by its bit length. Today, a typical key will be 128 bits long (a string of 128 binary digits).
- #43 This graphic illustrates the steps in public key encryption. The sender encrypts data using the public key of the recipient; data encrypted with this public key can only be decrypted with the recipient’s private key.
- #44 This slide looks at the use of digital certificates as a tool to help protect online transactions. Digital certificates are used in conjunction with public key encryption to validate the identities of two parties in a transaction before data is exchanged.
- #45 This graphic illustrates the process for using digital certificates. The institution or individual requests a certificate over the internet from a CA; the certificate received from the CA can then be used to validate a transaction with an online merchant or customer.
- #46 This slide and the next look at technologies and tools for ensuring system availability. Ask students why online transaction processing requires 100% availability. Note that firms with heavy e-commerce processing or for firms that depend on digital networks for their internal operations require at minimum high-availability computing, using tools such as backup servers, distribution of processing across multiple servers, high-capacity storage, and good disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
- #47 This slide continues the discussion of techniques to minimize downtime and improve network performance. Deep packet inspection enables a network to sort low-priority data packets from high-priority ones in order to improve performance for business critical communication. Ask students what types of network traffic would be suitable for assigning lower priority in a business setting?
- #48 This Interactive Session discusses the consequences outages in Salesforce.com software that prevented clients from accessing the system, once for more than three hours. This case illustrates the serious consequences of problems in software and hardware quality, and the technologies that can be used to maximize system availability.
- #49 This slide looks at ensuring software quality as a way to improve system quality and reliability by employing software metrics and rigorous software testing. Ongoing use of metrics allows the information systems department and end users to jointly measure the performance of the system and identify problems as they occur.