Paper Example on Information Technology (IT) and Security

Introduction

Information technology (IT) refers to the use of computers to store, process, retrieve, transmit and manipulate all forms of electronic data. Information technology is used in the context of enterprise operations. The information age which has been brought up by the Internet has a lot of impacts on our lives. Advancements in information technology have led to the development of the Internet of Things. Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a system that interconnects smart devices and sensors using IP address technology and machine to machine connectivity (Lee & Lee, 2015).

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Information Technology Security Problems

There are some security concerns which have resulted from the use of information technology. The three main issues which should be addressed in information technology include; confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data regardless of the form the data may take; electronic print or other forms (Peltier, 2016). The confidentiality aspect in the internet of things is by ensuring that people access the information which they are only allowed to. Confidentiality provides that private information such as those dealing with health information, employment information and credit information spread over the internet. The integrity aspect ensures that information held on the internet is valid and accurate (Peltier, 2016). Security concerns over integrity ensure that the information held in the databases is accurate and there is no altering or deletion of such information. Availability concern ensures that the system provides the information to authorized users instantly.

Cyber Attacks

A cyber-attack refers to a malicious and deliberate attempt by an individual or parties which are not authorized access to an information system, to breach the information system. Usually, cyber-attacks are carried out to leak information or benefit from accessing the data in the system (National Research Council, 2009). The different types of cyber-attacks include malware, phishing, man-in-the-middle attack and denial-of-service attacks among others. An example of a cyber-attack which happened worldwide was the Wannacry ransomware attack which occurred in May 2017. The attack targeted computers running on Microsoft Windows Operating System. The attack led to the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars across the world (Hern & Gibbs, 2017).

Internet of Things (IoT) Security Threats

The Internet of Things (IoT) though it delivers substantial benefits to end users, it also brings unprecedented security challenges (Lee & Lee, 2015). The various connected devices in the IoT shares implicit trust which means that the devices automatically transmit their data to each other immediately upon recognition without first running malware detection tests (Lee & Lee, 2015). This has resulted in security threats and in other cases physical harm or even loss of life.

Countermeasures of IoT Security Threats

To manage security threats in IoT managers, developers, engineers, and supply chain managers should first complete risks assessment to determine their security priorities (Lee & Lee, 2015). Installing security checkpoints within the system is important. It is also essential to have an incident response plan.

References

Hern, A., & Gibbs, S. (2017). What is WannaCry ransomware and why is it attacking global computers. The Guardian, 12.

Lee, I., & Lee, K. (2015). The Internet of Things (IoT): Applications, investments, and challenges for enterprises. Business Horizons, 58(4), 431-440.

National Research Council. (2009). Technology, policy, law, and ethics regarding US acquisition and use of cyberattack capabilities. National Academies Press.

Peltier, T. R. (2016). Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: guidelines for effective information security management. Auerbach Publications.