PRESENTATION BY

GROUP 13

Differences between threats to information security and threats to information systems.

ON

1. 10010813 ABDUL-MUMIN FAIZA KOUANDA

2. 10010208 AGYARE RICHMOND KWAME

3. 10012277 BOADU - MARFO ERIC

4. 10011245 KASU MICHAEL ELIKEM

5. 10011261 HADZI LETICIA

6. 10010510 DE-GRAFT KELLY COLEMAN

MEMBERS

INTRODUCTION

☼ Threat is defined by Encarta dictionary as “somebody or something likely to cause harm”

☼ A threat to an information resource is any danger to which a system may be exposed

In this era of computer age, most companies and information technology users are faced with numerous challenges/threats. Information security and system are old concepts used by people, businesses, politicians, military leaders and others to protect “sensitive” information from unauthorized or accidental loss, destruction, disclosure, modification, misuse or access.

A number of factors contribute to the increasing vulnerability 0f organizational information assets.

DIFFERENCES BASE ON THEIR FACTORS

Threats to Information Security

☼ Today's interconnected, interdependent,

wirelessly networked business

environment.

☼ Smaller, faster, cheaper computer and

storage devices.

☼Decreasing skills necessary to be a

computer hacker.

☼ Increased employee use of unmanaged

devices.

☼ Lack of management support

Threats to Information System

☼ Unintentional Acts

☼ Natural Disasters

☼ Technical Failures

☼ Management Failures

☼ Deliberate Acts

THREATS TO INFORMATION SECURITY

1. Today's interconnected, interdependent, wirelessly networked business environment –

Wireless technologies enable employees

to compute, communicate and access the

internet anywhere anytime.

Significantly, Wireless technology is an

inherently non-secure broadcast

communication medium.

2. Smaller, faster, cheaper computer and storage devices…

This is where modern computers and storage devices(E.g. Ipads, Flash drives) continue to become smaller, faster, cheaper and more portable with greater storage capacity.

These characteristics makes it much easier to steal or lose a computer or storage device that may contain huge sensitive information.

THREATS TO INFORMATION SECURITY CONT…

3. Decreasing skills necessary to be a computer hacker.

The computing skills needed to be a computer hacker are decreasing . This is because the internet contains information and computer programs called scripts that users with few skills can download and use to attack any information system connected to the internet.

4. Increased employee use of unmanaged devices.

This involves the use of devices outside the control of an organization’s I.T department. These devices include customized computers, business partners’ mobile devices, computers in the business.

THREATS TO INFORMATION SECURITY LAST POINT

5. Lack of management support

For effective and efficient security measures and procedure to be taken seriously, lower management should be supported by top level management in determining whether employees are following security policies and procedures.

THREATS TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS

1. Unintentional acts

These are those acts with no

malicious intent. Human errors,

deviation in the quality of service

providers and environmental

hazards are the types of

unintentional acts.

Human errors represents the most

serious threats to information

systems than the other two types.

2. Natural Disasters

These disaster include; flood,

earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes,

lightning and in some cases, fires.

These disasters are sometimes referred

to as acts of God and can cause

catastrophic losses of systems and

data.

Such losses can be avoided by

engaging in proper planning for

backup and recovery of information

systems and data.

THREATS TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS CONT…

3. Management Failures

Management failures involve a

lack of funding for information

security efforts and a lack of

interest in those efforts.

Such lack of leadership will cause

the information security of the

organization to suffer.

4. Deliberate Acts

Deliberate acts by organizational employees

account for a large number of information

security breaches.

Some types of deliberate acts includes;

☼ information extortion

☼ sabotage and vandalism

☼ theft of equipment or information

☼ identity theft

THREATS TO INFORMATION SYSTEMS LAST POINT

5. Technical failures

Technical failures include problems with hardware and

software.

The most common hardware problem is a crash of a hard

disk drive.

The most common software problem is errors; called bugs

in computer programs. Software bugs are so common that the entire websites are dedicated to documenting them..

CONCLUSION

Threats to information security and

threats to information systems have no

much distinctions as both relate to

loss of sensitive information and data.

REFERENCES

☼Whitman and Mattord (2003)

☼Professional Application (First Edition)

☼Encarta dictionaries (2009)