Internet Security: Human Resource Management Implications

The rise of the Internet has resulted in many				the law does consider this to be a case of
important issues being raised. One of these				defamation.
major issues relates to privacy and security
concerns.				The ease of publication on the Internet and
				the difficulty in controlling it is also
These issues become important ones for				evidenced by the fact that the article is now
organizations to consider for several				posted on another web site (Bartlett).
reasons. Firstly, because private employee
information is recorded on computers,				This situation is one that may find controls
secondly because organizations have their own				placed on it in the future, controls that act
important information recorded on computers,				as a safeguard for what can and cannot be
and thirdly because many organizations				published on the Internet as fact.
conduct business over the Internet via an
informational home page or by Internet				The guilty verdict in this case also leads
retailing.				the way for other defamation claims to be
				made and defamation laws to be determined for
The question of security will become an				the Internet.
important one for organizations and will
likely become the responsibility of the human				While this is a case against a person, it is
resource department in many organizations,				also possible that this same type of
with the questions of security and privacy an				defamation could be carried out in regards to
extension of information systems generally				an organization, its products or its
handled by the human resource department				services. It is feasible that a disgruntled
(Bernardin & Russell).				customer could publish damaging reports about
				the company.
In this paper, the privacy and security
issues that arise from the Internet will be				More Possibilities
investigated. Recognizing that the Internet
is relatively new and rapidly changing, the				The possibilities of using the Internet for
investigation will be completed with an eye				illegal advantages include scams as new and
for looking forward to the future.				ingenious as the Internet itself.

Firstly, I will discuss the modern history of				One opportunity that is not currently
the Internet and how it relates to privacy				illegal, though is concerning, is using one
and security concerns. I will then discuss				piece of software as a means for distributing
several key security and privacy issues				another.
relevant to organizations. I will then
briefly discuss the protection options				One example that is causing universities
available to deal with these issues.				concern is KaZaA, software that is used to
				store and swap video clips and MP3 files.
THE INTERNET AND PRIVACY & SECURITY				This software is specifically targeted at
				students and is downloaded by large numbers
Privacy is not a new concept, but one that				of students. It has been reported that this
has been of importance to people for				software has "software attached to it that
centuries.				could allow the company to use student
				computers and university bandwidth for
The advent of the Internet however, is taking				commercial ventures, such as serving Internet
privacy issues to a new level. Privacy is				advertisements or selling computer storage
described as "the ability of individuals to				space" (Carlson).
determine for themselves when, how and to
what extent information about them is				While this is not an illegal process, it is a
communicated to others" (IBM).				misleading one for the user. It also shows
				how technology can be used for purposes other
Security also becomes of wider concern. With				than that which we purchase them for. This is
the importance of the Internet and				important because this is one way information
information technology to society, it becomes				can be hidden within programs and there is
a tool that can be used against national				potential for this to be used illegally in
security, against individuals or against				the future. It is also said that universities
organizations.				are specifically targeted because they have a
				considerable amount of unused hard drive
As well as this, the mass of information				space (Carlson). This could apply equally to
available on the Internet can be misused.				many organizations, so organizations may also
				become a target of these programs in the
The Internet has become a profound part of				future.
our society, impacting on every aspect of it.
With this wide impact, security issues reach				SECURITY AND PRIVACY PROTECTION
out across various topics and take on various
forms.				Security Programs

Also relevant is the fact that the Internet				Security programs currently consist of two
remains in its infancy, with the Internet				main types. The first are virus programs that
revolution described as "one that experts				prevent damaging computer viruses from being
estimate is less than 10 percent complete"				received. One of the most interesting things
(IBM).				about these programs is that they require
				constant updating.
As the Internet grows and changes, new
security and privacy issues will appear. As				These constant updates illustrate how quickly
the environment changes, the privacy and				virus concerns change. Essentially, one group
security issues will be reconsidered.				of people are constantly creating new
				viruses, while a second group remain alert to
There is no doubt that the issues the				these viruses and create antidotes for the
Internet creates are likely to change, as the				viruses.
Internet and society continue to adapt to
each other. Even recognizing this, by				The second type of security program is
assessing the issues now we can begin to see				firewall software. Firewall software prevents
their current impact and also their future				hackers from accessing a computer. Just like
direction.				viruses, these programs are under constant
				upgrading to keep up with hacker technology
SECURITY AND PRIVACY ISSUES				changes.

Hackers				Security and Privacy Consultants

Everyone is under threat from hackers, from				Security and privacy concerns have also
the organization, to government information,				created a new industry of consultants, who
and through to individuals. The reason for				offer advice, personnel and systems to
hacking varies as widely as those that become				governments, organizations and also
victims of hacking,				individuals.

"crackers are not necessarily after secret				An example of one of these firms is
files or valuable corporate data, many just				Rent-A-Hacker, whose company profile reads as
want a machine - fast. Most victimized				follows:
machines are merely launch pads for other
attacks" (Tanase). Essentially, hackers hide				"Rent-A-Hacker was formed to afford anyone
themselves by operating through a chain of				the means to protect their valuable
machines.				information assets. Unlike most Cybersecurity
				firms whose goal is to sell you security
Reasons for hacking are extremely varied and				products, our focus is on auditing, detection
can include accessing information, changing				and proactive prevention" (Rent-A-Hacker).
information records and launching viruses.
				To achieve these goals, the organizations
For the organization, information may be				makes use of experts in Internet security and
extracted to be used against the				in hacking. This organization is an example
organization. This information could then be				of where the future of Internet security may
used in various way. Disgruntled employees				lead.
may seek information to use against the
organization.				With experts developing new ways to breach
				Internet security, software programs may no
The threat of misuse also depends on the				longer be enough. A defence system of equally
nature of the organization. A university for				effective experts may be the only way to
example has a threat of students changing				combat hackers and other breachers of both
their results records, while an organization				security and privacy.
involved in controversial issues, such as a
gun manufacturer may be threatened by				Government Actions
anti-gun protesters. Hackers may also operate
by damaging company web sites.				The Government plays an important role in
				effecting privacy and security concerns and
The reasons and form of Internet hacking				does this on two levels. The first is in
crimes are just as varied as typical crimes.				their role in setting the rules for the
				private sector. The second is in establishing
As the Internet becomes more widespread,				guidelines for the government's own use of
Internet crimes may come to mirror all				information (IBM).
crimes. For example, just as a disgruntled
employee may vandalize their place of				With the broad implications of the Internet
employment, a disgruntled employee may				it is also recognized that government control
vandalize the organization's web site.				becomes essential, "the growing
				interconnectedness of society underscores the
Current Effect on Business				need for government officials to understand
				the broad implications of the Internet and
Hacker attacks are the largest threats for				the information technology revolution (IBM).
governments and businesses, with ninety
percent of business and governments suffering				The government meets this challenge by
hacker attacks each year (Krebs).				producing a set of internationally-accepted
				principles, with these principles developed
Of those businesses, only one third were				by the Organization for Economic Cooperation
willing to report the attacks to the FBI				and Development and are known as the OECD
(Krebs).				guidelines (IBM).

Eighty percent reported financial losses as a				These guidelines include 'fair information
result but the majority were not willing to				practices' for organizations that outline
quantify these financial losses (Krebs).				appropriate security of data and disclosure
				of data practices (IBM).
The majority of organizations and government
departments do suffer from security breaches.				IBM describes the US security and privacy
Also noted is that this is not all from				measures, saying:
hackers, a major component is also from
company staff. The fact that the majority are				"The US has legislatively-required
not willing to report or verify the problems,				protections in focus areas: government,
is an indication that this is a problem that				credit reporting, banking and finance,
is thought to be significant as well as				health, and children's information. In other
damaging.				commercial areas, such as retail and online
				marketing, the US relies on its common-law
Organizations generally avoid reporting such				traditions coupled with industry
problems to avoid alarming shareholders,				responsibility and leadership to chart the
while government departments avoid public				way" (IBM).
concern. With shareholders and the public
warranted in their right to know of these				Legal Protection
breaches, there is a future likely, where
such breaches will be required to be				The legal component of the Internet is
reported.				handled largely by the Computer Crime and
				Intellectual Property Section of the
The reality is that these threats cannot be				Department of Justice. The actions of the
ignored. A study by the National Institute of				section are described, saying:
Standards and Technology recognized that
"information and the systems that process it				"Section attorneys advise federal prosecutors
are among the most valuable assets of any				and law enforcement agents; comment upon and
organization. Adequate security of these				propose legislation; coordinate international
assets is a fundamental management				efforts to combat computer crime; litigate
responsibility" (NIST).				cases; and train all law enforcement groups.
				Other areas of expertise possessed by CCIPS
The report by the National Institute of				attorneys include encryption, electronic
Standards and Technology provides a framework				privacy laws, search and seizure of
for determining a security system program.				computers, e-commerce, hacker investigations,
The needs of the programs are twofold:				and intellectual property crimes" (CCIPS).

"Agency programs must: 1) assure that systems				Legal protection in the US is wide and
and applications operate effectively and				varied, covering a variety of issues that the
provide appropriate confidentiality,				Internet relates to.
integrity, and availability; and 2) protect
information commensurate with the level of				This includes the considerations of
risk and magnitude of harm resulting from				e-commerce, covering topics including
loss, misuse, unauthorized access, or				Internet gambling, online sales of healthcare
modification" (NIST).				products and consumer protection (CCIPS).

This considered system and approach to				Laws are also existent relating to computer
determining may mirror how organizations will				crimes. These crimes include cyberstalking,
approach security considerations in the				Internet fraud, child pornography and
future.				identity theft (CCIPS).

It is also noted that "many organizations and				Insurance Protection
consumers are only just beginning to realize
the value of applied information technology				Another industry that reflects the rising
and the increased efficiency and				importance of Internet security is the
effectiveness of innovations in data				insurance industry.
collection and management" (IBM).
				Policies purchased for 2001 were just under
With increased realization will come				$100 million in 2001, with it expected to
increased use of information by				rise to at least $1 billion by the year 2007
organizations, and with this increased use				(Salkever).
will come a greater need for privacy and
security considerations.				The policies available for organizations
				include protection from "virus attacks,
Information on the Internet				denial-of-service assaults, cracking into
				company systems, and Web-site defacements.
The Internet is also capable of infringing on				Some companies even write policies that cover
a person's privacy as a publisher of				cyber-extortion, where an online intruder or
information.				an insider steals crucial data such as
				customer credit-card files and demands a
We can see the Internet as a tool for				payoff. The rising tide of lawsuits against
communicating information, just as				companies whose employees have used corporate
television, newspapers and other media are.				e-mail inappropriately has also caught the
				attention of e-insurers" (Salkever).
The difference with the Internet is that the
information published is not as well				It is also noted that with the insurance
controlled.				industry becoming a major part of Internet
				security, they will have the opportunity to
With television and newspapers, controls are				shape the computer security business.
in place to determine what will be
communicated. It is generally not possible				This will occur by insurance companies
for a person to publish information without				defining what types of security products and
it being verified in some way.				practices are acceptable. Following this,
				premiums will differ based on what software
However, with the Internet, a person can				protection systems are used, effectively
publish and communicate messages to people				rating product systems and influencing the
from all over the world with no requirement				business consumers choice.
to have checks on the information.
				This is also expected to effect business,
Essentially, the Internet allows anyone to				with e-insurance becoming a requirement, "as
say anything, and to say that anything to a				cyber-insurance goes from exotica to a
lot of people.				business necessity, the computer-security
				industry will have to adapt to keep the
This leads to the Internet being capable of				insurers happy" (Salkever).
being used as a tool to defame others.
				There is certainly potential for insurance
A recent court case shows that this does				companies to influence both the coverage
happen, where the case is described as				required by organizations and the products
follows:				and actions required to attain this coverage,
				"that's the wave of the future, as insurers
"A state-court jury awarded $3-million				exert even more pressure on the technology
Tuesday to a University of North Dakota				practices of any company wishing to insure
physics professor who sued a former student				this increasingly important facet of
for libel after she accused him in an online				business" (Salkever).
article of being a pedophile. The professor,
John L. Wagner, 41, filed his lawsuit after				Also recognized is the possible relationship
an article titled "Kinky, Torrid Romance by				between insurance companies and security
Randy Physics Professor" was published on the				products with it being argued "that insurers
Web site Undnews.com" (Bartlett).				will demand responsibility from software
				companies for flaws in their products -- and
This example shows how information on any				that they'll have the legal firepower to hold
subject can be widely published on the				the software outfits accountable" (Salkever).
Internet. The guilty verdict indicates that

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Internet Security: Human Resource Management Implications