Abstract
Information systems has enabled companies to take advantage of the automation of business processes. With the use of information systems, computer users are now at risk of exposing their private information on the internet. With the development and enhancement on information systems use, personal data and information has been a matter of public concern. The security and the privacy of this data is everybody’s concern. Although there has been efficiency from the use of business information systems, the issue of information insecurity has not been addressed well, there has been a significant aspect of loss of privacy for users. With the popularity of the internet, and the current trends of engaging in social networks, personal information is now public and most information that is found on the internet have been input by individuals. Most people have had their personal profiles that are found on social network. The privacy and the privacy statement that these social networking companies have put in place is a matter of concern that has to be assessed in the entire working of internet users. This paper will focus on how to protect users from privacy concerns and aspects on the internet.
Information systems and privacy: How to protect family members from internet cyber-attacks and intrusion
Purpose
This paper will focus procedures that will be undertaken in order to have secure information of my family members on the internet. One significant aspect in protecting personal information is to understand the components and the boundaries of information use. Many people now find the use of the internet to be fun so that there is personal information on the internet. The gist of this paper will be to focus on what needs to be done in order to have security of the data over the internet.
Summary
Information systems have been used by companies and organizations as source of competitive advantage. Information systems have been useful in ensuring that businesses have efficiency and reliability in undertaking their businesses. The current trends that are seen on the internet is that information systems are used to have a competitive edge for businesses. Individuals are also making use of information systems to have their personal data stored where they are able to access when they need them (Bélanger, & Crossler, 2011). One significant process is to be able to analyze the data and get the required data that they have on the internet. Individuals are now able make use of online and offline databases to store their private data on them. Most of the companies have dynamic websites which have databases that are used to store private information. This trend has enabled users to get access to information whenever and wherever they are. Information access and availability have been enhanced with the use of information systems. The use of electronic commerce has enabled businesses to have another clientele that has remained untapped for a long time. With the use of e-commerce, there has been the rise and popularity of online processes of doing business. These online transactions have enhanced the use of information for both individual and corporate users. The rise of complexity in information systems has led to efficiency in information use and access in the entire process. Database management systems have been useful in handling information that belongs to patients. Databases have been developed to manage the processing of data and information. Although there has been the development of information systems and security issues and aspects, there has been cyber-related concerns on the use of information systems to process information. Information security has come and that is the reason why personal information on the internet has been raised. From the many advances that have been seen with the use of information systems and its associated technologies, there are ethical issues that have been raised (Whitman, & Mattord, 2011).
Discussion
The popularity of the use of social networks and technologies has proliferated the lack of privacy on the personal data. With many users placing their data and personal information on the internet, insecurity has not been achieved. Users should take the intuitive to ensure that their data and information remains to be safe in the entire process. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter require that people enter their personal information on their database. The safety of this information is what has been of concern for many people. Many users do not have knowledge of how the information they give to social networks can be used in areas outside their imagination. Many customers have come to ensure their personal data are kept safe and that the parties that handle their private information have the assurance (Ifinedo, 2012).
Database management systems have come of age and are common in the current age. Many users make use of this information. Most of my family members have submitted information to online companies like Facebook and Twitter. Many organizations have also developed databases that are used to store employee data. The security of this information is an issue that has attracted a great deal of debate the world over. One of the requirements that is needed for the databases is to have privacy policies to protect the owners of the data. Most of the companies have dynamic websites which have databases that are used to store private information. This trend has enabled users to get access to information whenever and wherever they are. Information access and availability have been enhanced with the use of information systems. The use of electronic commerce has enabled businesses to have another clientele that has remained untapped for a long time. With the use of e-commerce, there has been the rise and popularity of online processes of doing business. These online transactions have enhanced the use of information for both individual and corporate users.
Systems developers have been required to assess the processes of developing the systems so that the loopholes that will be associated with the systems in regard to security will be known. As a step to ensure that my family is protected from internet cyber-crimes, I will ensure that they know of safe and secure websites that they visit. I will make sure that they understand the authenticity of the websites. All the data repositories will have to be assessed and those that are known to be untrustworthy will be blocked from the router that my family is using to access (Enck et al., 2014).
Computing and communication resources will be an area of concern that I will make sure I use to protect the data that my family will use. The routers and computers will be protected from the intrusion likelihood. I will make sure that the data and information that will be used in the system will be assessed and known to be secure in the entire working of the system. One of the concerns is to have a firewall that will protect infrastructure of my family. All intrusions will be blocked from accessing the system. By having secure and reliable internal systems, it will be possible and easy to have secure systems in the entire management of the security of my family members.
The system users and developers will have to understand the aspect of security while they are using the internet. Awareness training and the need to have reliability in the use of the internet is is one factor that significantly affects internet use in the current age. There is a need to have users be aware of the security of systems and the sites that they are using. The users and system developers should be aware of what they should be seeking to have in the sites that they are using. Most organizations do not adhere to the privacy policies and will harvest data from users so that they sell to interested parties. Others do not intentionally sell this information but they are attacked and the data is stolen. It is through such business practices clients and information systems users lose valuable information to fraudsters. It is this aspect that I will ensure my family members understand how they should behave with the use of the internet. They should develop some cautious behavior when sharing information on the internet.
Action
One of the action steps that I will take to protect my family members is to ensure that all the ICT equipment that is used in the house shall have bene protected from possible attacks. One step I will take is to install a firewall that will ensure the members from the IT infrastructure are safe from any kind of intrusion. One action step that I will take in this case is to have all members of my family have security principles while they are using the internet. This is while at home and while they are in their places of work. They have to understand the websites and the companies that they give their information. Before they give out their information, they have to read the security and privacy policy that has been given in the site (Vacca, 2012).
I will also ensure that they follow their ethical principles in all the actions that they undertake while they are on the website. They have to be careful about the data and information they give in the websites.
References
Bélanger, F., & Crossler, R. E. (2011). Privacy in the digital age: a review of information privacy research in information systems. MIS quarterly, 35(4), 1017-1042.
Enck, W., Gilbert, P., Han, S., Tendulkar, V., Chun, B. G., Cox, L. P., & Sheth, A. N. (2014). TaintDroid: an information-flow tracking system for realtime privacy monitoring on smartphones. ACM Transactions on Computer Systems (TOCS), 32(2), 5.
Ifinedo, P. (2012). Understanding information systems security policy compliance: An integration of the theory of planned behavior and the protection motivation theory. Computers & Security, 31(1), 83-95.
Vacca, J. R. (2012). Computer and information security handbook. Newnes.
Whitman, M., & Mattord, H. (2011). Principles of information security. Cengage Learning.
