Pitfalls to establishing and maintaining the effective information security architecture
Pitfalls to establishing and maintaining the effective information security architecture
The activities and operations related to the information security architecture face challenges and barriers making it impossible to effectively secure information. Information security entails the state of the act of being protected against authorized use and access to information mostly electronic data. Information is a vital aspect of an organization and should be effectively protected from unauthorized disclosure, modification, disruption access, destruction or recording. It is vital to note that malicious use of organization information can adversely affect its operations to the point of failure if such information is used in the interest of the third parties and at the expense of the organization. The unauthorized access and use of organization information result to lose making, breach of confidentiality and leaves the organization in question exposed and vulnerable, Therefore, there is a great need to maintain information security through policies, approaches, strategies, and best practices. On the contrary, the efforts to maintain information security are adversely affected different pitfalls that lack resources, the executive management’s lack of understanding of realistic risk, Fostering “trust” in the organization and the rate of change in the technology.
Four pitfalls to establishing and maintaining the effective information security architecture
Executive management’s lack of understanding of realistic risk
Different pitfalls adversely affect the effective and efficient establishment of information security architecture. First, pitfall the executive management lack of understanding of the realistic risk thus making it hard to make effective decisions directed towards the establishment of effective information security architecture. There is a need to understand the technology environment that an organization operates as well as its system and network to ensure that appropriate decisions are made concerning information security (Killmeyer, 2006). The failure of organizations to understand technologies present in their environment and link them with information security needs results in organizations adopting ineffective strategies, approaches, and practices to develop the information security architecture. Additionally, rogue IT organization arises in the society providing complex and risky information security solution. The fact that the executives and decision-makers in the organization do not have relevant or adequate information or knowledge makes them end up being misled thus they cannot build effective working information security architecture. Therefore, there is a great need for the executives to understand their environment and gather adequate information to ensure that they can make appropriate decisions inclined towards achieving appropriate information security architecture.
Lack of resources
Lack of resources is another critical aspect that adversely affects the ability to have and achieve effective information security architecture. Information security architecture can be developed and improved by the adoption of new technologies and innovations that require significant resources (Killmeyer, 2006). Additionally, the building and maintenance of an effective require effective personnel and professionals with different skills and knowledge to handle operate the information security architecture. The resources, in this case, are required in the purchase of both information security architecture software and hardware components. The professionals he development and operation of information security architecture include the project manager, consultant, specialist and architect. Lack of resources makes it hard to have different IT specialist in handling and management of the information security architecture.
Change in the technology
Technology is dynamic and keeps changing from time to time to becoming complex and sophisticated concerning changes in the environment. Threats and risks keep changing consistently change as hackers develop and create new ways of hacking and having unauthorized access to data and information as they compete with counter technologies (Killmeyer, 2006). The organization in question keeps on investing in new technology and innovations to be incorporated into the information security architecture. Therefore, changes in technology create gaps and loopholes that pave way for risks, threats and attacks thus adversely affecting
Fostering “trust” in the organization
The effectiveness of the information security architecture is dependent on the trusts and other values held by the people tasked with the maintenance and operation of the systems and the networks. The information security architecture and framework are run by people and professionals through access restrictions using passwords or biometric identification (Killmeyer, 2006). Different people have different access levels in the system based on their levels or positions in the organization and trust levels. In the case, that the trust levels are in questions the organization system and network can be compromised by infiltrating third parties in the system. This fact makes third parties have access to the have critical organizational data and they can end up using it at the expense of the organization. The organizations have challenges to maintain a trust culture that ensures that it operates in a safe and secure environment.
Conclusion
Organizations experience pitfalls that hinder their efforts towards developing effective and efficient information security architecture. Organizations need to ensure that critical data and information are safeguarded as such data determine the operation and running of the organization and can thus be used negatively in the case they land on the wrong hands. In this case, the protection and securing of information are done by creating an effective information security architecture but different pitfalls and challenges pose as barriers.
References
Killmeyer, J. (2006). Information security architecture: an integrated approach to security in the organization. Auerbach Publications.
