IT Threats to Information Security - Essay Example

IT threats could also lead to serious violations of the laid down processes which could lead to the cancellation of licenses. A good example is where client confidentiality is breached due to a hack where customer information is accessed. In some industries, e.g., banking this could lead to license cancellation if the institution does not prove to have taken measures to prevent such happenings.             Most businesses have an e-business in place to ensure that they can reach their clients electronically.

Some of the threats that are associated with conducting an e-business include: Website defacement An e-business operates mostly on an online based application. This is provided on the company website. Clients log in to the company website and make purchases and wait for shipment. This poses a third party risk who control access data. This can lead to website defacement when attackers gain control of the website. The use of the website to make sales could also lead to denial of service attacks leading to loss of revenue for a given period.

Counterfeit goods - Information technology has made it easy for the production of counterfeit goods. It is now easier to store, share and reproduce products due to the simplicity enabled by information technology. Products that are highly affected by this risk include software, games, films, music, and games. Their digital nature makes them vulnerable to this threat. Peer-to-peer sharing of these digital products also leads to a huge loss of revenue to businesses that produce and sell these products.

The availability of counterfeit goods at lower prices also leads to reputational risk which in turn leads to loss of revenue. Clients could end up preferring the counterfeit more than the original product leading to a total crippling of the business. Networks Organizational impact - Information technology operates through networks that can easily be attacked. These networks relay information from one location to the next. An attack on the network could lead to a total loss of services which causes loss of business and income.

Customer records could also be accessed, and this leads to a poor image of the company.             Companies need to ensure that they have put enough information security measures to try and avoid these threats. To do this, there are various strategies that can be applied. One of them is the use of technologies such as firewalls. The password policy of the business needs to be strong enough to ensure that it is not easy to access company information.

By doing so, businesses will be maintaining data confidentiality that is required. Data integrity and its access will have been maintained by ensuring that the information is only accessed by those authorized to access it. Incurring an extra cost to achieve this should be something that businesses are prepared for.