Information Security
CS205
Week 2 (Lecture
#01)
Need for security and
understanding the threats
– Introduction
– Understanding the Threats
– Different Categories of Threats
We need Security Because
• A Security deals with all the risks.
• An Information Security deals with all the
risks to an information.
Business Needs First
Information security
Information security performs four
important functions for an organization:
– Protects the functionality of organization
– Enables the safe operation of applications
– Protects the data that organization collects and
uses
– Safeguarding the technology assets in
organization
Protects the functionality of organization
• Management is responsible to protect the
functionalities in the organization.
• It involves implementing strategies and
measures to prevent any disruptions or
failures that could potentially impact the
organization's functionality and
productivity.
Enables the safe operation of applications
• Organizations must create integrated,
efficient, and capable applications
• Organization need environments that
safeguard applications
• Management not consider responsible to
the IT department, its responsibility to
make choices and enforce decisions
Protects the Organizational data
• One of the most valuable assets is data.
• Without data, an organization loses its
record of transactions and/or its ability to
deliver value to its customers.
• An effective information security program is
essential to the protect the integrity and
value of the organization’s data.
Safeguards the technology assets
• Organizations must have secure
infrastructure services based on the size
and scope of the enterprise.
• Additional security services may have to
be provided.
• More robust solutions may be needed to
replace security programs the organization
has outgrown.
Threats
• A threat is an object, person, or other entity
that represents a constant danger to an
asset.
Types of Threats
1. Compromises to intellectual
property
• Organizations create valuable ideas and creations
known as intellectual property (IP) as part of their
business.
• illegally accessing or copying things of intellectual
property like software without permission is a
major security threat.
• Watchdog organizations like the Software &
Information Industry Association (SIIA) and
Business Software Alliance (BSA) investigate
software abuse, while technical measures like
digital watermarks are used to enforce copyright
laws and safeguard IP.
2. Software attacks
• Software attacks refer to malicious
activities or exploits that target
vulnerabilities in software systems to
compromise their security, disrupt their
functionality, or gain unauthorized access
to sensitive information.
• These attacks can take various forms and
may exploit weaknesses in software code,
configurations, or design flaws.
3. Deviations in Quality of Service
• Quality of product or services not delivered as
needed or expected.
• Three sets of service issues that affect the
availability of information and systems are
– Internet service issue
– Communications service issue
– Power irregularities issue
3. Deviations in Quality of
Service (Cont’d)
• Internet Service Issues:
Organizations heavily reliant on the internet may face
disruptions if their internet service providers (ISPs) fail.
This can affect remote workers' ability to access host
systems, requiring manual procedures to continue
operations
• Communications and Other Services Provider
Issues:
The threat of losing services like telephone, utility
services could make it difficult to operate.
• Power Irregularities:
Power fluctuations such as excesses, shortages, or losses
pose problems for organizations.
4. Espionage/Trespass
Espionage:
• Espionage refers to gathering of
confidential information without any
authorization.
Trespass:
• Trespass happens when someone enters
onto someone else's land or property
without their permission.
5. Forces of nature
• Forces of nature are things like storms,
earthquakes, floods, Dust , Fire and
Landslide that happen naturally.
• They can cause a lot of damage and are
usually out of our control.
Thank you!
