Surviving in Dubai as a Business Requires SeriousnessTowards Information Security

In today’s fast advancing world where there is a high rate of advancement in the field of technology and simultaneously giving rise to data theft and information insecurity, it is mandatory for organizations to keep their information secure from data theft and privacy concerns of their business. This is mainly because the stakeholders of the business such as vendors, shareholders, employees, customers, etc. require the information security of the business. With Dubai in specific and world in general, the need of cyber security is at its peak.

The absence of proper cyber security, Infrastructure in the organization can make it prone to multiple types of hazards such as losses being channelled in the bucket of fraud cases. For e.g. the average white collar frauds in 2012 were $140,000. Evidences prove that half of the victims of such frauds never succeed in the Bourn losses. Hence, with the inclusion of strengthened IS in an organization, it can avail the following benefits.

• Risk reduction to a satisfactory level that the stakeholders are convinced to keep their links with the business.
• The objectives of Enterprise, Organization and the Internet Security platform are all merged strategically.
• Since the business is tagged as Secure, in Dubai it attains Business value and invites higher investments in comparison to what an unsecured business does.
• This way, the business captures an upper hand in the market share of Dubai and hence also succeed in Market capitalization.

Information Security (IS), if needs to be implemented as per the requirements, then there is need of focus to be paid upon intelligent decision making. Only then the outcomes mentioned above and more will start to pop out in favour of the business. Therefore the business should see its management’s performance too.

The online security process should seek to be effective in attaining the following for the business:

1. Concealment: The information shouldn’t be available to every Tom, Dick and Harry. Rather, it should be concealed and only accessible by the authorized personnel of the business which ensures the complete confidentiality and concealment of the business. This way the risk of data leakage will be minimized to a significant extent.
2.  Reliability: The information should be kept safe from any kind of vague amendments which may make it fraudulent or despoiled or altered. The IS department must take measures to protect the information from unintentional or voluntarily made changes. This will ensure the reliability of the business and prove to be very helpful in 360 degree reliability of the information as the information available will be modification free to a vast extent.
3. Accessibility: Information must be kept available to authorized personnel so they can access I wherever and whenever they need it only through a secure platform.

Dubai is a multicultural city, with people from multiple ethnicities and it is never easy to count upon anyone because one doesn’t simply carries the ability to judge which person from which ethnic background would be intelligent enough to do information theft and there is a significant disparity observed in this ability from one ethnicity to the other. Hence, Information Security should be dealt seriously in Dubai without which it won’t be possible to survive in such a competitive market.

The Controls of Information Security

Information security Dubai means the proper protection and safeguard of information from getting into the wrong hands. These days’ companies must be very prudent regarding their private data and keep it protected. Almost all companies consider security as their top most priority and do all they can to protect their data.

In this fast track world, companies have advanced from being small entrepreneurial businesses to large business hubs. Competition exists amongst all levels, even amongst the smallest companies. This competition can also be unhealthy and companies may want to reach the maximum heights to achieve more profit than others. For this, they might also need to steal the company’s private data. Through this, they can unveil the company’s future plans and use it for their own benefit. The leakage of data is now possible through various software products and computer hackers. As companies now prefer to transfer all their vital data on their systems rather than on files and physical documents, a pathway for computer hackers has been created to leak this data. To avoid this situation, information security is now a necessity for every firm, no matter how small it may be.  Information security Dubai refers to the protection of vital data present in computer systems of the company. It must be ensured that this data does not get to the wrong hands and information security assists’ company on this matter.

Information security controls:

The company must select proper controls to minimize the risk of leakage of data. These controls may vary in nature but their fundamental aim is to protect the data from getting stolen. The controls are listed as follows:

 

1.    Administrative:

This consists of written policies, procedures, standards and guidelines. They form a model for the proper management of the business. These procedures are used in guiding the employees on how to manage and run the business properly and with ease.

 

2.    Logical:

Logical controls refer to the usage of software and data to monitor the access to information in computers. Examples of this control are passwords, firewall and access control lists.

 

3.    Physical:

These controls are used for the proper monitoring and controlling of the environment of the work place. This control also helps in monitoring access to the computer systems of the workplace. Examples of this control include locks, doors, smoke and fire alarms, cameras, fencing, security guards, cable locks etc.

Why Managers are an Important Actor of Information Security Schema

Why managers must be involved in planning a thorough information security plan for the company, why? This is one of the most common questions we have been answering since long, but still this exists in many minds. Why managers are given so much importance, the reason is that managers are the one who is managing everything in a working culture OR simply he is responsible for maintaining Confidentiality, availability, and integrity of information assets.

Have you ever thought or experience workflow of an organization when there is no manager, there is hardly one person who will take the responsibility of protecting the digital assets. There is only one person who is then held responsible for data leakage, “the manager”. And a manager who fails to accept the responsibility of data leakage will out his/her organization’s survival at risk.

Why managers must know about information security?

There are many organizations that are still working without any kind of security policies and they are considered as “rudderless” when it comes to providing information security. The technical IT people are responsible for creating a master plan for information security and they simply fight with any kind of mitigation attack (also they have limited control or authority of the overall system). At this point, manager’s role starts as he/she is responsible for keeping check on any data leakage by ensuring every team member follow set guidelines. A manager will act as a backbone and help the company to achieve its goal of information security.

Companies which are operating in GULF especially in Qatar are still lacking such practices that are why there is a big loophole exists for hackers.

Many information security companies in Qatar must understand that managers have direct authority to supervise information policies for an organization. And to do this job a manager do not even need to be a computer nerd, basic training and responsible role can help him/her achieve their goals. There is a need of realizing that organizations must undergo with some kind of the systematic approach to assuring information security in their organization.

Manager’s responsibility:

The following items are included in the manager's responsibility for computer security:

1. Vital assets of an organization must be identified, described and itemized.

It is really important to identify all information assets in order to provide an appropriate level of security for each set of information. In addition to that an organization without explicit knowledge of what information assets it owns cannot provide information security.

2. Each of the information assets must be classified as to its level of criticality.

What “critical” means must be described in terms of an information asset, what are they and why they must be protected? For example, financial accounts are more critical than a backup copy of a public website. Policies and procedures must be developed on how information is to be processed in the organization.

Why Information Security is a Management Issue

Mike Gillespie a principal information security consultant, he says that many people even the experts or business owners think that information security is an IT problem, but this is actually a management issue.

He adds that if anyone needed any evidences he/she may look deep inside the current wave of data loss incidents, (how can we forget the recent Apple cloud hack), where companies as well as users are paying the fee of such loss.

He says, only few were caused by an IT practice, instead many are because of business or human errors. However, there are a list of moves Governments are taking to ensure information security in KSA, Europe, and other parts, but still there are vulnerabilities that exist in the system.

Why do we need revolutionary moves in policies?

There are a number of information security moves that have been addressed and clarify information security professionals gathered at one forum and see here what they added in the further discussion.

Lack of integration:

Where are the physical security guys in the information security plan? Where are the people who are expert in dealing with personnel-related risks? Who is the co-ordinated response?

These information security professional added that it is true that IT security does not have its part to play, it does, but where are these guys who are also important in securing the system as guardians, and they must be part of the team too.

And this negligence must be tackled by the senior management as these guys are equally important in securing the information of any IT infrastructure.

These guys also added that there is no such standard to help us out at the individual company level and there is no single guideline exists in the whole information security world.

However, they added that information security standard ISO 27001 is still in the process of development and improvement, but still it builds on 11 key blocks clearly stating that information security is a combination of set of policies and procedures involving HR, business continuity, compliance, and physical security and so on. This clearly states that information security is just not an IT thing in fact it is a complete organization process which must be handled by the management itself.

Why we need accountability?

One thing we must understand that and that is ISO 27001 standard is on the rise and organization who really want to get it right must have to create an overarching security function, but only few business do this.

In most cases, large companies from KSA set up a separate department with highly trained Information security, while companies who cannot afford big team, invest in hiring one to two individuals with Information security knowledge.  But experts say, that this approach must be added into the overall organizational structure to protect the overall system and business integrity. No company can get the desired success unless they rotate its wheel continuously and adopt the new moves as quickly as possible.

Why a Company Must Deploy Superior Security Practices?

In today’s political, social and economic world where everything is connected to some kind of technology, customers are demanding the security of their information as with technology advancement the concern about privacy and identity theft rises. Business stakeholders are requiring security from one and another, especially when they are utilizing one mutual network and share same information. In fact, national and international regulators are asking enterprises to prove that they obey privacy laws and are into implementing high-end security measures.

In addition to that in July 2012, the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners released their 7th report on Occupational Fraud and Abuse. The report was based on more than 1,300 cases of occupational frauds in nearly 100 countries, provided by certified fraud investigators. The findings of the report were eye-popping. Here we are sharing some of the facts from the horrifying report.

• The examined organization loses 5% of its revenue to fraud every year.
• The median loss caused by frauds was estimated at $140,000.
• More than one-fifth of the observed companies was facing loss of at least $1 million.
• Billing schemes and corruption pose the greatest risks to organizations.
• More than 50% of victim organizations do not recover any loss caused by frauds.

Why do we need proper Information security? To survive in such competent business world, it is really important to protect confidential data and business processed information. There is a need of superior information security practices that must be designed to capture system vulnerabilities on time and make a system proactive against security threats and risks.

Superior security information requires a combination of smart decisions and intelligent security strategies. Big budgets to implement new technologies are not enough to stop or control the growing rate of frauds and thefts. To implement security practices, it is really important to know when and how to implement complex security measures. It is really important to know that almost every company use a different setup and they have different requirements which can make designing security a completely difficult task and most of the time professionals are needed for this.

Benefits:

Here are five important outcomes that can be expected after implementing effective security governance.

• Reduce risks to an acceptable level.
• Strategic alignment of security practices with company’s ongoing strategies and objectives.
• Boost company’s market share by enhancing its reputation for safeguarding information.
• Business value increased through the optimization of security investments with the company’s goals.
• Efficient utilization of security investments to fit in company’s budget constraint.

It is really important for an enterprise to align their internal structure with security practices; it will help in eradicating internal information security risks. According to the survey report many companies in the Dubai started outsourcing security service providers to cut down costs without compromising the quality of service. Deployment of security strategies takes time and effort and unlike other fields it needs continuous surveillance.

What Is Information Security UK?

Information Security is set of practices to manage administrative, technical and physical controls in order to protect the confidentiality, Integrity and Availability of information. Information Security UK is holding a powerful profile and consists on different concepts which are essential to know in order to understand information security in UK.

• Administrative Control
• Technical Control
• Physical Control
• Confidentiality
• Integrity
• Availability

Administrative Control:

Administrative Control is to manage human involvement in InfoSec. It consists on management directives, guidelines, policies, procedures or standards. Some of the good administrative controls are training and awareness program on information security UK policies and business continuity OR Disaster recovery plans.

Technical Control:

Technical controls cover all technical factors of information security. They are technology dependent such as file permissions, firewall, Anti-virus software, access control lists.

Physical Control:

It is designed to control Physical factors involved in information security. These are controls that can be touched or seen and people can easily relate with them. They are designed to control physical access to confidential information such as Fences, Locks and alarm systems.

Why information security?
 

Why we need information security especially for UK market, sometimes it is not an easy job to answer such questions. 

Most of us know that information security is for protecting CIA of information and every company needs some kind of security parameters to protect their confidential business information. To understand more why your company needs information security here are few questions for you to answer.

1. Do you have confidential information to protect?
2. Do you have information that must be available, when needed?
3. Do you have information that must remain accurate?

Every company needs information technology to minimize unauthorized disclosure of confidential information and mitigation. Every company needs implementation of security practices to reduce a risk to a level acceptable to the business. Information security is needed to keep business continuity and for company survival in competitive business world.

Who will take the pledge?

Well, honestly and practically everyone is responsible for information security. A hierarchy is implemented in information security too; from senior management to the junior employee every employee is responsible for securing information.  But it will “start” from top management and follow the drop down pattern. Senior management must take a serious commitment towards information security. After that they must communicate their strategies and commitment with their team.  Management must understand the importance of employee training and awareness towards information security and how to maintain.

Senior management must implement set of policies and take required measure to ensure information security. They take responsibility of implementing new technology to minimize data breaches. Risk analysis and budget approval is a responsibility assigned to top management only. Without a commitment of top management, information security is impossible. To ensure information security, serious involvement of top management is crucial.

How Health Industry Can Benefit From Information Security Risk Management?

Health care industry is booming with new technological solutions leaving it vulnerable to all security threats faced by Information security. Risk management, risk assessment and risk mitigation is equally crucial for the health industry. Keeping health care system up with privacy and compliance programs is equally important.

• Modern health industry is comprised of following important elements:
• Financial sector
• Medical unit
• Billing, employee and customer record unit (technology dependent)
• Inventory system (technology dependent)

The technological dependent units are considered backbone of health care industry. With their addition need of information, security management has increased. Patient data, financial and employee record is in sheer need of securing from hackers and threat generators. The system needs information security paradigm to protect the confidentiality of health care unit to impose a greater level of stakeholder trust.

In health care industry CIA (confidentiality, integrity and authentication) is also implemented to ensure the system is secured.

Electronic medical records:

Electronic medical records are becoming vital part of health care industry resulting increase its vulnerability to threats. Recent attack on Griffin Hospital USA has made experts anxious about patient’s records security. Luckily there was no financial record of social security data was saved. But this one attack made every security expert cautious about information security of the health industry. A study made in 2008 shows that defibrillators, glucose infusion pumps and heart monitoring system can be hacked wirelessly. Mobile phone devices can also be used to control these devices and to manipulate patient data.
To prevent such manipulation of patient’s record there is a sheer need of modern information security measures. There are many software programs designed especially for health care industry. Medical security programs or MSPs are designed to protect patient’s data as well as to get back the hacked device. There is always a need of installing a theft control and protection program to save valuable data. 

List of MSPs:

Here is a list of tools and software programs offer best management and information security protection for health care industry:

1. End-point security system:
To ensure patient’s data security from malware, spyware and viruses, there is a need of comprehensive end-point security system. Semantic is an example of end-point security suite which comes with malware, spyware and virus identification and protection tools. This suit is designed specifically for health care industry that is why considered a comprehensive solution.

2. Encryption software:
Encryption software is used to layer the system after end point security system in order to protect patient data by encrypting it. VOR-metric Transparent Encryption is an example of encryption software.

3. Information security and backup solution:
Information security and backup solution are crucial for health care system because it is essential to get back the information lost during a set-back. Barracuda Backup is widely used to take back-up of patient’s data.

4. Mobility management tools:
It is an important part of MSP because mobile devices have penetrated in health care system too and to manage them it is very essential to install a mobility management tool. VM-Ware’s Air-Watch Enterprise Mobility Management is a comprehensive mobility management suit used in healthcare information security.

Two Accomplices Of Threats In IT Field

On what basis ISACA bears a definition

ISACA is such a set-up that does not work for the purpose of making any money. In addition to it, it boasts to have IT professionals as its members in its inventory hailing from the entire globe.This is the situation that places it in a position to define threats to Information Security, acceptable to most people in working in the IT industry. Every business does not a plethora of processes, rather they suffice with a few instances that keep inviting chunks of revenues, and shoring up their struggle to keep the notion of reputation entrenched.

Impeccability in IT Security Is Out Of Question

Any claim of bringing down the IT risk to zero point is considered feasible by any facet of the IT industry. However, it is true that some balance can be reached. In other words, the arrangements’ quality rises along with input of pouring monetary notions into it. Therefore, a business can spare only this much amount that would not challenge fiscal resilience of a business.

Besides, the rise in magnitude of threat does not pay a visit all alone, it is accompanies by other accomplices, that is to say, the raise in repercussion as a result of one or more than on hiccup and secondly, the ever amorphous dimensions of relevant part of the market. Nevertheless, these two collaborators should not make a person in the saddle lose one’s heart because every cloud has got a silver lining and Information Security is no exception here.