Skill or Knowledge from the Five-Component Framework of Information Systems

One of the skills that I learned from the management information system course is security awareness. Undertaking this enabled me to understand that all companies, nonprofit organizations, and governmental parastatals are always vulnerable to security threats. Cyber-attacks have been established to have long-lasting effects on an organization. This has prompted leaders in organizations to be at the forefront of ensuring that protective measures are up to the industry’s standards. In this regard, security aptitude serves two major purposes: preventing security threats from harming the organization’s operations and ensuring that the firm abides by the rules and regulations developed in that sector.

The skill of security awareness was also vital in fostering my understanding of security threats. Seven broad categories of security threats face organizations operating in various sectors of the economy. Malware is one example of a security threat that entails transmitting malicious software. These malicious software includes viruses, ransomware, spyware, and worms. I also learned that malware is activated upon a user clicking on a malicious link that foresees the installation of dangerous software. Once installed, malware can hinder access to key network components, illegally retrieving information from the hard drive and making the system inefficient.

The other security threat I learned from this course is the denial of service attack (DoS). DoS is a form of cyber-attack that entails requests flooding a computer or network, thus making it impossible for the network to respond. Hackers often flood requests on a network by disrupting the “handshake” process, thus allowing a DoS to occur. Additionally, organizational networks may also face the security threat of man-in-the-middle attacks. This threat involves hackers inserting themselves between two-party communication channels. Through traffic interruption, these hackers can easily steal information by eavesdropping on communication between the concerned parties.

The last kind of threats that I learned in the MIS course is SQL injection and password attacks. A structured Query Language (SQL) injection is a form of cyber-attack that emanates from inserting malicious code into a server that utilizes SQL. After the server has been infected, it releases confidential information about the organization for easy access by third-party individuals/hackers. On the other hand, password attacks involve tricking users into breaking standard security practices. Some password attacks are accessing a password database or just outright guessing.

The course also enlightened me on various measures that can be adopted to prevent these cyber-attack threats from occurring. One of the measures organizations should consider adopting is keeping the organization’s software and systems fully current. When the systems are not current, they are fond of leaving weaknesses that cybercriminals often exploit to gain illegal access. Installation of a firewall is also another preventive mechanism that I learned. A firewall prevents any attacks made on an organization’s system from doing any form of damage. Regulating access to the organization’s system is another important security measure because it dictates the levels of permission employees enjoy in an organizational setting. Hackers can easily walk into an employee’s office in an organization and plug in a USB key with infected files. In this regard, an organization needs to regulate access to the organization’s computers through the installation of a perimeter security system.

I can apply the knowledge I gained while undertaking this course to foster success in my career. For instance, understanding the various types of cyber-attacks would enable me to be cautious while performing my responsibilities by avoiding the urge to click on malicious links. This is because clicking on such links would enable hackers to execute phishing, which is a cyberattack threat facing organizations in the modern world. Additionally, I will ensure that if I am not using my computer, I turn it off to prevent third-party individuals from infecting it with a virus before stealing the organization’s confidential information. Lastly, I would use the knowledge to develop complex passwords comprised of letters, numbers, and symbols, making it impossible for a hacker to infiltrate my profile by outright guessing the password.

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Question

Identify a skill or knowledge that you learned in this course, and explain how you can apply it to increase success in your career in a real-world scenario.