How To Secure MIS

MALIK TOUQEER
BBA(HONS) THE ISLAMIA
UNIVERSITY BAHAWALPUR
PAKISTAN

SECURING MANAGEMENT
INFORMATION
SYSTEM

Introduction to MIS
An MIS provides managers with information and support for effective decision
making, and provides feedback on daily operations.
MIS is a system, which makes available the Right Information to the Right
Person at the Right place at the Right Time in the Right Form and at
Right Cost.

 The quality or state of being secure to be free from danger
 Security is achieved using several strategies simultaneously or used in
combination with one another
 Security is recognized as essential to protect vital processes and the
systems that provide those processes
 Security is not something you buy, it is something you do
What is security?

Vulnerability, Threat and Attack
 A vulnerability:- is a weakness in security system
Can be in design, implementation, etc.
Can be hardware, or software
 A threat:- is a set of circumstances that has the potential to cause loss or
harm
Or it’s a potential violation of security
Threat can be:
Accidental (natural disasters, human error, …)
Malicious (attackers, insider fraud, …)
 An attack:- is the actual violation of security

Why Systems are Vulnerable?
 Hardware problems-
• Breakdowns, configuration errors, damage from
improper use or crime
 Software problems-
• Programming errors, installation errors, unauthorized
changes)
 Disasters-
• Power failures, flood, fires, etc.
 Use of networks and computers outside of firm’s control
-
• E.g. with domestic or offshore outsourcing vendors

SO HOW DO WE
OVERCOME THESE
PROBLEMS???

BUSINESS VALUE OF SECURITY AND
CONTROL
• Inadequate security and control may create serious legal liability.
• Businesses must protect not only their own information assets but also
those of customers, employees, and business partners. Failure to do so
can lead to costly litigation for data exposure or theft.
• A sound security and control framework that protects business information
assets can thus produce a high return on investment.

ESTABLISHING A MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
FOR SECURITY AND CONTROL
 General controls:
Establish framework for controlling design, security, and use of computer
programs
• Software controls
• Hardware controls
• Computer operations controls
• Data security controls
• Implementation controls

ESTABLISHING A MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR
SECURITY AND CONTROL
Application controls:
• Input
• Processing
• Output
Unique to each computerized
application

CREATING A CONTROL ENVIRONMENT
 Controls:-
• Methods, policies, and procedures
• Ensures protection of organization’s assets
• Ensures accuracy and reliability of records, and
operational adherence to management standards

Worldwide Damage from Digital Attacks

 Disaster recovery plan:
Runs business in event of computer outage
 Load balancing:
Distributes large number of requests for access among
multiple servers

• Mirroring:
Duplicating all processes and transactions of server on backup server to
prevent any interruption
• Clustering:
Linking two computers together so that a second computer can act as a
backup to the primary computer or speed up processing

Internet Security Challenges
 Firewalls:-
• Hardware and software controlling flow of incoming and outgoing network
traffic
• Prevent unauthorized users from accessing private networks
• Two types: proxies and stateful inspection
 Intrusion Detection System:-
• Monitors vulnerable points in network to detect and deter unauthorized
intruders

Figure 10-7
A Corporate Firewall

 Because they can
 A large fraction of hacker attacks have been pranks
 Financial Gain
 Espionage
 Venting anger at a company or organization
 Terrorism
Why do Hackers Attack?

Access Control - Physical
USER RESPONSIBILITIES
• Follow Security Procedures
• Wear Identity Cards
• Ask unauthorized visitor his credentials
• Attend visitors in Reception and Conference Room only
• Bring visitors in operations area without prior permission
• Bring hazardous and combustible material in secure area
• Practice “Piggybacking”
• Bring and use pen drives, zip drives, ipods, other storage devices
unless and otherwise authorized to do so

Password Guidelines
 Always use at least 8 character password with combination of
alphabets, numbers and special characters (*, %, @, #, $, ^)
 Use passwords that can be easily remembered by you
 Change password regularly as per policy
 Use password that is significantly different from earlier passwords
Use passwords which reveals your personal information or words found
in dictionary
Write down or Store passwords
Share passwords over phone or Email
Use passwords which do not match above complexity criteria

 Dictionary Attack
 Hacker tries all words in dictionary to crack password
 70% of the people use dictionary words as passwords
 Brute Force Attack
 Try all permutations of the letters & symbols in the alphabet
 Hybrid Attack
 Words from dictionary and their variations used in attack
 Shoulder Surfing
 Hackers slyly watch over peoples shoulders to steal passwords
 Dumpster Diving
 People dump their trash papers in garbage which may contain information to
crack passwords
Password Attacks - Types

Internet Usage
Use internet services for business purposes only
 Do not access internet through dial-up connectivity
 Do not use internet for accessing auction sites
 Do not use internet for hacking other computer systems
 Do not use internet to download / upload commercial software /
copyrighted material
 Technology Department is continuously monitoring Internet
Usage. Any illegal use of internet and other assets shall call for
Disciplinary Action.

Antivirus Software
 Antivirus software: -
Software that checks computer systems and drives for
the presence of computer viruses and can eliminate the
virus from the infected area
• Wi-Fi Protected Access specification

This NEC PC has a biometric fingerprint reader
for fast yet secure access to files and networks.
New models of PCs are starting to use
biometric identification to authenticate users

MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES
 Implementing an effective security policy
 Applying quality assurance standards in large systems projects
 What are the most important software quality assurance techniques?
 Why are auditing information systems and safeguarding data quality so
important?

Solution Guidelines
• Security and control must become a more visible and explicit
priority and area of information systems investment.
• Support and commitment from top management is required to
show that security is indeed a corporate priority and vital to all
aspects of the business.
• Security and control should be the responsibility of everyone in
the organization.

. . . LET US BUILD A HUMAN WALL ALONG WITH FIREWALL
Human Wall Is Always Better Than A
Firewall

How To Secure MIS

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Similar to How To Secure MIS (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

How To Secure MIS