Risk analysis refers to the process of identifying, evaluating and analyzing the potential dangers or risks to individuals, businesses and government institutions or agencies, which are caused by either humans or natural adverse events. The practice offers organizations a constant strategy to assess and evaluate in a meaningful way, their working operating systems and be able to eradicate any potential risks or threats that could pose harm to the normal business operations. People cannot always be able to identify possible outcomes in their organizations and assess them rationally and for that reason, the concept of risk analysis takes a more serious approach here, by projecting the most appropriate measures that can be used to addressing the outcome (Vose, 2008). The concept of risk analysis applies differently in various segments of the modern world, depending on the nature of the environment where it is used. However, the practice has the same purpose in all sectors of application; evaluation and analysis of potential dangers that are likely to be realized in those settings and presenting the right strategies to combat the issues in a more timely manner. IT security technologies can be used to ensure for effective information security and infrastructure protection in the modern business world.
The rate of risks in the contemporary business world can not be estimated, owing to the insurmountable levels of threats presented by each era of the computer technology development. This poses great risks to the security of computer information and infrastructure in diverse areas of application. This has had serious implications to the entire business arena, where individuals and organizations continue to lose important information and infrastructure everyday. At the same time, some people have never been full victims of these avoidable threats. Early assessment of the many risks associated with computers has been useful in dealing with the potential threats that may arise in the sector, and this has helped in minimizing the potential harm which could be presented by these threats if they are allowed to pass by unnoticed. Some of the common risks related to information and infrastructure protection would include the damage or loss of key components such as hardware, software, and connected devices, which could result to unintended loss of data and exposure of vital and confidential business information among other nightmares.
The main objective and goal of carrying out a risk analysis on security and infrastructure is to assess the potential risks and be able to come out with the most appropriate recommendation plan that can address the issues better. Other objectives here would include detection, response, and prevention of potential risks in the sector. The main goal of a risk analysis in an IT organization is to help identify any possible threat or vulnerability that could interfere with the availability, authenticity, integrity, and confidentiality of information. Another goal of a risk analysis in this setting is to identify available assets of the business and their total value. One outstanding benefit of risk analysis is that, threats and known vulnerabilities are easily identified and documented for the organizational infrastructure, assets, and production. More importantly, a risk analysis is likely to help IT organizations or departments understand the investment returns they expect if they allocated funds for investment in the security of infrastructure.
The primary target audiences for this plan are the people who rely most on computers for the safety of their information among other functions related to data analysis. As we all know, computer security cannot be fully guaranteed in our modern world where developments in the sector are noted to come along with new risks and threats (Taylor, Fritsch & Liederbach, 2010). Abuse of information and data security is indeed one of the most common complaints of the day, owing to increased cases of computercrime and cyberterrorism. In that case, it would be wise for IT organizations to equip their staff with the most effective lessons that will enable them combat the many potential risks eyeing their businesses. An effective risk assessment plan in an IT organization involves a number of steps that include; Business assessment and evaluation; Identification of possible threats and risks; Analysis of the risks and the cost; Risk response plan; and Cost effective security measures. These steps will not only help people come up with the most appropriate risk measures to eradicate potential problems in their businesses, but they will also guarantee for an economic balance between the value of their assets and the cost of the countermeasures that could be used to protect their infrastructure.
There are various security technologies that have been confirmed to be useful for the protection of information and infrastructure in an IT organization. One of the most effective way is the application of data backups to avoid loss of crucial information, incase something unexpected happens to the systems. Another considerable measure is the use of secured wireless networks; a practice that helps in reducing unintended access to the network, thus putting cyber criminals and intruders at bay. Some of the features which could apply here would include firewalls and other significant protocols such as Wi-Fi protected access (WPA) and wired equivalent privacy (WEP). Other important security measures in the computer industry would include the use of protected encryption to enhance information confidentiality and digital signatures to enhance integrity and authenticity (Joshi & Ghafoor, 2001). If applied efficiently, these measures can guarantee a perfect security information and infrastructure in any modern organization which utilizes computer systems as its key operational unit. However, the best way to mitigate a security threat is by designing cost effective strategies that suits the companies overall value and security culture. More importantly, people should always identify the most presenting threats and address them accordingly, through well-designed strategies.
References
Joshi, J. & Ghafoor, A. (2001). Digital government security infrastructure design challenges. Computer, 34 (2), 66-72.
Taylor, R., Fritsch, E., & Liederbach, J. (2010). Digital Crime, Digital Terrorism (2nd Edition). Ohio: Prentice Hall.
Vose, D. (2008). Risk analysis: a quantitative guide. New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons Inc.