Bibliofind has experienced security breaches on its information systems. The firm lacked adequate security that could prevent unauthorized intrusion into its systems. The firm needed to encrypt its systems to prevent hackers getting access to privileged information. This paper discusses how encryption would have strengthened Bibliofind’s information security.
Encryption ensures information that is shared within a system is coded to prevent access by an unauthorized party. The mode in which the message is coded allows only the sender and the receiver to decipher it. The text sent in the message cannot make any meaning to a person it is not intended for.
Bibliofind needed to encrypt all the messages that were shared through its web servers to safeguard them. Passwords and other information about the company needed to be protected from any threat of intrusion. The company should have secured its databases, web servers and other data crucial for its existence.
The company should have used digital signatures when doing business transactions with its clients. This would have prevented unauthorized third party users from becoming aware of the contents of messages exchanged. This approach would have made the company not to fall victim to fraudsters’ schemes.
Bibliofind would have gained the trust of its users by making its business transactions and e-commerce processes foolproof. This would have made it difficult for unauthorized parties to decipher the nature of business transactions it had with its clients. The use of digital signatures and encrypted messages would have made the company’s web transactions more confidential.
Bibliofind needed to analyze the strength of its web servers. Weaknesses in these servers should have been tested to determine which areas needed to be secured the most. Directory listings containing sensitive file names needed to be protected from intrusion by third parties.
Files containing passwords, identities and privileged information of users on internal servers needed to be encrypted to avoid intrusion. The company’s problems stemmed from exposure of its user accounts and passwords to unauthorized users who used them to access more sensitive information it held.
The web servers should have been programmed to control access to web users by authenticating their user certificates. The intruders easily became aware of all operations that the firm carried out internally and externally. Usernames, passwords and personal information of users should have been kept in a different highly secured database.
The systems should have been equipped to be able to verify sources and identities of users seeking access. The systems needed keys for all users that had access to the server. The administrators of the servers should have sensitized users to use passwords which are difficult to decipher.
Hackers became aware of the private details of clients and other external users the firm had regular contact with. Bibliofind needed to have access controls to its databases to limit the threat of intrusion or online attacks. The company’s databases contained privileged information which was not supposed to be displayed to unauthorized users.
The encryption solutions used should have been applied to all other areas with potential vulnerability such as the web servers, passwords, emails and the database. The encryption programs chosen by the company should have been vetted to ensure their suitability for the firm’s operations.
In conclusion, Bibliofind experienced major losses because of failure to secure its information systems. The company should have encrypted its systems to avoid being compromised by unauthorized users.