Security Requirements & Possible Risks Essay Example for Free

Security Requirements Possible Risks Essay Huffman Trucking, an established trucking company since 1936, has recently requested the implementation of a new Benefits Elections System to assist management in tracking and reporting the benefits of both union and non-union employees. A database system will be utilized to store critical data such as employee information, along with the benefit package of their choosing. Storing such information requires necessary security measures to be in place to ensure the total protection of the data within. The risks associated with storing critical information must also be thoroughly addressed so Huffman Trucking can develop effective action plans to prevent potential threats from harming the organization. Regardless of the storage method when handling critical information, security measures must be implemented to effectively protect the data, as well as the company assets from potential threats such as theft or litigation. Security Requirements When it comes to effectively protecting company data, any organization has the great responsibility to identify as well as implement security policies, values, strategies, processes, procedures, and best practices to fully ensure data protection, as well as ensure that organizational goals and objectives are continually being met (Reiner, 2008). The information that will be stored within the Huffman Trucking database will include: employee names, social security numbers, birthdates, etc. The loss of such data can ultimately not only harm the employee, but the organization as a whole. In an effort to reduce and/or eliminate such risks, security requirements for the Benefits Elections System should include: firewall security, encryption, and password protection and renewal. Firewall security is an absolute necessary security requirement to effectively protect the database from malicious attacks such as hackers. Firewall security refers to a network device that will block certain types of network traffic, forming a barricade between a trusted and an untrusted network (â€Å"Dell†, 2013). The purpose of this security measure is to prevent the spread of computer attacks by blocking access to information from unauthorized sources. Due to the amount of sensitive data that will be stored within the system, it is recommended that the firewalls should be configured to support the default-deny policy, in which the allowed network services are listed, and everything else is denied (â€Å"Dell†, 2013). The use of encryption will also enhance the security of the information that will be stored within the Benefits Elections System. Encryption is a simple security measure that will distort the information contained within an employee file so that it can be viewed only by the authorized users who have the proper encryption key to decipher it. Much like firewall security, it will block unauthorized users from accessing confidential information by making the data impossible to view. Password protection and renewal are crucial security measures that must be enforced by Huffman Trucking to ensure the protection of data stored within the Benefits Elections System. Authorized users should protect their passwords at all costs; unprotected passwords leave critical data vulnerable to access by unauthorized users. Recommendations to ensure a password is protected include: * Password length: A password should always be at least eight characters long. * Complexity: Make a password as complex as possible by using a variety of letters, numbers, symbols and punctuations. The more complex the password, the better protected it is. * Variation: Change a password at least every three months, if not more. * Variety: Use different passwords for different accounts. Never use the same password for everything. * Confidentiality: Never share or write down a password. Writing down or sharing a password leaves critical data vulnerable in ways that most people can never imagine. The ability of an organization to renew passwords frequently is a significant step towards enhanced data protection (Brown, 2010). To enhance the effectiveness of password renewal, system users should not have the ability to use previous passwords when renewing the current ones. Implementing password renewal on the Benefits Elections System will ensure security measures are continually enforced, especially in the event that if an unauthorized user were to gain access to the system, the password would only be good for a specific length of time before it will be changed. Possible Risks â€Å"Risk† is a term that most people, as well as organizations, are familiar with. Risk can be defined as the probability of any possible threat turning into a disaster, which is why significant measures are often taken to reduce and/or eliminate such possibilities. By utilizing a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats), Huffman Trucking can effectively determine the vulnerabilities associated with implementing a Benefits Elections System, and develop action plans to correct the vulnerabilities to prevent the risks from becoming reality. Several risks are often associated with the implementation of a new system, however, the main risks that must be considered by Huffman Trucking include: database corruption, human error, and hacking and other malicious attacks. Database corruption is likely the most common cause of data loss within an information system (Mulvey, 2006). Database corruption damages the database and impairs functionality. Memory errors, network errors, power glitches, PC crashing when the database is open are all examples of incidences that can lead to database corruption. Data corruption is unfortunately inevitable; however, there are several practices that can be done to avoid such a threat. These practices include, but are not limited to: * Ensuring the network is set up properly. * Running Scandisk and Defrag often to ensure hard disk functionality. * Refraining from using databases during thunderstorms to avoid power glitches. * Ensuring the database is implemented correctly, and is ready to be utilized by all system users. Human error is perhaps one of the biggest threats that can lead to data corruption. It is important to keep in mind that the greater the number of system users of the Benefits Elections System, the more chances there are for crucial information to be leaked or mishandled. Taking the proper precautions to safeguard the data (this should include a thorough training after system implementation) to ensure the information is appropriately handled at all times is vital to the well-being of both the employees, as well as the organization. Given the amount of sensitive information that will be stored within the Benefits Elections System, it is obvious that Huffman Trucking must be aware that cyber-criminals will try to gain access to such data should it be left unprotected. Breaking into information systems for malicious intent is something that has made security what it is today: thorough and inflexible. Hackers are smart nowadays; they can make use of a number of tools and techniques to grant them access to information, which can have damaging effects on the victim(s). The possibilities of what a cyber-criminal will do once he or she has access to sensitive information are endless; however, one thing is for sure: the victim(s) could virtually lose everything. Without the proper security measures that were previously mentioned in place, the Benefits Elections System will be vulnerable to hackers and other malicious attacks. Thoroughly examining the potential risks with the implementation of any information system will allow an organization to effectively develop action plans and enforce the necessary security measures required to reduce and/or eliminate such risks. A thorough and effective risk analysis will demonstrate how firewall security, encryption, and password protection can reduce the risks of database corruption and malicious attacks. Like any information system, the Benefits Elections System will prove to be vulnerable to potential threats if not protected at all costs. References Brown, T. (2010). Protecting Organizations’ Most Critical Data with Privileged Password Management. New York, NY: Auerbach Publications . Dell. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.secureworks.com/resources/articles/other_articles/firewall-security/ Mulvey, A. (2006). QA Database Corruption. Retrieved from

The Other Side Of The River, By Alex Kotlowitz

The Other Side Of The River, By Alex Kotlowitz The book, The Other Side of the River, by Alex Kotlowitz, investigates the relationship between two Michigan cities, as well as the death of Eric McGinnis. The two towns, St. Joseph and Benton Harbor, are called the twin cities, though they are anything but. For one, St. Joseph is predominantly white, while the majority of the population in Benton Harbor is African American. Throughout the novel Kotlowitz questions how people are affected by their environment. When interviewed about his book he said, your perspectiveall depends on which side of the river you live on. This statement is undoubtedly the backdrop for Kotlowitzs book. Erics death is just one of the many ways in which disagreement between the two cities took place. Another death that sparked a commotion between the two cities, and possibly more important, between the two races, was the death of Norris Maben. January 18, 1990, a year before Erics death was when Norris Maben was killed. Maben was shot by Marv Fiedler, a white cop. Fiedler thought Maben was the suspect he had been looking for and when it appeared that Maben was about to pull out a gun, Fiedler shot him. There was a logical explanation behind the shooting, but to the public this was just an unjust act of violence. To make matters worse, Maben was unarmed. The citizens of Benton Harbor saw this as a racial attack. Right before Fiedlers trial was when Erics dead body was found floating in the St. Joseph river. Immediately the residents of Benton Harbor thought he was murdered by a white citizen of St. Joseph. On the other hand, the citizens of St. Joseph thought it was possibly a suicide, or they didnt really care. One St. Joseph resident commented , That nigger came on the wrong side of the bridge. He Should have stayed on his side of the river. Erics untimely death stirred up stagnant feelings of the Maben shooting, as well as forming new a feud between the two cities. Residents of both St. Joseph and Benton Harbor grew up learning that the people on the other side of the river are corrupt. Chris Adams, the owner of a popular teen hangout, told Kotlowitz during an interview, You grow up around here learning that bad things happen in Benton Harbor. You grow up afraid to go across the river. This fear of venturing to the other side of the river was true for adults as well as teens. The author, Alex Kotlowitz, recounts how black teens asked cops for rides back to Benton Harbor because they were so afraid of being left alone in St. Joseph, but more importantly, they were afraid of the whites. Situations such as these bring into question whether this fear of the opposite race is a learned behavior as suggested by Chris Adams, or if prejudice is a behavior you are born with. This idea of behaviors being learned, or being born with the behaviors, is referred to Nature vs. Nurture. Nature refers to ones instinct and the concept that a persons behaviors can be traced back to their genetic makeup. On the contrary, nurture refers to the theory that people act a certain way because they learned so from their parents or peers. Growing knowledge of the human genome is helping scientists form theories in which both sides are partly right, but as of now the subject is still in debate amongst sociologists. In my opinion, I feel that a persons behaviors are learned by observing their parents or their peers. The characters from The Other Side of the River grew up learning that the other race is inferior and the other town across the river is corrupt. There are a few people, who are white, and live on the Benton Harbor side of the river. These people often interact with both races. It is people like this who learned growing up that neither race is superior. Furthermore, there are also a few characters, such as Ruth McGinnis, who are sociable and cordial with whites, and many other inhabitants of St. Joseph. As I began to read this book I expected a story about the death of Eric McGinnis, but as I read more and more I realized that this book was about much more. It told the underlying story of the two Michigan towns, St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. It also told of various other controversies that helped me, as the reader, to identify why the townspeople felt the way they did about Erics death. This book also left me feeling unsettled. Living in a country that takes such pride in its diversity, it makes me wonder how two towns such as Benton Harbor and St. Joseph can exist. There are hundreds of towns just like these two, and if people will cease to be ignorant than they will be able to see each other for who they are, and no longer define each other according to their race.

Essay --

Introduction: Vietnam is a small country located in Southeast Asia with a S-curve shape. Vietnam has three sections including North, Central part and South. Hanoi, in the North part, is the capital of Vietnam but it is not the largest city as people thought. Otherwise, Ho Chi Minh City, in the South part, is not only the largest but also the most population city, the center of economy, culture, and education, which plays the important role in the development of Vietnam. Therefore, getting knows more about Vietnam is an interesting issue including historical evolution, special features, problems and some recommendations about urban studies. Body: Historical evolution: This area was originally known as Prey Nokor, a part of the Kingdom of Cambodia, which served as an important fishing village and harbor of Khmer’s people. After that it was annexed by Vietnamese, and then city was formed thanks to the exploration of the Nguyen Dynasty. When the French was in Indochina, Saigon quickly grew up to become one of the most important cities in Vietnam. At that time, Saigon was considered as the capital of the Indochinese Union in the 1887-1901 period. In 1954, Saigon was named the capital of the Republic of Vietnam. It was one of the most important cities of Southeast Asia. In 1976, National Assembly of Vietnam decided to change the name Saigon into "Ho Chi Minh City", after the first President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Special features of the city: The city’s creative dynamism is the attraction, and motivation to develop the industrialization and modernization today. After 25 years of renovation, the city has made great achievements, fundamental changes in its social life, and many important contributions to the country in... .... Overpopulation: In my opinion, HCM city should issue regulation to "tighten" immigration, which include requirements such as: immigrants must prove that he/she has been living in the city more than 3 years, with an area of housing per capita is 15 m ² etc. Moreover, while residents in the city have the right to own property and access to schools and health services for a reasonable fee. Conversely, illegal immigrants are not entitled to. In some case, they have to pay double the cost of electricity and water, or triple for tuition fee. Conclusion: Despite the fact that the city has to face so many problems and challenges, Ho Chi Minh City still developes and innovates day by day. In fact, these difficulties are obviously to all cities while expanded period. Recognizing the problems and finding proper solutions, the city will develop in a better comprehensive way.

Glengarry Glen Ross :: essays research papers

In the play Glengarry Glen Ross, selling is like a complicated courtship. Richard Roma is sales. Throughout the play, we never once get a true insight into the real Richard Roma. All we know is that he is good at his job, greedy and calculating. His demeanor changes on a dime; he is whoever he needs to be in whatever situation he happens to be in. This is his edge.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roma starts out as a pseudo-intellectual sitting in a restaurant. He sees a man that he has never met before, Mr. Lingk, sitting by himself. Roma decides to try and make a completely unplanned sale. Roma starts out easy, not wanting to raise the stranger’s defenses by saying immediately that he is a salesman. Roma begins talking about simple things that any man could relate to. Roma captures Lingk’s interest, gains his trust, and artfully pitches his sale in the guise of a disillusioned salesman just trying to help a fellow man out.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The last thought on Lingk’s mind is to invest in real estate, but Roma puts on his â€Å"good ol’ boy† face, and makes the sale anyway.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Lingk comes to see Roma at the office the next day to cancel the sale, Roma is ready to play the game. Without any preparation time, Roma cues Levene, and slips easily into his faà §ade of the night before.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First, Roma tries to distract Lingk from the purpose of his visit by introducing him to an â€Å"impressive businessman† that Roma supposedly does much business with. Levene is an old campaigner himself, and has no problem slipping into his part. By making Lingk think that Roma does business with someone of so much influence, Roma is also hoping to increase his credibility and authority with Lingk. When Lingk persists in his urgency to talk with Roma about the cancellation of his sale, Roma makes an excuse to leave the office, wanting to stall Lingk until the sale is irreversible. Lingk is not put off, so Roma tries to shame Lingk by making him admit that he is bowing to pressure from his wife. This strikes a nerve within Lingk, so Roma persists, and starts to convince Lingk that the problem lies not within the purchase of land, but within Lingk’s lack of authority in his marriage. This, of course, is a very subtle but vicious move. Roma is basically insulting Lingk’s manhood.

A History of Our Planet :: Creating Writing Essays

A History of Our Planet " Serina where are you?" "Serina?" "I’m here. I was hiding." "What from?" Oh, not much, just sitting and thinking really." So, do you want to come to the beach with us?" God I remember conversations like that. Simple and easy. All we needed was a nice day and a good tan. I look back at that and long for it. Well, sometimes I do. Most of the time I don’t have the energy to remember. If I do get enough time to start to think about that kind of thing I am much more likely to just fall asleep. I guess that is what happens with responsibility, you lose time to remember who you are and what makes you happy. I guess it sounds like I am complaining but I’m not. Not really. I am much happier now. I guess I should tell the whole story. If this is for history then it should be complete. In those early days we all lived in simple beauty and happiness. We were ignorant of things beyond our own pleasure. I would spend days sitting outside and talking to friends. I would make wonderful bags, and jewelry. I loved working with the bark of the trees near my house. It gave me a real connection to nature. Well, what I thought was nature. I had lots of friends we would go to the beach and swim in the surf. I can still almost taste the bitter vinegar taste the ocean had. We never had to cover up we went wearing what was comfortable, usually nothing at all. We had no need for modesty we were all the same. Not that we looked alike but there was no sexual difference. We were all women. This paradise was perfect and uninterrupted until the day that everything went dark. I was lying in my bed and all of a sudden everything was gone. I had no idea what had happened. I couldn’t see. I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t even move my fingers. My mind was racing and all I could do was lie there. For hours I lay there like this. Eventually I began to be able to move my hands and slowly the rest of my body came to life. What I discovered as I awoke was that I was bound and wrapped in a black rubbery sheet. A History of Our Planet :: Creating Writing Essays A History of Our Planet " Serina where are you?" "Serina?" "I’m here. I was hiding." "What from?" Oh, not much, just sitting and thinking really." So, do you want to come to the beach with us?" God I remember conversations like that. Simple and easy. All we needed was a nice day and a good tan. I look back at that and long for it. Well, sometimes I do. Most of the time I don’t have the energy to remember. If I do get enough time to start to think about that kind of thing I am much more likely to just fall asleep. I guess that is what happens with responsibility, you lose time to remember who you are and what makes you happy. I guess it sounds like I am complaining but I’m not. Not really. I am much happier now. I guess I should tell the whole story. If this is for history then it should be complete. In those early days we all lived in simple beauty and happiness. We were ignorant of things beyond our own pleasure. I would spend days sitting outside and talking to friends. I would make wonderful bags, and jewelry. I loved working with the bark of the trees near my house. It gave me a real connection to nature. Well, what I thought was nature. I had lots of friends we would go to the beach and swim in the surf. I can still almost taste the bitter vinegar taste the ocean had. We never had to cover up we went wearing what was comfortable, usually nothing at all. We had no need for modesty we were all the same. Not that we looked alike but there was no sexual difference. We were all women. This paradise was perfect and uninterrupted until the day that everything went dark. I was lying in my bed and all of a sudden everything was gone. I had no idea what had happened. I couldn’t see. I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t even move my fingers. My mind was racing and all I could do was lie there. For hours I lay there like this. Eventually I began to be able to move my hands and slowly the rest of my body came to life. What I discovered as I awoke was that I was bound and wrapped in a black rubbery sheet.

Abolitionism †African American Essay

With abolition is found the gateway towards freedom. The African American influence in this area was of great authority especially in rural districts such as Lancaster and Chester Counties (Pennsylvania). In these groups sometimes the blacks worked alone and sometimes they partnered with whites. With this movement, African Americans used brute force to gain what they wanted (Bordewich, 138). Abolitionism was a great aid in spearheading the rights of blacks serving as soldiers. The abolitionism movement was fueled with evangelical religion, which deemed slavery as a sin. With this motto, members of the movement (both white and black) demanded that slavery be done away with, and terminated completely (Glatthaar, 15). The abolition movement is one in which its essential existence is tied integrally with that of African Americans, for it is their freedom which is at stake and is the goal of the movement. In the abolition movement is found the beginnings of the Anti-Slavery Society that has this as its constitution, This Society shall aim to elevate the character and condition of the people of color, by encouraging their intellectual, moral and religious improvement, and by removing public prejudice, that thus they may, according to their intellectual and moral worth, share an equality with the whites, of civil and religious privileges; but this Society will never, in any way, countenance the oppressed in vindicating their rights by resorting to physical force. Here is established the beating heart of the movement, to liberate the black community, and restore to them their God-given rights as humans to live freely, without adversity, without a fundamental challenge to their worth as part of humanity. Conclusion The myriad of influences the African American culture and people had on the Civil War is vast in its subjects, from black soldiers, the abolitionists, to their role in religion, African Americans have proven that their participation in the Civil War is essential. Black soldiers were only given praise and trustworthiness after they had proven themselves in the field of battle as equal compatriots to the Northern white soldier. During the clandestine times of the Underground Railroad, African Americans showed their dedication, and their strength of will through traveling thousands of miles to be free, and then they traversed the same paths in order to allow for other fugitives to find their way to the North. In Frederick Douglass there was found a man who stood for what he believed, not only in speech, but also in action. His deliberate animosity to ignorance in owning slaves helped to fuel the fires of the abolition movement, and thus the public awareness and knowledge of what slavery truly is: a vile creature, distorted with hate, and allowed to live only through dictatorship, and autocracy. McPherson states of the Civil War, â€Å"The Lincoln administration and the Republican press, even antislavery newspapers such as the new York Tribune, declared emphatically that the purpose of the war was the restoration of the Union, and that the issues of slavery and the Negro had nothing to do with the conflict† (22). Without the establishment of the Underground Railroad, the Abolitionist movement, and the fight for freed blacks to become soldiers, the Civil War would not hold for a history about the emancipation of a race, but the unification of a country instead. The ultimate influence that the African Americans had in the Civil War was their participation in all aspects of it; they were not going to be denied their human right to be their own masters, and without their voices and contributions in the war, slavery might not be an old issue. Without the personal stories of African Americans such as Frederick Douglass then the war would be empty of freedom. As McPherson quotes of Susie King Taylor, In this ‘land of the free’ we are burned, tortured, and denied a fair trial, murdered for any imaginary wrong conceived in the brain of the negro-hating white man. There is no redress for us from a government which promised to protect all under its flag. It seems a mystery to me. They say, ‘One flag, one nation, one country indivisible. ’ Is this true? Can we say this truthfully, when one race is allowed to burn, hang, and inflict the most horrible torture weekly, monthly, on another? No, we cannot sing, ‘My country, ‘t is of thee, Sweet land of Liberty’! It is hollow mockery. The Southland laws are all on the side of the white, and they do just as they like to the negro, whether in the right or not†¦(313). African Americans made this their war. Through fortitude and strength of will, they placed their faith in the decency of the Northern states and abolitionists to see the truth of the hate and prejudice in the country. The Civil War would not be about freedom, and the extraction of the activity of slavery in America if not for African Americans. African Americans paved the way for their own rebellion by speaking up, by acting, by using their talents in the field of battle and fighting for themselves, for liberation, for their sisters, brothers, mothers, and fathers. Without the influence of African Americans, the Civil War would have been just about unification. Work Cited Bordewich, Fergus M.Bound for Canaan. The Underground Railroad and the War for The Soul of America. HarperCollins, New York. 2005. Elkins, Stanely. Slavery. University of Chicago Press. 1976. Glatthaar, Joseph T. Forged in Battle: The Civil War Alliance of Black Soldiers and White Officers. The Free Press. New York, 1991. McPherson, James M. The Negro’s Civil War. Pantheon Books. New York, 1965. McPherson, James M. Ordeal by Fire. McGraw Hill. New York. 2001 Tracy, O. 2005. http://www. teacheroz. com/index. htm.

Women’s Prisons / Correctional Facilities

History regarding the matters of incarcerated women has dictated that there is such inequality with regards to sexual preferences in the criminal justice system. Even prior to 1870, the society has enacted upon an unforgiving outlook regarding nonconforming women. Crowded in unsanitary, small and terribly ventilated rooms in men's institutions, incarcerated women were horribly abused by male guards and by the whole system of the place itself. Through the years, the call for improving this system has been heard and acted upon by the government. Today, almost every state in the country has erected their own penal institutions for women which are also administered upon by staffs and officials in which the majority are women. However, even if improvements regarding these implementations have been accomplished by the government, there is still a clamor regarding indifferences with men's and women's equality in correctional facilities. LESS CONCERN FOR WOMEN'S PRISON/CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES Due to the dominance of men with regards to the number of incarcerated population than women, more studies are provided for men than for women. Due to this, there have been many unrecognized concerns regarding women and their system of incarceration. Back in 1993, there was a conference that tackled this matter regarding incarceration of women and they found out many conclusions that resulted from a detailed look at the matter. â€Å"Officials of the National Association of Women Judges, which gathered here last weekend for its 15th annual conference, cite a number of court-ordered studies that taken together portray a kind of built-in bias against female convicts in criminal- justice and corrections systems around the country. (Hinds, 1993). They found out results that the number of female population has tripled in number over the past decade that there is a need for more focus regarding the number of jails and prisons and also improving the system as well. They also found out that states have lesser number of alternative prisons for female offenders who are nonviolent, compared to male nonviolent offenders. Findings were also tracked regarding the matter that women tend to have a longer serving time than women due to the fact that they are placed in less crowded facilities than men. Another point that drew concern was that most states only have so few prisons that most women are moved far away from their homes making it harder for their families to visit. Another matter is that prisons for women provide lesser job-training programs. Vocational training is also very limited leaving female inmates to choose between few options such as clerical work or homemaking. Adding up to these, studies also showed that women are not adequately taken cared of health-wise. There are only few states that offer obstetrics and gynecology. Hinds, 1993). CONCLUSION Inequity towards incarcerated women can be pinpointed out one by one with the help of critical analysis and comprehensive study. But with lack of interest regarding this subject matter, the concern for a study of women and their incarceration system has become bleak and overshadowed by the huge concern for men. Though both genders commit criminal offenses whether minor or major, there must still be equal considerations or specific characterization with regards to the system. There can be many examples of this dark side of the criminal justice system, for instance, many structures for incarcerated people are all planned and based on the men's point of view. The health care system, the pregnancy considerations, the design of the structure relating to women, and other female concerns are less addressed. There is a need for further studies of this matter to achieve equal considerations.