Protocols and Policy to Secure Software Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Protocols and Policy to Secure Software - Essay Example This invasion is done for the express purpose of taking advantage of the weaknesses that can be found in the software by the hacker and is usually done for monetary gain (Vacca, 2009). There are a number of measures that have been taken as a result to try and prevent this sort of interference by hackers and a number of cyber security standards have been developed with the aim of improving the level of protection that is available to this market. Cyber Security Standards Cyber security standards can be defined as the various established standards of security that have been set up by a number of bodies involved in the computer industry to assist organizations in the practice of safe techniques regarding security so as to reduce the number of successful attacks on their cyber security systems and if possible negate them altogether (Kontoghiorghes, 2006). The latter aim may prove to be difficult as hackers have become adept at countering the various measures that have been set up to keep them out and thus it considered to be a continuous process whereby weaknesses are identified, exploited and then fixed and improved by the organizations. The security standards have however have gone a long way in improving the level of security that is practiced by organizations and can be said to have provided guidelines on the best way to protect one’s company form cyber security attacks. These standards provide organizations with certain techniques and outlines that they can implement to enhance their cyber security. Some certain standards offer organizations that have been able to successfully implement the outlines and techniques that they have set out official cyber security certification that shows the company’s achievements. The certification is done by an accredited body that looks into the company before deciding whether they have reached the required level of success in their implementation to acquire the certification (Sipser, 2006). This certification ho lds a number of advantages for organizations that are able to acquire it such as enabling the company to easily acquire insurance policies on cyber security (Wong & Yeung, 2009). This is especially important in today’s technology market considering the high number of hacking incidents that take place on an almost daily basis and the sizable economic risk that comes with the potential of successful hacking attempts (Sipser, 2006). The loss of information can lead to a huge hit on an organization’s financial status and thus insurance on this risk has become a necessary endeavor for many large organizations. Popular Cyber Security Standards There are various standards that are available to organizations but some of the more popular cyber security standards include; ISO 27002 This can be considered to be a high standards guide to achieving cyber security for organizations and can be said to be the most popular cyber security standards that is currently available in the mar ket (Kontoghiorghes, 2006). The standard actually incorporates parts of BS 7799 good

Research Proposal Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Proposal - Research Paper Example Prior to instigating any changes however, it is important to determine the perceptions, understanding and experiences of employees within the current appraisal system. In light of the research question, what constitutes an effective performance appraisal needs to be determined first, in order to appreciate, identify with and empathise with staff perceptions. Personal development is a necessary element for both personnel and organizational benefits, and performance appraisals are the best means of identifying the training needs of staff, as well as being a systematic mechanism for evaluating the standards of staff performance, determining salaries and advancements and detecting any factors that impinge on staff effectiveness. An effective appraisal system is one that considers cultural values (Feng, Foster & Heling), that is perceived by staff as being fair and acceptable, that is a reciprocal cooperation between staff and management and one that is appropriate to daily duties (Durais ingam & Skinner, 2005). Such a system fosters staff satisfaction and motivation. A number of factors other than performance appraisal methods must be considered when developing a new and effective system; other factors that might explain staff perceptions of personal appraisals are fairness and cultural awareness. Kavanagh, Benson & Brown (2007) discuss theoretical support for performance appraisal processes and explain that such support is evidenced in ‘control theory and social exchange theory’ (p.134). Process control theory proposes that staff perceptions of fairness are related to the degree of control each employee is able to employ within the process (Konovsky, 2000, p.493 cited in Kavanagh, Benson & Brown, 2007). Social exchange theory on the other hand, refers to ‘relationships that entail unspecified future obligations’ (Kavanagh, Benson & Brown, 2007, p. 134), wherein the way management treat employees is of significance. Fairness therefore, may be perceived in relation to the amount of control an employee has within the process and the way in which their appraiser handles the process. Any organization or company in England today would have employees from a diverse range of ethnic and racial backgrounds, and XXX is no exception. Such diversity impacts to a great extent on the appropriacy of the way in which the performance appraisal is carried out and therefore requires deep consideration as to how best accommodate diversity among the staff of XXX. As stated earlier XXX’s system of appraisal is based on the rating method which involves numerically rating a list of factors such as output and quality of work; such a method is easy to develop and administer but is also very subjective (Acas, 2003). There are a number of other appraisal methods available and each needs to be considered in relation to the findings ascertained within this study and before making any necessary changes. One such performance appraisal is base d on narrative reports, wherein the manager or supervisor is required to write a report or essay on what they consider as the strengths and weaknesses of a staff member; headings may be provided but subjectivity is imminent and results depend very much on the capabilities of the writer (Acas, 2003). Comparisons with objectives is another method of performance appra