The effective management of risks online is likely to be the greatest business enabler / destroyer of the next decade. Clearly, organizations that do not move to full e-commerce functionality are unlikely to flourish; whereas those that ignore cyber crime and the "dark side" of the Internet are likely to get badly burnt.
This important new book highlights the key issues in online risk management, taking the premise that information security is no longer an issue confined to the IT department but is critical to all operational functions: finance, HR, marketing, production etc.
Nor are its solutions purely technical. With two thirds of security breaches said to be caused by human error, management controls and processes are equally important.
Published in association with the Institute of Directors in England, "The Secure Online Business" draws on the experience of leading firms and their advisers and uses up-to-date case studies to illustrate "best practice" in online risk management.
This book explains how technical and operational risks in information security are escalating sharply, with potentially serious strategic consequences.
Hackers, viruses, fraud and denial of service are becoming genuine problems for organisations of all sizes: at a time when companies are expected to have information continuously available for customers, suppliers and partners. In a 24/7 world, the penalties for any downtime are severe: not only causing commercial loss but creating a crisis of confidence in the reliability and security of an organisation. Sadly, this is widely recognised by those who wish to attack an organisation’s operation, either with criminal intent or for sheer malevolent satisfaction.
It is often not until an attack has happened or a system has crashed that the full implications for the business become clear. This book is designed to give directors a proper appreciation of the potential risks, explaining where their companies may be vulnerable. Drawing on the expertise of specialists in the area, as well as lawyers, bankers, insurers and business consultants, it examines ways of developing an appropriate security policy.