The Problem of Computer Insecurity

Abstract

This chapter has established that security is not a simple problem to solve. Indeed, the requirements to preserve the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of IT systems and data introduce the need for safeguards that go well beyond simply having controls on the computers themselves. Nonetheless, the extent to which we depend upon IT dictates that security cannot be ignored. If systems are not protected, there is plenty that can go wrong, and so it is in our interest to take the matter seriously. Unfortunately, however, it soon becomes apparent that although security may be accepted at a surface level, actually getting organisations and individuals to realise how it applies to them can represent a challenge in its own right. As such, a grudging acceptance is often more likely than whole-hearted commitment.