As technology makes new ways of conducting business possible, so, too, it spurs a new wave of criminals eager to commit crimes using technology. In addition, the emergence of low-cost, high-speed connections have brought seen many companies bring their information systems online. This is either done through the company Intranet, a network devoted only to company employees with authorization to access it. The Intranet is typically accessed via the Internet. Wide Area Networks (WANs) and Local Area Networks (LANs) are particularly vulnerable to hackers, whether they exist in a government agency, large corporation, or small business. Recent highly publicized cases of hackers causing millions of dollars in damage to large companies like Amazon.com in addition to the hacking of government databases have caused many business executives to increase their concern over Internet/Intranet security. As one executive notes in relation to the topic “With this rush to incorporate the Internet into every aspect of daily business life, organizations may be unknowingly exposing themselves and their clients to potentially unsafe situations” (Colden 12).
The ability to implement security measures to protect company information is crucial in today’s high-tech business environment. Millions of dollars can be lost or even an entire system, crippling business or even causing them to fail. Because of this, Internet/Intranet security has become a key concern among executives. More than this, Internet security has become a management skill, viewed by investors as crucial for protecting the company’s value “From a financial perspective, shareholders expect risk management statements on security, so the institutions must have proactive security postures in order to protect shareholder value” (Giarraputo 77).
Denial-of-service attacks, fraud, information destruction, and a host of other kinds of crimes are routinely committed via Inter...