Introduction
The modern business world cannot be imagined without the broad use of technology. Innovations help to generate competitive advantage, improve comfort, and enhance data exchange. The last one becomes especially important within the contemporary digitalized world. The emergence and fast evolution of the Internet gave rise to online shopping.
Customers from various regions might use different payment methods, including credit cards. For this reason, the Management Information System (MIS) has become a central aspect of modern companies’ operations. It is critical to ensure that the existing databases are reliable, effective, and secure. Chief Information Security Managers are responsible for addressing problems that may arise. The scope of CSIM’s tasks becomes increasingly significant as the nature of challenges grows. Thus, for the manager of ADIB BANK, resolving these tasks is crucial.
Infrastructure Management
Effective infrastructure management is the first important task for ensuring the security and convenience of online shopping for clients. Thus, it can be defined as the process of planning, creating, establishing, and managing the physical, virtual, and software components that support the main organization’s operations (Smith, 2023). Usually, infrastructure management includes information technology infrastructure, physical assets, controls, server security, energy infrastructure, and communication controls (Smith, 2023).
Selecting the appropriate hardware, software, and other systems and establishing the environment critical to their functioning is fundamental to the organization’s ability to resolve current problems and avoid complex issues. At the same time, infrastructure management might entail specific challenges and subtopics that require attention to avoid failures and ensure higher security and performance.
Managing Assets
Managing assets is the first important subtopic of infrastructure management. It implies a set of strategies to sustain infrastructure assets that ensure higher productivity and outstanding performance (Kroenke, 2021). Thus, in the security management domain, it refers to the continuous process of identifying the organization’s assets, security risks, and gaps to be eliminated to attain desired outcomes (Kroenke, 2021).
Hardware, software, and confidential information might be viewed as valuable assets that should be managed effectively to avoid critical information losses and client dissatisfaction (Laudon and Laudon, 2019). To ensure the security of ADIB Bank’s financial operations, servers with authorized access and software protection should be used. It will ensure higher protection levels and prevent critical breaches that could impact the entire company.
Controls
Controls are the next theme to be discussed to establish a safe environment and increase customer satisfaction. IT infrastructure management includes controlling daily operations using software and hardware (Kroenke, 2021). Enterprise networks and communications should also be controlled to prevent leaks and reduce the likelihood that malefactors will use valuable data for their own purposes.
The controls can be enhanced through inventory and control hardware and software assets, vulnerability management, mobile devices, laptops, and server protection systems (Laudon and Laudon, 2019). Adding these elements to infrastructure management is critical, as it ensures all assets can be evaluated and monitored to prevent malfunctions and data breaches. The controls should also be used to collect data on the company’s work and to lay the foundation for further improvement.
Server Security
Server security control is another critical aspect of infrastructure management. The term refers to a set of measures and strategies used by project management to protect servers from unauthorized access and data breaches (Laudon and Laudon, 2019). The importance of this aspect is evidenced by the fact that most cyberattacks target various companies to steal valuable personal details, credit card numbers, and financial data (Kroenke, 2021).
As a result, the company’s image suffers, and the clients are unsatisfied (Kroenke, 2021). Maintaining robust server security is the company’s central task. Thus, the controls can be aligned by introducing several essential elements. These might include regular backups, using access limitations, and two-factor authentication (Kroenke, 2021). These methods can enhance security and prevent the unit from experiencing recurring breaches or data loss.
Capacity Planning
Capacity planning is the next important element of infrastructure management. It states that it is for forecasting the organization’s current IT needs and ensuring sufficient processing power and storage (Laudon and Laudon, 2019). For companies with a constantly growing number of clients, this aspect is critical, as it ensures high efficiency and the ability to meet the demands of thousands of clients simultaneously (Tariq et al., 2023). Using monitoring tools and trend analysis to collect data on customers and changes in demand levels, it is essential to plan future IT infrastructure expansion and the measures needed to ensure its high effectiveness (O’Brien and Marakas, 2021). As a result, the company will be prepared for the significant increase in client numbers and will continue its evolution.
Troubleshooting
Finally, effective troubleshooting and resolution of all problems emerging in the company’s work is another critical concern. The stability of any system depends on the cooperation between its major components and their ability to recover after serious issues. Reliability assurance is critical for infrastructure and its stable operation as part of the organization’s functioning.
Furthermore, reliability engineering has become a crucial element of modern IT management, serving as a core function to prevent critical defects and enhance troubleshooting (O’Brien and Marakas, 2021). Additionally, effective anomaly detection is a key to better failure handling, which can be achieved by using system logs to detect potential problems (Rainer, Prince, and Watson, 2019). It would lead to a more robust planning function and fewer issues in the future.
Computer Database Center and Virus Controls
Physical Security
Establishing a safe environment for the clients and protecting their private data also requires specific approaches to database management and virus controls. Ensuring physical security is one of the most essential subtopics related to this area. It requires protecting personnel, hardware, software, and networks from physical activities or events that could lead to data loss, damage to valuable assets, or injuries (O’Brien and Marakas, 2021).
In other words, protection against fire, floods, natural disasters, theft, terrorism, or vandalism is central to ensuring the stability of the IT infrastructure and its operations. (Rainer, Prince, and Watson, 2019). It means that the manager’s central task is controlling the environment’s safety, using materials that enhance the protection of the server room, and ensuring that the databases containing clients’ information are not compromised.
Database Protection
Moreover, it is essential to devote increased attention to protecting databases and creating conditions for their beneficial functioning. Companies, such as ADIB Bank, maintain numerous databases containing valuable information about their clients, including preferences, payment details, and financial information. For this reason, managing the database center is a core activity for the security manager.
The limited access to this facility will ensure a higher level of protection and help reduce the likelihood of data breaches or hacker attacks (Rainer, Prince, and Watson, 2019). Furthermore, in many cases, individuals may unintentionally cause database damage due to a lack of knowledge or a poor understanding of how databases work (O’Brien and Marakas, 2021). Protecting this asset might entail additional employee training on security measures, data center operations, and the importance of adhering to primary protective measures.
Environmental Security
As previously stated, protecting the organization’s infrastructure from floods, rain, earthquakes, and other natural disasters is critical to stable operations. Under these conditions, environmental security is another component of IT management. Environmental controls are measures used to protect information from potential environmental impacts. It might include a wide range of various threats, which makes the task more complex.
First, it is vital to minimize the risk of damage; however, if any damage to servers or other critical infrastructure occurs, it is critical to protect information and prevent loss (O’Brien and Marakas, 2021). It requires planning that considers existing environmental hazards and backups, as well as alternative storage space. It is also possible to use cloud services to ensure the information can be restored quickly and that no critical damage to the firm’s reputation will occur.
Fire Prevention
Fire prevention is another subtopic that is linked to the discussed topic. Thus, the work of a technique is associated with increased fire risk and greater complexity (O’Brien and Marakas, 2021). It is explained by the high operating temperatures of servers and computers, the use of flammable materials, and the need for a constant energy supply (Smith, 2023). Under these conditions, it is critical to use fire suppression and detection systems that are effective in addressing the problem and preventing critical outcomes.
Server room fire safety should be ensured through regular inspections, effective cooling of equipment, regular risk assessments, ventilation, and fire-fighting systems. Clean-agent fire suppression systems might be the best option for IT departments, as they minimize equipment damage, making data restoration easier (Strianese et al., 2023). In this way, fire protection and prevention are fundamental to IT security and operational efficiency.
Virus Protection
Finally, virus controls play a central role in establishing a safe environment. This encompasses a set of procedures and actions required to protect the organization’s systems from viruses or programs designed to breach security systems, cause damage, or steal data (O’Brien and Marakas, 2021). The constant evolution of viruses and the emergence of new strains make the task highly complex. It is vital to introduce a set of policies to reduce the chance of being attacked:
- Avoid using browsers for personal purposes
- Avoid suspicious websites
- Do not use personal flash drives
- Use a malware scanner
- Update the operating system and antivirus
- Use backups (Dastres and Soori, 2021; O’Brien and Marakas, 2021).
The policies might be effective for protecting clients’ information. At the same time, cooperating with a reliable antivirus supplier is also required (Dastres and Soori, 2021). These measures will ensure a higher level of protection; however, constant review and updates of existing measures might be needed.
Network Security Management
Information system management also entails creating and maintaining the company’s stable, functioning network. It is critical to align employee interactions, provide effective tools for data exchange, and work with clients’ data. Thus, network security management involves implementing policies and configuring firewalls to help prevent unauthorized access and improve reliability and protection levels (Shin, 2021). However, establishing network security may face challenges due to evolving cyber threats, human factors, and budget limitations (Shin, 2021). That is why, when planning the company’s future growth, it is critical to manage every aspect to help the firm evolve and avoid unnecessary spending.
At the moment, most of the network attacks are classified into three major categories. These include unauthorized access to network resources and information, manipulation of network information, and attacks that disrupt services (Dastres and Soori, 2021). In terms of the bank’s operations, all three types play an important role, as they may lead to the loss of critical client data and damage the company’s reputation.
Furthermore, information destruction might lead to massive IT failures and require a significant amount of time to recover and align interactions across all systems (Dastres and Soori, 2021). For this reason, introducing measures to prevent these attacks is the manager’s core responsibility. It is critical to select the most effective approaches and methods to ensure stability and prevent network attacks.
Considering the scope of the challenge and the importance of protecting information, a set of specific measures to address the problem can be recommended. First, when implementing advanced security systems, an appropriate design method should be utilized (Dastres and Soori, 2021). The network security protections should include firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and virtual private network (VPN) protections (Dastres and Soori, 2021). These applications play a fundamental role in addressing current threats and mitigating attacks at multiple levels.
However, their integration into the company’s work should be followed by the corresponding changes in the policy. The security policy should outline which data should be protected, who is responsible for protecting it, and establish a context for network security management (Dastres and Soori, 2021). A clear description of these central elements will lead to better employee involvement and protection.
As stated previously, firewalls are core components of network security management, enabling data storage and helping prevent attacks. For the manager, it is critical to determine the rules for using firewalls and monitor their functioning. In fact, this software sits between the network and the Internet, helping control network content and paths (Dastres and Soori, 2021).
In other words, it determines the type of data that is allowed to enter or exit (Dastres and Soori, 2021). This means that the firewall is a potent tool for improving network security management. Software firewalls analyze current patterns, while hardware firewalls provide additional protection and safety levels (Dastres and Soori, 2021). As a result, combining these two measures can help protect data shared within the network and minimize the risk of a breach.
In general, network security management is a critical component for companies that handle clients’ data. It ensures that third parties will not use the valuable information. Thus, modern cyberattacks focus on stealing, using, or destroying the firm’s data, which is necessary for its operations. For this reason, it is recommended to use firewalls, establish specialized data management policies, and deploy additional software to prevent unauthorized access. These measures will lead to a more stable work environment and eliminate critical issues.
Corporate Governance Challenges
The corporate governance model can also enhance the company’s work. It states that creating a system of rules and practices helps balance the interests of the company’s stakeholders (Hathaway and Jensen, 2023). Although the system might be advantageous and lay the foundation for stable growth, it also has some challenges. For instance, a conflict of interest might occur within such systems. It implies a stakeholder’s interest that contradicts the company’s objectives (Larcker and Tayan, 2020).
Resolving this challenge might be complex within the corporate governance framework. Second, establishing clear oversight rules might also be challenging (Hathaway and Jensen, 2023). Without the special controlling body, the company might violate existing laws or fail to meet the interests of all parties (Larcker and Tayan, 2020). However, creating this body might lead to a conflict of interest, which is critical for companies.
Accountability problems are another vital problem of corporate governance models. Starting from top-level executives and ending with all employees, every member should be accountable to another (Larcker and Tayan, 2020). It is central to the work of such systems; however, achieving it might be difficult due to differences in authority and reporting systems.
Transparency is the next essential concern associated with the model. It requires reporting all profits and losses, which might be challenging under the existing paradigm (Larcker and Tayan, 2020). The lack of reporting or the desire to avoid sharing some valuable information might lead to fines from regulatory agencies (Larcker and Tayan, 2020). As a result, the framework might fail to perform its initial function, which is to support the company’s stable operations.
Stakeholder engagement and decision-making are two other important challenges that should be mentioned when discussing the corporate governance model. The first one implies ensuring that the majority of stakeholders are engaged with the business and have a clear picture of the company’s development, operations, and ability to overcome the central difficulties it faces at the moment. Thus, the inability to engage a significant number of actors might lead to problematic decision-making when the interests of all parties are not considered (Hathaway and Jensen, 2023). The lack of consensus, agreement, or differences in views on how the company should evolve might undermine the process and make it less effective than in companies ruled by a board of directors or a single person.
Furthermore, it is critical to note that the problems of values assimilation and acceptance are inherent to corporate governance models. The stable rise of a firm requires similar views on how it should evolve, as well as its mission, vision, and accepted methods. Differences in stakeholders’ views may lead to misunderstandings. As a result, a new challenge emerges: ethics and its violations. The inability to accept other values, or, conversely, the dominance of ideas that accept unfair practices, might lead to serious operational problems and their impact on other individuals and businesses (Hathaway and Jensen, 2023). As a result, the company might experience critical damage to its reputation and lose loyal clients.
Strategic planning might be another critical issue arising in corporate governance. If stakeholders share similar views about the future, they can create an effective model for future development (Hathaway and Jensen, 2023). However, differences of opinion might lead to conflict and an inability to decide the company’s future. Finally, the corporate governance model might lead to problematic succession planning (Hathaway and Jensen, 2023). Differences in views on how the organization should be managed might lead to the inability to assign individuals to specific posts and achieve higher levels of effectiveness within a unit.
Conclusion
Altogether, information system management is a complex sphere that requires significant company attention. The diversification of threats means clients’ valuable information may be stolen and used for various purposes. For this reason, creating safe infrastructure and improving security measures are the central recommendations for ADIB Bank. This implies controlling the hardware, software, and physical aspects of the infrastructure. The servers should be protected from hazards to ensure the data remains safe and uncorrupted. Moreover, firewalls and antivirus software should be used to reduce the risk of breaches and ensure clients’ transactions are safe.
Reference List
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