Have IT Security Issues in Business been Minimised in 2016?

The need for security over IT within business is a necessity and over the years has become increasingly important as hackers and crackers are evolving and becoming more dangerous to businesses data and information. The COBIT 5 framework is a helpful framework to adopt when evaluating information security. Figure 1 shows the seven enablers of COBIT 5 that need to be considered and adapted into each business. 

Figure 1: COBIT 5 Enterprise Enablers. Adapted from "COBIT 5 A Business Framework for the Governance and Management of Enterprise IT" by ISACA, 2012, p. 27.

Even personally, I know that the need for addressing security is still a top priority as just last year (2015) my friend was targeted with ransom ware through an email regarding a parcel awaiting collection at Australia Post. They thought this email to be true as they actually were waiting for a parcel through Australia Post, so thinking they were doing the right thing they clicked on the link which in turn infected their computer. To gain access back to their files a ransom was demanded, they decided that the risk of not getting their files back was too high as they had no other backups anywhere so they paid the ransom. After this, the computer was unlocked, however, some of the files had been deleted anyway with no way of retrieving them. I witnessed the effects of this cyber attack and imagine it would be crushing for a business to be open to this type of attack on their files, proving that the need for addressing security has not been minimised in 2016.




References:

ISACA. (2012). COBIT 5 A Business Framework for the Governance and Management of Enterprise IT. Retrieved from https://blackboard.qut.edu.au/bbcswebdav/pid-6236971-dt-content-rid-5743722_1/courses/AYB115_16se1/COBIT5-Framework-English.pdf