Confidential information for business is of increased interest to competitors. Unfair competitors, corrupt officials, and other malefactors are particularly interested in information about the composition of the management of enterprises, their status and activities of the company.
Access to confidential information and changes to it can cause significant damage to the financial position of the company. At the same time, information leakage may even be partial. In some cases, even ensuring the theft of 1/5 of confidential information can have critical consequences for financial security.
The reason for information leakage, if there is no proper information security of the organization, maybe various accidents caused by the inexperience of employees.
Basics of information security of the organization
Information security involves ensuring that data is protected against theft or alteration, both accidental and intentional. System of maintenance of information safety of the organisation – the effective tool of protection of interests of proprietors and users of the information.
It is necessary to notice that the damage can be put not only by unapproved access to the information. It can be received as a result of breakage of the communication or information equipment. Especially relevant is the effective organization of security of information banking systems and open institutions (educational, social, etc.).
In order to ensure proper information security, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of the basic concepts, objectives and role of information security.
The term “information security” describes a situation that excludes access for viewing, moderating and destroying data by entities without appropriate rights. This includes the provision of protection against leakage and theft of information through the use of modern technology and innovative devices.
Protection of information includes a full range of measures to ensure the integrity and confidentiality of information, as long as it is accessible to users with appropriate rights.
3 information security threats to the organization
1. Unfavorable for the enterprise economic policy of the state. Regulation of the economy by the state through manipulation (determining the exchange rate, the discount rate, customs tariffs and taxes) is the cause of many contradictions in the enterprises in the field of production, finance and commerce.
The administrative obligations to enter the market are very dangerous for the security of information of the enterprise, which leads to a forced narrowing of commodity-money relations, violation of laws by the state and limitation of the enterprise’s activity.
Often the state exaggerates its competence in the financial and commercial sphere of the enterprise’s activity and unreasonably interferes in the information space of these spheres, as well as encroaches on the enterprise’s property in various forms.
A serious threat to the security of an enterprise’s information is posed by political actions aimed at restricting or terminating economic ties. Sanctions in the economy cause both parties to distrust further activities and undermine commercial relations. All this leads to the destabilization of economic relations, and not only at the state level.
2.Actions of other economic entities. In this case, the risk of ensuring the security of information is carried out by unhealthy competition. Unhealthy or unfair competition has several notions and is divided into three types according to the norms of international law:
- When the activity of one commercial entity is presented to the consumer under the guise of another;
- Discrediting the reputation of a business entity by spreading false information;
- Illegal and incorrect use of trademarks that mislead the consumer.
In Western countries, there are legislative acts on unfair competition, trade names, trademarks and barriers to information security, the violation of which leads to certain legal liability. The following illegal actions also lead to liability:
Bribery or enticement of consumers by a competitor;
- The order of providing information security of the organization is violated by disclosure of commercial secrets, as well as clarification of information by espionage, bribery;
- Establishment of unequal and discrediting conditions affecting information security;
- Covert creation of cartels, collusion during the auction with the provision of commercial information;
- Creation of conditions limiting the possibility of ensuring information security;
- Deliberate price reduction to suppress competition;
- Copying of goods, advertising, services and other forms of commercial activity and competitive information.
There are other aspects that reveal unfair competition. These include economic suppression, which is expressed in various forms – blackmail of personnel and managers, compromising information, paralysis of the company’s activities and disruption of transactions with the help of media channels, corruption in government agencies.
Commercial and industrial espionage, which undermines the organization’s information security framework, is also a legal liability, as it implies illegal acquisition of competitor’s classified information for personal gain.
The information provided to the general public through legal channels does not provide the management of the enterprise with a full answer to questions about competitors. Therefore, many large enterprises, even considering the actions of espionage unethical and illegal, still resort to measures that counteract the security of information.
Spies working for a rival enterprise often resort to actions such as a direct offer to an employee to provide classified information, theft, bribery and other various tricks. Many actions to undermine information security are facilitated by the introduction of various eavesdropping devices and other advanced technical developments on the market that allow commercial and industrial espionage to take place to the maximum extent possible.
For many employees of a competitive company, the amount offered for espionage, provision of classified information and violation of information security is several times higher than their monthly income, which is very tempting for an average employee. Therefore, it can be considered that a non-disclosure subscription is not a complete guarantee of commercial information security.
Another form of unfair competition aimed at hindering the security of information is physical suppression in the form of infringement on the life and health of an employee. It falls into this category:
- The organization of robberies against production, storage and office premises for the purpose of robbery;
- Destroying, damaging property and valuables by explosion, arson or destruction;
- Hostage-taking or physical removal of employees.
3.Crisis phenomena in the world economy. Crises have the peculiarity to flow from one country to another, using the channels of external economic relations. They also damage the security of information. This should be taken into account when determining the methods and means of ensuring the information security of an organization.
The gradual integration of Russia into the international economy contributes to the dependence of the country’s commercial enterprises on various processes taking place in the world economy (falling and rising energy prices, structural adjustment and other factors). The degree of implementation of the national economy in the global economic structure increases its exposure to external factors.
Therefore, modern production in an effort to increase profits, improve activities through modernization, increase the level of information security, stability should pay attention to the dynamics of consumer demand, the policy of the state and central banks, the development of scientific and technological progress, the attitude of competitors, global policy and economic activity.