Company IS System Protection, Essay Example

What could have caused this data breach?

The primary cause of the data breach was the weak firewall that the company used in the first place. At the first blow of the operation of the hackers, the company was seen to have become perplexed and too much relaxed about their capacity to protect their client’s personal information [especially those that are connected with their financial accounts]. However, after the first attempt of the hackers to apply the malicious attack, Target Company already became aware of the situation, thus deciding to establish a malware detector program that would serve as the primary firewall of the system. Considerably though, it could be observed that because of the emergence of a new form of a more aggressive approach to hacking the system, the malware detector got breached again. As a result to this, Target Company and its clients suffered so much, thus initiating a sense of change on how the organization manages its security systems especially relating to the security measures it engages with.

How did Target respond to the data breach?  What could have Target done better?

The malware detector program that the company used to be able to reestablish the reputation of the organization on security and client-protection programs that they are likely known for was not able to withstand modern approaches to hacking that the new perpetrators of the crime took into account. Notably, it is with this weakness that the firewall was broken down and the defenses of the system failed to protect everything that was aimed to be secured by the organization especially with regards the different consequences that the clients have to deal with when their credit-card information have already been stolen and their financial assets being kept out of their reach and control.

It could be realized that the malware detector installed into the network of the company required humans to act as the ones monitoring the activities going on in the networks [including the exchange of data within the said network]. Practically though, hackers advance through time and their skills become highly accustomed to heightened concern for mandating extensive operations of hacking and getting through to firewalls of large organizations such as the Target Company. The company would have fared better if they have installed a malware that would require humans to operate on the system along with a highly technological application that allows the chance for program itself to immediately detect malware operations as well as suspicious actions that are expected or are assumed to be somewhat affective of the overall standing and security of the network.

For the future, what could Target do to prevent similar incidents from happening again?

The connective use of human power and extensive technological applications that are of high regard especially in terms of good power when it comes to serving the security options that a company network ought to be dependent upon is expected to provide Target with something that is most effective in determining what is needed by the organization and its stakeholders. Considerably, it is with such collaborative way of operation that human error could be supported through the extensive form of developing a more effective technical system that could surpass human performance. In the same manner, it is also important to take note of the fact that when it comes to improving technical operations, carrying into consideration the option of instantiating human detection of mistake would also be necessary for the case to be resolved.