备课笔记：管理信息系统导论, 海南大学 旅游学院
Chapter 11 ANSWERS TO DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1.What can be done to improve e-commerce security on the Internet? Give several examples of security measures, and technologies you would use.
Students’ answers will vary. However, some issues can be more policing, standard protocols, encryption, scrambling data, public and private key encryption methods, fire walls, secure network access, security monitors, virus defenses, security codes, backup files, biometrics controls, computer failure controls, fault tolerant systems, and disaster recovery planning.
2.What potential security problems do you see in the increasing use of intranets and extranets in business? What might be done to solve such problems? Give several examples.
Students’ answers will vary. However, with the increased business use of the Internet, intranets and extranets there is no doubt that the number of potential security problems will also increase. Issues such as hacking, data alteration unauthorized data access, denial of service and so on will become prime security problems. As companies forge ahead in e-commerce and e-business activities, the stakes get progressively higher, and the potential threat to the vulnerability of their data is also increasing.
In order to solve such problems, businesses must continue to exercise caution in areas such as encryption, fire walls, secure Internet sites, security monitoring, disaster recovery plans, security awareness programs. Policies and procedures must be strictly enforced and compliance with these programs must be monitored and maintained.
3.What artificial intelligence techniques can businesses use to improve computer security and fight computer crime?
Students’ answers will vary, however they could mention the growth in biometrics controls as a possible answer to this question. These controls are used to measure the physical traits such as voice, eye retina, face, fingerprints, hand geometry, etc. A pilot project on eye retina scanning was recently undertaking at the HeathrowAirport in England where all passengers were subjected to a retina scan before they were issued a boarding pass. These retina scans are being saved in a “retina” database for future work in this area.
- What are your major concerns about computer crime and privacy on the Internet? What can you do about it? Explain.
Students’ answers will vary, however many people are concerned about computer crime and privacy on the Internet. Individuals must express their concern to governments so that proper action can be taken in this regard. The Internet offers very little privacy to any individual. It is a communications platform that has very little control and there is no one regulating body. As it currently stands, companies can legally place cookies on your computer when you visit their websites. With these cookies they know your website behavior and the places you have visited on the Web. This information can be used in a number of ways – to monitor and target you with unsolicited product offerings, or even sold to third party vendors. Individuals must exercise caution when giving out any type of personal or sensitive formation. They can also ask their ISP providers to not give out information about them. Certainly sensitive information such as charge card numbers, e-mail address, mailing address, bank account numbers and so on should only be given out to secure sites.
5.What is disaster recovery? How could it be implemented at your school or work?
Disaster recovery are methods for ensuring that an organization recovers from natural and human caused disasters that affect its computer-based operations.
Students’ answers will vary. However, a disaster recovery plan should be developed that specifies which employees will participate in disaster recovery, what their duties will be, what hardware, software, and facilities will be used, and the priority of applications that will be processed. Arrangements with other companies for use of alternative facilities as a disaster recovery site and off site storage of an organization's databases are also part of an effective recovery effort.
6. Refer to the Real World Case on Exodus Communications in the chapter. How vulnerable to cybercrime by hackers, criminals or terrorists are the networked computer systems at your home, school, and place ofbusiness? Discuss the reasons for your conclusions.
No network computer system anywhere is truly safe from the activities of this group of people. It is not safe to make any type of assumptions that your systems are safe from the efforts of those who want to create havoc in cyberspace. No matter how carefully planned a system is, the temptation exists for others to attempt an attack. Even the most secure networks in the world have been attacked in one form or another. Companies must keep on their toes to ensure that do not leave their systems unprotected. Holes in your programs can lead to backdoors that cyber criminals can come through. Cybercrime weapons are becoming increasingly more complex, have greater potential for harm, and are easier for even most inexperienced hackers to use.
7.Is there an ethical crisis in e-business today? What role does information technology play in unethical business practices?
Information technology has made it easier to communicate, work cooperatively, share resources, and make decisions, all electronically. However, IT has also made it possible to engage in ethical as well as unethical practices electronically anywhere in the world. This possibility has certainly resulted in the number of cases where unethical business practices have risen. Ethical crisis in e-business is a major concern in today’s e-business environment. Companies are scrambling to ensure that they are doing all they can to ensure that they are not part of the problem. Unethical business practices can spell disaster for any company who engages in this type of activity.
8.What are several business decisions that you will have to make as a manager that have both an ethical and IT dimension? Give several examples to illustrate your answer.
Managers today have access to a massive amount of information. The use of information technology in e-business has major impacts on society, and thus raises serious ethical issues in the areas such as crime, privacy, individuality, employment, health, and working conditions. As a responsible end user or manager you are responsible to ensure that you act with integrity, increase your professional competence, set high standards of personal performance, accept responsibility for your work, and advance the health, privacy, and general welfare of the public. For example, as a manager you may want to make the decision to implement modernize your factory and manufacturing process by using computerization. You may know that by choosing a certain level of technology will effectively put a small community of hundreds of workers out of work – is that for the good of society of for the companies bottom line? Other examples may include implementing systems to monitor employees while at the same time causing high levels of employee stress, or invasion of their privacy.
9.Refer to the Real World Case on Visa International in the chapter. What are several security measures being taken to protect your home, school, and business from cybercrime, natural disasters, and system malfunctions? What are some other security measures that should be taken? Why?
Safe to say that our home, school, and most businesses are not taking such elaborate security measures as Visa International are. However, it is important that everyone take all the precautions they can to protect themselves from cybercrime, natural disasters, and systems malfunctions. Students will vary in their response and can include examples involving infrastructures to computers. Examples can include encryption, fire walls, e-mail monitoring, virus defenses, security codes, backup files, system security monitors, biometric security, computer failure controls, fault tolerant systems, disaster recovery plans. Other examples could come from Figure 11.25.
10.What would be examples of one positive and one negative effect of the use of e-business technologies in each of the ethical and societal dimensions in Figure 11.2? Explain several of your choices.
Employment: IT has created many new jobs and increased productivity. IT has caused a significant reduction in some types of job opportunities.
Individuality: Computer-based systems can be ergonomically engineered to accommodate human factors. Computer-based systems eliminate the human relationships present in manual systems.
Working Conditions: IT has eliminated some monotonous and obnoxious tasks in the office and the factory that formerly had to be performed by people. Many automated operations relegate people to a “do-nothing” standby role.
Privacy: Caller identification may allow users to identify sales people or prank callers. IT allows supervisors to monitor employees’ private conversations and records.
Computer Crime: IT may be used in law enforcement. IT can be used as a tool in committing crimes.
Health Issues: IT can be used in medical diagnosis. Heavy use of computers may cause health problems like job stress, damaged arm and neck muscles, and eye strain and radiation exposure.
Societal Solutions: IT can be used to solve human and social problems through societal applications such as medical diagnosis, computer-assisted instruction, governmental program planning, environmental quality control, and law enforcement. Computer-based information systems can violate antitrust or international laws and regulations.