Week 6 Paper

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Elements of a Security System Design

Elements of a Security System Design

Asset Protection and Threat Identification

One of the key elements to consider when designing a security system is to identify the assets that need to be protected and the threats that could potentially compromise those assets. Jacobs (2016) illustrates that once the assets and threats have been identified, it is important to select the appropriate security controls to mitigate the identified risks. The security controls should be designed in a way that they work together to create a comprehensive security solution. For example, if the asset is a computer system, the security controls could include physical security measures to prevent unauthorized access to the system, as well as logical security measures such as password protection and data encryption. If the threat is a malicious software attack, the security controls could include installing and updating anti-virus software and creating firewalls to block unauthorized access to the system.

The Cost of Security Measures

It is also important to consider the costs of the security measures when designing a security system. The security measures should be proportional to the value of the assets they are protecting. In other words, the costs of the security measures should not outweigh the benefits they provide. When designing a security system, it is important to strike a balance between security and cost (Jacobs, 2016). Therefore, a security system should be designed in a way that it is effective at mitigating the risks while also being cost-effective.

A Flexible and Adaptable Security System

The security system should also be designed to be flexible and adaptable to changing needs. In order to make sure that the security measures are still effective in reducing the threats identified, they should be constantly assessed and modified as necessary. (Jacobs, 2016). The security system should also be tested periodically to ensure that it is functioning as intended. When changes are made to the system, it is important to retest the system to ensure that the changes do not introduce new security vulnerabilities. An example of this is when a new security measure is introduced, such as data encryption. The system should be tested to ensure that the data is still accessible to authorized users and that unauthorized users are unable to access the data.

References

Jacobs, S. (2016). Engineering information security: The application of systems engineering concepts to achieve information assurance. 2nd Edition. Wiley-IEEE Press. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=dfxoPL11PwYC&oi=fnd&pg=PR23&dq=Engineering+Information+Security:+The+Application+of+Systems+Engineering+Concepts+to+Achieve+Information+Assurance,+2nd+Edition&ots=qigkPEZVWJ&sig=bSRDEAGNGmu2Iq37APm8i_m59IA