Understanding The Impact Of Cyber Security, Globalisation, Technology & Networks On Modern-day Organisations: An Essay.

Describe the Malware attacks having an impact on managerial decision making.
 

Introduction: Concerns and importance of Cybersecurity

Introduction: Cyber security is now a matter of concern for both public and private sectors across the globe. The security is not just limited to protecting the important data from unauthorised access. It rather means preventing the systems from serious malware attacks. The urgency was known for quite a long time due to the series of such attacks in past. It has now raised the urgency level because of an incapable cyber-literate infrastructure especially in public sectors (Liu et al. 2015). The recent WannaCry ransomware attack had affected thousand of computers globally. It heavily disrupted the operation of many major companies which also includes the public sectors. NHS in specific was the badly affected area from the attack (BBC News 2018). The question that arises is why public sectors in particular the NHS were affected so badly. The probable answer is the incapable IT infrastructure in NHS. Indeed, they have not yet considered replacing the old systems from a new and updated system that has better advanced systems against such threats. The essay is aimed at understanding the impact of malicious threats on the global computing systems and the managerial roles in this regards.  

Globalisation: Globalisation in technology means the exchange of information on a worldwide web through compatible technologies. The primary reason why it had come to the existence was the need of information exchange between companies operating at the global level. Globalisation has significantly encouraged businesses to look for wider range of opportunities in different global markets. Hence, the business is not just limited to local market but, indeed, it had its physical existence in the global market as well. A global operation requires a strategic organisational hierarchy supported with utmost technologies to facilitate internal organisational communication and exchange of a range of information (Siddharthan and Narayanan 2017). Globalisation has also encouraged the movement of people across the global world. They move to seek treatment in better facilities. It is commonly known as medical tourism. Europe, South America and Asia are among few regions where medical tourism is a huge success. People from various parts of world visit these regions for better treatment. The reason why these regions are able to offer better treatments is the use of better technologies. However, technologies may not be the proprietary of the same country. They depend on other countries to get the best technologies (Siddharthan and Narayanan 2017).

Education tourism is also the part of globalisation. Some of the most popular destinations for higher studies are the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia (Airey et al. 2015). Number of foreign students moving to these destinations for education is incrementing with every year. The infrastructural advancement supported with updated technologies is one of the reasons why aspiring candidates visit to those locations. Those centres also need to maintain the database of students and the other members. This is important to check the authenticity of applicants and also to analyse the performance of those universities in regards to business (Airey et al. 2015).

Globalisation and its impact on business including medical and education tourism

Globalisation of business can be in various forms like globalisation of goods & services, globalisation of organisational resources and globalisation of technology. Globalisation of goods & services means exchange through various forms like import & export (Williams and Martinez-Perez 2014). This does not only include the exchange of goods & services in its original form. It rather includes exchange of data between two the seller and buyer. Such data needs to be protected from cyber attacks, so that, its privacy could be maintained. Protection of core organisational strategy from cyber attacks is necessary to remain solid in competition. Competitor companies can be benefitted from such attacks (Rid and Buchanan 2015).

Merger & acquisition, joint-venturing, strategic alliance, franchising and other modes are also the ways of operating at the global level. Cyber security especially in case of strategic alliance and joint venturing is very critical. In all such ventures, two companies work together on an agreed terms of contract. They actually share each other’s expertise and desire to enter a new market. It is pretty important to have better protection against malware attacks like the one WannaCry ransomware attack (BBC News 2018). Such attacks may cause disruption of service for long hours. This may also cause the loss of intellectual properties. Database may get corrupted which means customer information may also be at stake. It may also incur financial loses as such attacks can only be nullified with updated systems and trained professionals. Update and training means significant expenses which may be the unwanted burdens on the business. Reputation may also get hampered. People may feel like not being in secured hands (Walters 2014).

Globalisation has widened the opportunities for business whereas it has also increased the chances for being on threat from malicious attacks. Both public and private sectors are at threats; however, public sectors appear as if at maximum threats. On a very similar note, the WannaCry ransomware attack has badly affected the NHS. The infrastructural faults were probably the major cause of such loss. The NHS is yet to consider a replacement of number of systems which are not updated. It is of no mean to use outdated systems in such sector. The sector had suffered a huge loss in terms of business. Due to the WannaCry ransomware attack, scheduled surgeries had to cancel from at least 16 healthcare organisations. The threat of breach cannot be ignored. It is imperative to find ways to fight against such attacks (BBC News 2018).   

Threats to public and private sectors via globalisation

Technology & networks: The advent of advanced technologies has promoted the structuring of different kinds of network which has provided services in required areas. Some of the few modern technologies are Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud Computing (Tao et al. 2014). Internet of Things (IoT) can be understood as a physical network between various devices like vehicles, home appliances, other electronics items sensors, software, connectivity and actuators. IoT helps connect these & more of such devices with the internet and promote the exchange of data (Tao et al. 2014). Such devices have the in-built computing systems which can be accessed by external internet resources. A connection can then get established by accessing the devices in network from internet resources. A network is thus formed between the devices and the internet resources (He, Yan and Da Xu 2014). The networked devices in IoT can be accessed from any place by means of internet resources. A remote access in this way does also mean an enhanced accuracy of work with reduced human intervention. There are ample of applications of IoT like in consumer application, infrastructure management, healthcare sector and others (He, Yan and Da Xu 2014). The installation of IoT system can be made possible through two ways like wired or wireless devices. Wireless devices are further divided into three sections like short-range, medium-range and long-range wireless. Since, it is accessible from anywhere in the world, it also becomes quite prone to cyber attacks. Hence, this may also disrupt the devices which are in network. Such things are really time-consuming because ample of time is required only to detect the point of problem. It further requires human intervention to repair the damage. Additionally, damage repairing requires an update of the entire system. A single attack like the WannaCry ransomware may incur serious losses in terms of business disruptions for uncertain period of time, human intervention and financial expenditures (BBC News 2018).  

Cloud computing can be considered as a group of networked elements which do not need a separate maintenance. Instead, it creates a formless cloud where every hardware and software is networked. The service provided by the third party vendors thereby takes the pressure off from the management. Cloud computing is also essential to reduce the upfront costs of IT infrastructure (Stergiou et al. 2018). However, it may be at serious threat at any point of time. Cloud computing poses some serious privacy concerns. The service provider can access the data to make necessary amendments; however, they take prior permission from the business. A mutual agreement is signed between the service provider and the business. The service provider could accidently or even deliberately erase the few important data which may be fatalistic to the service bearer. The data that are stored on the cloud platform can be at serious threat and privacy can be stolen (Stergiou et al. 2018).

The role of technological advancements in globalisation, including IoT and Cloud Computing

The top three security threat in the cloud interface is API’s & insecure interface, hardware failure and data leakage & loss. Security outages can be at any point of time. A huge data of number of organisations can be stored in cloud. Hackers may intentionally hamper the operation of a number of organisations. They can access to the data of number of organisations with just penetrating into the cloud system. Hackers can theoretically gain the access to such large data and hence, the breach of data can be lot easier then. Some of the theoretical examples of such technique include Dropbox security breach and iCloud (Tao et al. 2014). Dropbox was being breached in 2014 when hackers had stolen an approximate 7 million of user’s passwords. The breach was done for monetary values by Bitcoins (BTC). Such a huge number of passwords can really mean a huge data loss of customers, company’s reputation and a huge question on cloud security. Management policies may also be influenced and depend on the cloud service provider. The back end infrastructure is limited just to the cloud vendor; hence, the management decisions may also seek the advices from those vendors (Dhasarathan, Thirumal and Ponnurangam 2015).    

Technology like IoT and Cloud Computing has eased out pressure from management by providing the advanced technological platforms. However, on the other hand, the security of data of large number of organisations and customer data are all at stakes. They are helpless as well because they do not have any direct control on the technologies. The vendors have the control. Additionally, the platforms are easily traceable by hackers. Hence, networked groups due to modern day technologies are a serious concern for both private and public body (Puliafito et al. 2015).

Conflict and co-operation: This is another important point of concern in regards to malicious attacks. The recent attack of WannaCry ransomware on the global organisations including both the private and the public organisations is termed as a result of conflict. A conflict between the private and the public organisations was perhaps believed as the reason behind the insufficiency to fight against the malware attacks. The public sector in particular was believed to have conflicting thoughts regarding the adoption of modern technologies. The fact is also evident from the recent attack that largely affected the NHS (BBC News 2018). NHS had the infrastructural faults. Most of the systems are outdated. It just shows how ignorant they have been for infrastructural change in regards to modern technologies. Co-operation from the public sector is utterly required. The WannaCry attack has indeed shaken the organisations across the global and in the wake of the attack; NHS had decided to update the computing systems. A partnership between its digital support and Microsoft will soon be in progress (BBC News 2018). However, this is alone not sufficient as public sectors also do not have sufficient IT professionals to support the back end infrastructural process (Tao et al. 2014).  

Risks and privacy concerns associated with IoT and Cloud Computing

A large number of board members are not trained in dealing with the cyber security incidents. Additionally, they are yet to consider the recruitment of IT professionals in public firms. The consequences of board members not being cyber-literate is one of the leading causes of security breaches. This is really problematic as the board members are neither literate nor they have awareness of it. They probably do not have any realisation that data security is a critical task (Terzi, Terzi and Sagiroglu 2015). They have remained confined just to software updates. The recent approach to Microsoft is another move to software updates. However, software updates are not alone sufficient. There is a need to show the urgency to latest technologies, so that, better computing systems could be established in public sectors and an improved counter of such malicious attacks could be produced. In addition, they need to recruit IT professionals for helping the sector identify the possible threats and realise the possible solutions (Terzi, Terzi and Sagiroglu 2015).

Synthesis/discussion: According to Coker (2014), globalisation was needed to move beyond the local market and attain better opportunities. It means that it was an essential move in regards to better business, exploration to potential markets, reducing the cost of production, acquiring best technologies and much more. Business now can operate at the global level and access to different resources to become cost-effective, time-effective and quality services. Low cost labour and materials can be accessed by either outsourcing the business in the country or importing the manufactured goods. Better technologies can be accessed from other parts of world like German technologies can be used to produce cars. Mendoza-Denton and Boum (2015) have argued that globalisation despite being profitable from various perspectives, it still produce a much number of negative impacts. The one negative impact of globalisation that the authors have pointed towards is the breaching of technology. Different organisations follow a networked group with the help of IoT or Cloud Platform. Such platforms can easily be disrupted from malicious attacks. In the opinion of Chang, Zhong and Grabosky (2018), global organisations must have the capability to counter the hackers and the malicious attacks. The fact can well be understood from the recent WannaCry ransomware as it affected the worldwide organisations. Public sectors had the maximum affect. The incapability to fight against such attacks had suspended the operation for many hours, cost huge financial expenditures to update the systems and the loss of customer data. Loss of customer data is never a healthier thing for wither the public or the private sector.

As opined by Sicari et al. (2015), latest technologies have kept on developing and thus helping to establish smoother networks. IoT and cloud computing have simplified the exchange of information and facilitated the making of an efficient database. The author has appreciated the advancement of technologies in the form of IoT and Cloud Computing. Cloud computing in particular is a one platform solution for global organisations as storage of ample kind of data is now simpler and cheaper as well. It just needs to approach the service provider and rest will be delivered to the service bearer. IoT on the other hand, can also be used to connect various physical devices. It can also be remotely accessed. However, the authors did not emphasize on resolving the issues which are associated with those technologies. They have not come to a solution from the managerial end which can make the difference. The public sector has been ignorant to the latest technologies. It is generally the case that private organisations are quick to adopt a technology whereas public organisations are not. As argued by Karagiannis et al. (2015), technologies are productive when its adverse impact and the ways to come out of those situations are clearly understood. In other words, technologies should be backed up by a capable IT workforce that could identify and treat the possible malicious threats.

In the opinion of White (2015), conflicting nature of public sector is a threat to customer data and other useful information. Until and unless urgency is not shown to the concern, the matter will exist. In spite of ignorance, there is a need of co-operative work between the public and the private sectors. It was being felt after the recent WannaCry malware attack that public sector could have helped the private sectors; however, they did not. The concerns shown by authors are in the line of the necessity that the recent WannaCry malware attack has produced. De Vries, Bekkers and Tummers (2016) have believed that public sectors have been ignorant in regards to adoption of latest technologies. They have also believed that there is no existence of a co-operative relationship between the private and the public sector. However, the authors did not provide any help on how to get the thing happen. In the opinion of Fonseca, Fernandes and Fonseca (2017), public sector needs to take the initiative and support both the public and the private sectors. The role of managers has been highlighted in this context. They need to take the initiative and come up with the solution. This is not just about replacing the older computer systems but, it is more than just that. The public sector needs to have a thought process regarding the existing and the emerging technologies. They need to understand the importance that different technology carries. They also need to know the ways required to manage the security threats. On top of all, managers need to understand the importance of recruiting the IT professionals. IT professionals are better equipped with skills which are required to identify the malicious threats and do the needful.

In the opinion of Fonseca, Fernandes and Fonseca (2017), managers in the public sectors in particular the board members must start thinking beyond just the update of system. They need to have the wider vision of business. They need to realise the difference that their initiative can produce. They also need to realise that customers may lose their trust on public sectors if no such initiatives are being taken. It is important to know what initiatives are required.

Conclusion: Therefore, it is important that the private and the public sectors have a co-operative progress towards the one mission which is to prevent any such malicious attacks like WannaCry malware in future. Public sectors in particular needed to take some serious attempts like recruiting the IT professionals. IT professionals can only be trained on skills like identifying the system threats. In case of cloud computing ad IoT, it is just a helpless condition. The government can only ensure a much better protection from security breach. Managerial roles in public sectors will be of huge importance as they may play significant roles in shaping the organisational structure in public sectors.

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