technical surveillance countermeasures that can be implemented by individuals, organizations, and governments to secure data
Technological advancements have eased access to global market information in this era. Corporate information, including sales, finances, services, and products, has been availed on online platforms. Organizations and governments worldwide have adopted systems that grant people seeking essential goods and services access irrespective of their geographical locations. Securing information on these platforms from competitors and malicious individuals have, however, presented a challenge to both governments and organizations. Some parties have abused the internet’s transparency standards by illegally sourcing information regarding their competitors’ financial positions, cliental data as well as secrets of trade on existing products and those under development. This entry highlights technical surveillance countermeasures that can be implemented by individuals, organizations, and governments to secure data.
Openness and Security
Access and denial of access to information have set the public agenda on rights on the internet. Standards of openness on the internet, incorporating transparency provide for everyone to participate on equal bases (Hastedt, 2011). As such, openness standards allowing for the development and release of internet applications without approval have created an imbalance between internet openness and security.
Achieving Balance
Avenues of security breaches and illegal data access include cyberattacks, insiders, and former employees. Hackers can capitalize on vulnerabilities and gain access to sensitive information through espionage software and malware. Effective countermeasures include the installation of latest anti-virus versions, security repairs, and appropriate firewalls. Activities of employees with privilege access present a threat to data security. Risks presented by insiders with malicious intentions can be significant as compared to other sources of danger, as they are challenging to detect. Staff training on safety measures such as not downloading attachments of third party website emails as well as data integrity is a real countermeasure on the threat. Former employees working for competitors also threaten data security. Use of software that record system users’ activities is the best remedy for this. Reports from audit programs will enable administrators to take action on warnings before attacks and data loss.
The internet has been a vital resource for individuals, governments, and organizations in this information era. Openness standards of transparency in internet usage have, however, made it challenging to regulate individual online activities. It is thus essential to take precautions such as timely software security updates, staff training, and system monitoring to alleviate such threats.