Operation Security: One Factor Often Overlooked In Creating

Operation Securityone Factor Often Overlooked In Creating And Impl

Explain what separation of duties is and why it is important. What three functions should be separate in all transactions? Give an example of how duties can be separated using an example you might find in an organization. Your main post needs to be around 300 words and you need to make at least one reply to your classmates that is 100 words long.

Prepare a list of threat categories and the associated business impact for each in a small veterinary practice. Identify preventive measures for each type of threat category. Include at least one major disaster in the plan. The response should be 200 to 300 words and formatted in APA style.

Paper For Above instruction

In the realm of information security, the human factor frequently constitutes a critical vulnerability that organizations often overlook. One strategic approach to managing this vulnerability is the practice of separation of duties (SoD), which involves dividing responsibilities among different individuals to reduce the risk of errors or malicious activities. Separation of duties is essential because it prevents any single individual from having unchecked control over all aspects of a transaction, thereby reducing fraud, errors, and abuse of authority. This method ensures that no one person can execute, approve, and review a transaction independently, which enhances oversight and accountability.

The three functions that should be distinctly separated in all transactions include authorization, custody, and record-keeping. Authorization pertains to the approval of transactions; custody involves the handling of assets or data; and record-keeping entails maintaining detailed documentation of all transactions. For example, in a retail organization, the cashier responsible for receiving cash should not be the same person responsible for reconciling the cash drawer or recording sales in the financial system. By segregating these duties, the organization minimizes the risk of theft or financial misstatement, as no single employee has control over both the physical cash and the recording process.

Implementing separation of duties is crucial for fraud prevention and internal control. It enforces checks and balances within the organization, making it more difficult for dishonest activities to go unnoticed. This approach not only safeguards assets but also enhances the accuracy of financial records and operational processes (Thompson, 2020). Overall, organizations that effectively separate duties foster a culture of integrity and accountability, critical components of a robust security posture.

References

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• Anderson, R. (2018). Managing the human factor in cybersecurity. Cybersecurity Journal, 7(4), 23-29.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology. (2018). Guide to risk management practices. NIST Special Publication 800-53.
• ISO/IEC 27001:2013. (2013). Information technology — Security techniques — Information security management systems — Requirements.
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• U.S. Small Business Administration. (2020). Prepare your business for a disaster. SBA.gov.
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