Cybersecurity and Technology in the Workplace
Posted by kmars004 on Nov 12, 2019 in Uncategorized | 0 comments
More modern concepts like working from home have become commonplace for many businesses. With so many portable devices and growing technology it has become a very popular option and one that can be easily set up using things like VPNs, applications and a set of login credentials. Unlike earlier years where remote work, let alone access, to any kind of system was very limited and usually reserved only for certain individuals that served in particular roles or had certain job functions. The healthcare field is a good example here and one of the earlier areas that has seen an increase in remote workers, as well as more information and systems that can and often do need to be accessed from a remote or off-site location. Equipped with login credentials and access permissions, individuals such as administrators, billers and coders, consultants, IT staff, physicians, data analysts, transcriptionists, and vendors can gain access to necessary data.
One thing to consider is whether or not a company has the need to monitor Internet usage and activity. This includes looking at things like traffic over networks, who requests access to a system or service, what they do, and the resources they need or want to use. It may also include reviewing and updating permissions and credentials as necessary to maintain security and protocols. When this type of monitoring occurs in the workplace it can be a delicate topic of discussion for both employers and employees. However, some form of monitoring and even tracking is implemented in almost all professional environments and the company may have policies and agreements that contain language such as “inspection and monitoring of these systems are conducted at company discretion…” (Dubicki, 2003). Going further with the concept of monitoring, another implication involves what type of monitoring occurs and what boundaries exist. While it is understood that businesses have the legal right to monitor usage of their resources, such monitoring presents certain ethical questions. Even when assuming that many employees will spend some portion of the workday using company resources, such as computers, telephone, and Internet, for personal use (Gallagher, 2014), how do companies balance expectations of privacy with the need to secure and protect their resources? At what point does such activity cross over into the realm of inappropriate or even illegal? Technological advances certainly help but they also leave room for, and in some cases make it even easier, the chances of misuse and abuse.
References
Dubicki, P. (2003). Acceptable Use Policies and Workplace Privacy: Legal and Ethical Considerations. GIAC Certifications.
Gallagher, Esq., S. (2014). Ethical considerations in monitoring employee Internet usage. ETHIKOS, 5-6.