Introduction
Huffman Trucking is a trucking company established in 1936. It is a national company with several employees. It operates in Los Angeles California and many places. There was a request for an election system (service number sr-ht-001) that would help in tracking employee records and help bring out employee benefits. An Election System is indispensable; it allows people, students, and employees of organizations to vote for their leaders. It would guide the process of voting and outline the rules of voting and how votes are cast. In such an endeavor, there are Potential Risks, Security Requirements associated with the establishment of an election system so requested by Huffman Trucking Company. This paper would widely address these issues along with the mitigation of the risks.
Potential Risks
In Remenyi (1999), uncertainties bring about risk. The companies need to identify risks associated with systems development so that strategies for managing them are put in place. Risks are categorized as market risk, the risk to customers, credit risk, operational risk, exposure to uncertain market value, price risk, foreign exchange risk, and the uncertainty that a contracting party can meet the obligation. Risk identification helps companies to remain competitive in the turbulent market. If the company identifies risks in time it would be proactive about the market, be accountable in operations, credit, performance, transparency, and have a well laid down strategy in all endeavors. Huffman Trucking Company is no exception to establishing a system that would bring several benefits to employees, and this can be seen when it requested an election system. The risks of such systems are
Risks to customers
In systems, unknown people may create malicious websites that could steal visitors’ IDs and Passwords and that could lead to theft of credit cards of the customers.
Risks of Viruses and Malicious code overflows
Computer systems and online websites have such things as Trojans horses viruses and malicious codes that make the system slow in its operations and even loss of data.
Market Risk
In Remenyi (1999), he defines market risk as “an exposure to uncertain portfolio value of market”. The market portfolio today could not be the same in periods to come. In the market, prices of commodities keep fluctuating from day- today. To mitigate these risks, losses are avoided. Risk management software helps to provide tools that allow the management to deal with these risks and reduce exposure to them.
Credit Risk
This is when there is uncertainty that a customer can meet the obligation. With this kind of risk, consideration of default probability and recovery rate should be in place.
The risk management software helps organizations to manage credit risk by properly assessing the capability of the customers submitting their payment as due and thus avoids such losses that may accrue
Operational risk
According to Remenyi (1999), Operation risk is defined as, “risk resulting from failed cooperation between people, processes, systems and/or external events.”
When there is an impasse in the coordination of the operations of an organization, the risk management software would provide organizations with the capability of managing such operational risks that come about by inadequate coordination of the people, processes, and systems of the company.
Benefits of Election System required by Huffman Trucking Company
When implemented, an election system would bring with it several benefits to the company, employees, and would ensure that a company remains competitive in the ever turbulent market. Some of the benefits would be.
The system would bring with it security measures that prevent unauthorized access to electronic resources. Through the system, there are strategies for controlling risks that could be of danger to a company, such as secure access to only the administration of the system and only allowing authorized users access the system.
Through this system, a clear definition to all the parties is in place and makes them have trust in the system. In most cases, employees would be represented in union with people whom they did not trust and were never voted for by the majority. With an election system, the majority power would rule, and there would be an atmosphere of exemplary leadership in the organization. Voters are allowed to choose the right people rather than parties.
The system is simple to use and understand. Through it, the link between constituents and representatives is promoted. The system responds in real-time, providing access only to users who need them and are allowed to have access to the system.
With this system, the company has a consolidated user administration with uniform management of user accounts and profiles in the entire company.
The system has a single sign-in where the users typically log on by entering a user name and a password log-in verified so the process is verified.
The system has a strong authentication in which a biometric match is required. It goes beyond just merely password and log-in name.
The ability of the employees to elect their benefits at one location and a continuous service (24/7/365), and access to the companies operations, make the employees perform duties at their own pleasure time for they obtain documents, information, and forms at the same online place as well as to view current and previous elections at any point. The system is easy to be administered as there are no skills required
Security requirements
This is in pursuit so that unauthorized users cannot have access to important information on the company that may result in loss of data and improper operations. There should be an extensive security measurement that checks on the administrative, operational, physical, computer, communications, and personnel controls.
There should be proper training and education of the system so that employees can be aware of how to deal with the system. Security threats should be identified in time and verification that the security features and operating controls are functioning effectively and reliably (TrÄŤek, 2006).
As a security measure, there should be a high restriction to any data access; this should be achieved by only allowing authorized personnel to the data through encryption. This ensures that there are no malicious users who could otherwise interfere with the companies’ information for their advantage.
All previous users should be removed from the system, as they could interfere with the operations of the company, who knows they could still even transactions on behalf of the company, and this could bring mistrust of the company by the customers.
Password provision should be only the eligible employees to avoid unnecessary access to the company’s information. There should be a paper audit trail so that when a vote is cast or any transaction is done, a printable receipt provision to assure voters and customers that their vote/payment is already recorded.
References
Remenyi, D. (1999). Stop IT project failure through risk management. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Trček, D. (2006). Managing information systems security and privacy. New York: Birkhäuser.