Understanding the Information Security Landscape in South Africa

2012 ◽  
pp. 90-102
Author(s):  
Blessing Maumbe ◽  
Vesper T. Owei
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Information Security ◽  
Information Overload ◽  
Security Risks ◽  
Unauthorized Access ◽  
Major Threat ◽  
Individual Privacy ◽  
Security Infrastructure ◽  
Privacy And Confidentiality ◽  
Withholding Information

Information security risks are a major threat to South Africa’s bid to build a broad-based information society. The integration of information security in e-government is no longer an option, but an imperative given the resulting “information overload” and the need to filter “good” from “bad” information. Unless South Africa integrates information security in its e-government development policy and practices, the acclaimed benefits of e-government will not be realized. The moral hazard problems arising from bad information behavior such as human manipulation, withholding information, unauthorized access, and violation of individual privacy and confidentiality heightens the need to combat info-security risks and vulnerabilities. South Africa’s readiness to deal with the information security risks has come under scrutiny. The information security infrastructure in South Africa is also not clearly understood. This chapter examines South Africa’s information security landscape and describes how institutional and agency coordination could help improve information security in e-government.

Understanding the Information Security Landscape in South Africa

2015 ◽  
pp. 1018-1031
Author(s):  
Blessing M. Maumbe ◽  
Vesper T. Owei
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Information Security ◽  
Information Overload ◽  
Security Risks ◽  
Unauthorized Access ◽  
Major Threat ◽  
Individual Privacy ◽  
Security Infrastructure ◽  
Privacy And Confidentiality ◽  
Withholding Information

Information security risks are a major threat to South Africa's bid to build a broad-based information society. The integration of information security in e-government is no longer an option, but an imperative given the resulting “information overload” and the need to filter “good” from “bad” information. Unless South Africa integrates information security in its e-government development policy and practices, the acclaimed benefits of e-government will not be realized. The moral hazard problems arising from bad information behavior such as human manipulation, withholding information, unauthorized access, and violation of individual privacy and confidentiality heightens the need to combat info-security risks and vulnerabilities. South Africa's readiness to deal with the information security risks has come under scrutiny. The information security infrastructure in South Africa is also not clearly understood. This chapter examines South Africa's information security landscape and describes how institutional and agency coordination could help improve information security in e-government.

E-Planning

2010 ◽  
pp. 404-419
Author(s):  
Stephen Kwamena Aikins
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Information Security ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Gis Technology ◽  
Security Risks ◽  
Urban And Regional Planning ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Security Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Planning And Development ◽  
Development Processes

This chapter discusses the security risks and management implications for the use of information technology to manage urban and regional planning and development processes. The advancement in GIS technology and planning support systems has provided the opportunity for planning agencies to adopt innovative processes to aid and improve decision-making. Although studies show that a number of impediments to the widespread adoption these technologies exist, emerging trends point to opportunities for the integration of planning supporting systems with various models to help estimate urban growth, environmental, economic and social impact, as well as to facilitate participatory planning. At the same time, information security infrastructure and security preparedness of most public agencies lag behind vulnerabilities. Drawing on the literature on planning, e-planning and information security, the author argues that the emergence of e-planning as an efficient approach to urban planning and development also poses enormous security challenges that need to be managed to ensure integrity, confidentiality and availability of critical planning information for decision-making.

Knowledge Transfer in Information Security Capacity Building for Community-Based Organizations

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 52-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janine L. Spears ◽  
Tonia San Nicolas-Rocca
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Information Security ◽  
Knowledge Transfer ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Security Risk ◽  
Security Risks ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Services Sector ◽  
Community Based Organizations ◽  
Study Results

Community-based organizations (CBOs) in the health and human services sector handle very sensitive client information, such as psychiatric, HIV testing, criminal justice, and financial records. With annual revenue often in the range of $1 to $10 million, these organizations typically lack the financial, labor, and technical resources to identify and manage information security risks within their environment. Therefore, information security risk assessments were conducted at CBOs as part of a university service learning course intended to ultimately improve security within participating CBOs. Knowledge transfer between trainees and trainers is essential in order for security improvements to be realized. Therefore, this paper constructs a theoretical model of knowledge transfer that is used as a lens through which to examine initial study results of the CBO interventions as part of an exploratory study.

scholarly journals Challenges in Contact Tracing by Mining Mobile Phone Location Data for COVID-19: Implications for Public Governance in South Africa

10.28945/4736 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 101-124
Author(s):  
Paul Kariuki ◽  
Lizzy O Ofusori ◽  
Prabhakar Rontala Subramanniam ◽  
Moses Okpeku ◽  
Maria L Goyayi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Public Governance ◽  
The Public ◽  
Location Data ◽  
Pertinent Data ◽  
Privacy And Confidentiality

Aim/Purpose: The paper’s objective is to examine the challenges of using the mobile phone to mine location data for effective contact tracing of symptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and asymptomatic individuals and the implications of this technology for public health governance. Background: The COVID-19 crisis has created an unprecedented need for contact tracing across South Africa, requiring thousands of people to be traced and their details captured in government health databases as part of public health efforts aimed at breaking the chains of transmission. Contact tracing for COVID-19 requires the identification of persons who may have been exposed to the virus and following them up daily for 14 days from the last point of exposure. Mining mobile phone location data can play a critical role in locating people from the time they were identified as contacts to the time they access medical assistance. In this case, it aids data flow to various databases designated for COVID-19 work. Methodology: The researchers conducted a review of the available literature on this subject drawing from academic articles published in peer-reviewed journals, research reports, and other relevant national and international government documents reporting on public health and COVID-19. Document analysis was used as the primary research method, drawing on the case studies. Contribution: Contact tracing remains a critical strategy in curbing the deadly COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa and elsewhere in the world. However, given increasing concern regarding its invasive nature and possible infringement of individual liberties, it is imperative to interrogate the challenges related to its implementation to ensure a balance with public governance. The research findings can thus be used to inform policies and practices associated with contact tracing in South Africa. Findings: The study found that contact tracing using mobile phone location data mining can be used to enforce quarantine measures such as lockdowns aimed at mitigating a public health emergency such as COVID-19. However, the use of technology can expose the public to criminal activities by exposing their locations. From a public governance point of view, any exposure of the public to social ills is highly undesirable. Recommendations for Practitioners: In using contact tracing apps to provide pertinent data location caution needs to be exercised to ensure that sensitive private information is not made public to the extent that it compromises citizens’ safety and security. The study recommends the development and implementation of data use protocols to support the use of this technology, in order to mitigate against infringement of individual privacy and other civil liberties. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should explore ways of improving digital applications in order to improve the acceptability of the use of contact tracing technology to manage pandemics such as COVID-19, paying attention to ethical considerations. Impact on Society: Since contact tracing has implications for privacy and confidentiality it must be conducted with caution. This research highlights the challenges that the authorities must address to ensure that the right to privacy and confidentiality is upheld. Future Research: Future research could focus on collecting primary data to provide insight on contact tracing through mining mobile phone location data. Research could also be conducted on how app-based technology can enhance the effectiveness of contact tracing in order to optimize testing and tracing coverage. This has the potential to minimize transmission whilst also minimizing tracing delays. Moreover, it is important to develop contact tracing apps that are universally inter-operable and privacy-preserving.

scholarly journals Information Security in E-Government: Legal Aspects

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (69) ◽  
pp. 361-372
Author(s):  
Viacheslav Politanskyi ◽  
Dmytro Lukianov ◽  
Hanna Ponomarova ◽  
Oleh Gyliaka
Keyword(s):  
Information Security ◽  
Computer Security ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Legal Aspects ◽  
Political Situation ◽  
Modern Computer ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Security Infrastructure ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Concept Of Information

The article examines the characteristics of the functioning of information security in the e-government system, a phenomenon that is only possible based on the development of the information security infrastructure. The authors analyze information security as a key element of the concept of e-government, as well as various interpretations and ways of explaining the concept of information security. The research team's approach to the definition of the concept of information security is formed from the deep understanding of this concept, in terms of general theoretical analysis. Topics, objects, functions, types, principles, forms, levels of provision and structural elements of information security are studied. It is concluded that the organization of modern computer security of the State is undoubtedly a complex, systemic and multilevel phenomenon, whose state, dynamics, and perspectives are directly influenced by many external and internal factors, the most important being the political situation. In the world the presence of possible external and internal threats; state and level of development of information and communication of the country and internal political situation, among other aspects.

scholarly journals THE EXTANDING OF ECONOMIC-COST MODEL OF INFORMATION SECURITY RISKS MANAGMENT BY THE USE OF SOCIAL-PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPES OF INTRUDERS

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Олександр Євгенійович Архипов ◽  
Андрій Володимирович Скиба ◽  
Олена Іванівна Хоріна
Keyword(s):  
Information Security ◽  
Cost Model ◽  
Economic Cost ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Security Risks ◽  
Psychological Types
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