Outsourcing I.T. Security: Necessity or 

 Uncertainty?

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    Overseeing an organization’s I.T. infrastructure is an overwhelming task, not to mention expensive and time-consuming.  Nowadays, organizations are faced with an array of cyber threats that make them vulnerable.  They found themselves struggling to protect their critical I.T. assets and data.

 

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    Hiring and training an efficient I.T team in-house could be costly.  Maintaining risk analysis, security applications and equipment are expensive.  Outsourcing I.T. security can cause a significant reduction in the operating expenses.  It gives the organization flexibility through the service provider’s support, expertise and state-of-the-art technology to keep up with the emerging security trends.  The organization can also focus more to core objectives if I.T. security functions are handled by trusted outsource providers.  It will ensure that processes are up to date and compliant with the relevant regulations of the industry, thereby increasing the security of employees and costumers.

 

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    Though there are a lot of positive consequences to outsourcing, it is not void of issues.  Outsourcing may mean placing sensitive or confidential data in the mercy of an outside entity.  Outsourcing may not be the right option if your organization has a vested interest in maintaining full control over security.  Another drawback is that some service providers are handling I.T. security needs of multiple organizations at once so it may be unable to devote an absolute focus in your organization causing a delay in the resolution of some minor issues.

 

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    Managing information security outsourcing is usually undertaken in a dynamic cooperation environment.  The service provider and the client organization should cooperate under various contractual arrangements.  The tasks of improving security quality depends on the security effort of both the service provider and the client organization.

Sources:

Uncertainty business I.T. security pros and cons (n.d.).  Braeden Business System.     Retrieved from https://www.braedenonline.com

Antonucci, Y.L et al. (1998, June 1).  The pros and cons of I.T. outsourcing
panacea or poison? Journal of Accounting.  Retrieved from                                               https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/1998/jun/antonucci.html

Wu, Y. et al. (2021, January). Managing information security outsourcing in a dynamic cooperation environment.  Journal of the Association of Information                             Systems. 22(3). Retrieved from https://aisel.aisnet.org/jais/vol22/iss3/2/