Info Systems Research Paper: Acceptable Use Policy (Essay Sample)

Info Systems: Acceptable Use Policy
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Info Systems: Acceptable Use Policy
An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is a manuscript containing rules that stipulate practices and constraints for utilization of computer resources within organizations. The AUP documents are extensively used by businesses, schools, corporations, website owners as well as internet service providers (ISPs) to enhance integrity and confidentiality while accessing corporate internet or network (Johnson, 2015). The document contains several items such as the philosophy of an organization, code of conduct as well as consequences of violating the policy among others. According to the law, every institution with an access of internet has the mandate to draw and implement an Acceptable Use Policy for legal purposes. Therefore, this paper will discuss the purpose of an AUP, give a critique of the selected AUP as well as provide a further recommendation for improvement. Additionally, it will examine methods that organizations can implement to ensure proper compliance with AUP as well as describe methods for increasing awareness of an AUP and other policies within the organization.
Besides, the key purpose of an AUP is to provide guidelines on proper usage and management of computer resources within an organization (Calder, 2005). For instance, the document contains privacy rights, behaviors prohibited by the federal law as well as other prohibited actions by a company. Remarkably, inappropriate use of Internet resources may result in computer risks such as legal issues, compromise of services and network system and virus attacks. Confidentiality is provided through password management by outlining security details on managing intellectual privacy, software licenses and passwords. Also, the document raises user awareness on their accountability for the information they store, access, use or process. By so doing, integrity, confidentiality as well as availability within the organization is provided. Additionally, proper monitoring and assessment of the policy enhance integrity among the employees or workers of an organization (Calder, 2005).
EarthLink Company is an American Internet service provider and has a well-illustrated Acceptable Use Policy. The AUP outlines the company violations such as using the internet for illegal purposes such as transmitting and receiving contents that violate both company and federal law. Some of the violations highlighted include fraudulent financial activity such as Ponzi or pyramid schemes, trademark and copyright infringement, spamming, threats and harassment, unauthorized network access and multiple logins among others (EarthLink, 2015). Notably, the company AUP provides guidelines on how to report violations by clearly stating the IP used, date, time and evidence. Remarkably, the organization illustrates extensively on how to address AUP violations. For example, the company can issue a verbal or written warning, suspend, terminate or remove member's account or take a legal action where necessary (EarthLink, 2015). Finally, the AUP provides guidelines for further revisions and implementation. However, there are recommendations to improve the EarthLink AUP. On the review section, the AUP should provide guidance on training employees whenever a change occurs rather than just posting it on the Company website. By so doing, awareness is achieved hence minimizing the violations incidences.
Notably, several methods can be implemented by organizations to ensure compliance with AUP, mitigate risk exposure as well as reduce liability. For instance, the primary method to be applied is proper training of employees on security measures. Employees should be trained on their unknown security risks such as poorly designed passwords that intensify network attack risk and improper laptop control that result in proprietary information loss among others (Brown, 2014). In fact, trained workers are the strongest security asset for any organization. Similarly, continuous internal evaluation should be implemented to assess employee's level of security awareness. By so doing, the organization will mitigate risk exposures hence minimizing company liabilities. Additionally, continuous monitoring of the worker's performance is significant since the employer will be able to evaluate compliance with the accepted use policy (Calder, 2005). The EarthLink organization AUP accomplishes the goals of ensuring compliance, mitigating risk exposure as well as minimization of liabilities by proper training of all her employees on computer and internet security. Also, the company has a well-established monitoring and assessment system hence ensuring extensive compliance of the AUP.
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