Running head: INFORMATION ASSURANCE PLAN

Information Assurance Plan

Name
Institution

INFORMATION ASSURANCE PLAN

Information Assurance Plan

Information assurance is the techniques and methods that individuals use to protect and
secure automated information systems through risk management techniques so as to provide
reasonable levels of integrity, authentication, availability, and confidentiality (Boyce & Jennings,
2000). As information security issues continually come in the limelight, it is essential that
businesses, institutions, and organizations have an information assurance plan. Information
assurance establishes a framework that will ensure the safeguarding of organizational
information assets. In this assignment, I will look at an information assurance program in a
university.
Colleges need to employ a solid plan of action with the required tools, trained personnel
and tested procedures strong enough to protect valuable information assets. The challenge is that
many management bodies have not embraced the criticality of information assurance, probably
due to the costs that come with it. However, an information assurance plan has numerous
benefits that come with it, including protection of confidential information that is the heart of an
institution.
An information assurance program creates accountability for each position of authority
within an organization or institution. The professionals concerned should have a deep
understanding of both legal and ethical matters when designing and implementing the best form
of security for an organization. To develop a system that addresses the most significant security
threats, the system designer should understand precisely the legal and ethical guidelines that the
institution wishes to establish.

INFORMATION ASSURANCE PLAN

Through the proper implementation of an effective information assurance plan, the

university can enjoy enhanced levels of security and preparedness while at the same time not
having to compromise the personal safety of the organization's users. An adequate information
assurance plan allows network administrators to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of a
system. Once these factors have been assessed, the university administrators can recommend the
appropriate steps to mitigate potential hazards and possible attacks (Willett, 2008).
It is true that a single security breach can endanger other users in the organization, the
management, and academic and business associates. Information systems require that all students
and employees observe some minimum level of security. The universitys management should
provide the much-required framework for accomplishing technical work as well as assuring the
safety of data and information. All the departmental heads in the college ought to ensure that
information security within their department is treated as a regular business problem and is
solved appropriately. They have to guarantee that information and data loss is prevented at all
costs.
Information assurance roles and responsibilities in the university need to be documented.
This act will help to hold individuals, from students, various departmental heads, and the security
department accountable. With this accountability, they will not have to wait until a problem
occurs and will do their best to take care of whatever has happened.
A major threat to information assurance plan is viruses and other information security
incidences. Computer viruses and do spread at a very fast rate and there is the need to deal with
them as soon as they are detected. The concerned party, particularly the information technology
department should employ virus-checking mechanisms.

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A well implemented information assurance plan can go a long way in positively

impacting on the productivity of an institution and thus cost saving. Developing, implementing,
and updating an information assurance plan is crucial to assuring that a university is in
compliance with legal requirements and to managing students, staff, and other people effectively.
Additionally, the program ensures that the university is capable of supporting its growth, and that
its business practices are characterized by a high level of security. We are all aware that
prevention of security problems is to some extent less expensive than correction and recovery.
The information assurance plan will therefore help reduce costs in the long run.

INFORMATION ASSURANCE PLAN

References
Boyce, J., & Jennings, D. (2002). Information Assurance Managing Organizational IT Security
Risks. Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann.
Willett, K. (2008). Information Assurance Architecture. Boca Raton: CRC Press.