Essay Example on Securing Assets: Exploring Security Challenges and Solutions

Introduction

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. I am glad to have this opportunity to speak to you at this year's ASIS International Seminar and Exhibits on matters concerning various security operational and other challenges confronting organizations in the protection of asset and provision of solutions. Security as a profession is a relatively new field that focuses on the elimination of danger in an organization or society. The 'security' is derived from a Latin word secures, which means "free from danger." The role of security as a profession, therefore, is to provide a stable and relatively predictable environment where there is no harm, disruption, injury, and fear of disturbance. Due to the changing nature of the society, and the resulting threats, the security profession is a dynamic field which acts as a reflection of, and a response to a changing society. The success of any security organization its objectives largely depends on the skills, knowledge, and expertise of different personnel within the sector. The security director is one such critical personnel whose work determines the success of their firms. In today's seminar, I will discuss the various professional responsibilities of a security director and the essential skills they should have to accomplish their protective mission.

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Challenges Confronting Security Directors

Security directors are experiencing many difficulties in their operations in modern society. The rise of technology in contemporary society possesses significant security concerns for many security directors. The increased use of computers and the internet has led to a relatively new security threat that is difficult to detect, prevent, and even to investigate. In previous eras, the role of the security organizations was easy because it involved protecting touchable assets from physical damages and intrusions. In modern society, however, the popularity of computers and the use of the internet has led to the rise of cybersecurity threats. Since cyber threats are relatively new security issues, many security directors are not equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to deal with potential risks.

Consequently, the technological infrastructure and cloud-stored data are at the mercy of hackers and other cybercriminals. In 2011, the losses incurred in the UK as a result of cybercrime were PS27bn, which is approximately 1.8% of the country's GDP (Marcum & Higgins, 2019, 50). These losses occurred as a result of IP address theft, such as the theft of business secrets, data, and finance, among other cybercrimes (Marcum & Higgins, 2019, 50). The number of losses as a result of cybercrime increases each year across the world. For example, in 2017, the cost of cybercrime per minute across the globe was PS0.68 million, while in 2018, the value jumped to PS2.3 million (Marcum & Higgins, 2019, 52). Preventing cybercrime and other internet-related security risks is a significant operational challenge facing security directors in the modern internet technology-driven economy. The solution to these problems is by using highly secured technological infrastructure provided by renowned brands such as Apple, Oracle, and Google (Marcum & Higgins, 2019, 60). The more advanced the security features of the hardware and software used, the more difficult it is for cybercriminals to bridge. Security directors should ensure that their organizations install certified equipment.

Responsibilities of Security Directors

Security directors are entitled to several responsibilities that must be accomplished for their organizations to achieve their goals. Some of these responsibilities include administrative, loss prevention, managerial, and investigation functions. As investigators, security directors should demonstrate their skills and knowledge in the way they manage cases, collect evidence, analyze them, and present findings. They can be capable investigators if they are endowed with the ability to work with others within and outside their organization (Heidt et al., 2019, 1290).

The managerial responsibilities of security directors include making a decision on the most effective security protocol of an organization, enhancing the ability of the organization to conduct surveillance on the security threats, as well as controlling various critical security measures (Sennewald, & Baillie, 2020, 40). Examples of these security measures include the identification, mitigation, and provision of security tools, equipment, and technology to security officers performing different roles.

The most critical responsibility of a security director is to prevent loss of both touchable and untouchable properties. To achieve this responsibility, security directors must define and identify possible risks and select the most effective mitigation strategies or preventive mechanism. Security risks often subject organizations to increased chances of loss of assets through the destruction of property, theft, or damage of workers. This responsibility can be achieved if security directors can identify preventive measures (Heidt et al., 2019, 1295). In terms of administrative functions, security directors should assign security duties to workers and supervise them. Besides, they should define security operation procedures, ensure the proper keeping of security records, and effective management of security equipment and resources.

Critical Skills

The responsibilities of security directors are difficult tasks that can be accomplished if the personnel have some essential skills. The first skill is the ability to assess risk. Capable directors must be able to conduct threat surveys and determine the possibility of security risks occurring. If the chances of the risk arising are relatively high, and the resulting impact will be disastrous, they should set up necessary preventive measures. Besides, they should have design skills to allow them to make integrated security system structures that comprise equipment, procedures, and people. For them to successfully conduct managerial responsibilities, they should have excellent management skills. Skill in management involves a proper analysis of a situation and making the appropriate decision in response to the security problem at hand (Sennewald & Baillie, 2020, 34). Lastly, security directors must have excellent communication, intrapersonal, and interpersonal skills to be able to interact and get the best out of their colleagues and subordinates.

Relationship with Internal and External Entities

Internal and external relationship are critical entities that help security directors to meet their operational objectives. The importance of these relationships is their ability to help security directors gather all possible information about the security of their organization. Establishing a relationship with internal entities allows the security director to get access to critical information about events and activities that place within the organization (Silva, 2019, 156). Such information is vital to understanding the security issues that may arise from within the organization. For example, it makes it possible to uncover unethical practices such as the unauthorized sale of the organization's properties (Silva, 2019, 160). Both the external and internal entities act as the third eye to the security director, especially in matters where the subordinate security officers are involved in work-related misconduct. External entities include security officers from a different organization who can provide critical information about the security concern in their region, industry, or even organization. Such data are crucial in establishing a robust security system that can effectively respond to security threats facing the organization.

Conclusion

From our discussion, it is evident that organizations should take the security of the properties seriously for their effective performance. Security directors play a critical role in ensuring that organizations achieve their security goals. Some of their responsibilities include the prevention of losses, administration, management, and investigation of security matters. Despite these critical responsibilities, security directors experience a lot of challenges, especially on issues concerning technology and internet usage as a result of cybercrimes. For them to effectively overcome various security challenges as well as perform their responsibilities, security directors are equipped with critical skills. Lastly, they should establish a productive relationship with both the internal and external entities to gain valuable information that will guide the creation of an effective security system.

References

Heidt, M., Gerlach, J. P., & Buxmann, P. (2019). Investigating the security divide between SME and large companies: How SME characteristics influence organizational IT securityinvestments. Information Systems Frontiers, 21(6), 1285-1305. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10796-019-09959-1

Marcum, C. D., & Higgins, G. E. (2019). Cybercrime. In Handbook on Crime and Deviance (pp. 459-475). Springer, Cham.

Sennewald, C. A., & Baillie, C. (2020). Effective security management. Butterworth-Heinemann.

Silva, M. (2019). Security Measures: Personnel. In Strategic Security Management (pp. 155-179). CRC Press. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/e/9780429506611/chapters/10.4324/978042950661