Read the story below. In a paragraph or two, 200-250 words, describe what you would do if you were Fred now faced with this challenge. What would be someways to move this project forward?

What would you do?

Read the story below. In a paragraph or two, 200-250 words, describe what you would do if you were Fred now faced with this challenge. What would be someways to move this project forward? Flippant responses such as quitting, finding a new job, or nothing at all, while real life options and probably what Fred’s predecessor did, are not acceptable responses for the purposes of this discussion. If you borrow ideas from other sources, properly cite them.

It Really Happens!

Like many people, Fred Jones thought he had a difficult job. As the Information Systems Manager in a small school district, he was responsible for operating a district-wide computer network–everything from installation and maintenance to user support and training. While it was clearly not a one-man job, he was his own one-man staff. Fred had tried to explain to his superintendent that the district’s network was vulnerable to a range of threats because his small budget and non-existent staff prevented him from handling system security effectively, but his warnings had always been ignored.

One morning at a staff meeting, and much to Fred’s surprise, the superintendent announced that he had read a newspaper article about a student breaking into a neighboring school district’s computer system and changing report card records. The boss proceeded to declare that Fred was now being charged with developing and instituting a computer security policy for the school district.

As soon as the meeting was over, Fred approached the superintendent to request an appointment for them to discuss a shared vision for development of the security policy. “Effective security policy requires input and commitment from the whole organization, so I think we should sit down and map out a plan for developing our security policy,” Fred asserted.

But the superintendent declined the invitation to participate in the policy-development process. “Fred, I’m just too busy to get involved in this project. I trust you to do a job that will make us all proud.” When Fred asked about expanding his staff and budget to meet the increased workload, the superintendent again dismissed the issue. “Fred, times are tough and the budget is lean. Maybe next year we’ll be able to work something out. In the meantime, you get cracking on securing our system as if your job depends on it… in fact, I guess your job does depend on it.”

Fred watched his unrealistic, if well-intentioned, boss walk away, realizing that his job was no longer difficult, but truly impossible. He was now expected to develop, institute, manage, and monitor an organization-wide security policy without assistance, consent, or buy-in from a single employee, much less empowered high-level administrators. He knew that the organizational support he failed to receive meant that there was little chance of his being able to effectively secure the system–and that it was just a matter of time before a significant breach in system security would take place. Fred found himself in the terrible position of being responsible for stopping the inevitable, yet powerless to do so.

Security policy: Development and implementation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/safetech/chapter3.asp