Using the Internet, dedicated lines could expand the network of people with access into and out of the organization exponentially, for new global reach. At first, the idea was considered too risky. But, as cost benefit equations were reviewed, and security systems were put in place to ward off the hordes of electronic invaders, doing business on the Internet no longer seemed quite so dangerous. Electronic commerce was born. As connectivity grows, driven by e-commerce and the Internet, so does risk.
Many organizations are confident in their ability to handle risk.
At the same time, most believe they face increasing threats from industrial spies, foreign governments, competitors, and even legitimate business partners. The top external threats facing corporate networks come from hackers, unauthorized users, and computer terrorists. But insufficient resources allocated to monitor network security can obscure the degree to which organizations are exposed. Businesses are often unaware that they have experienced break-ins because they are not effectively monitoring their internal networks and links to business partners. The conflict between growing risks, lack of monitoring tools in place, and reduced budgets, continues to be an important issue.