Handbook of Information Security, Volume 1, Key Concepts, Infrastructure, Standards, and Protocols

E-Government Security Issues and Measures

William C. Barker, National Institute of Standards and Technology

E-Government Initiatives

Definitions of E-Government

Examples of E-Government Program Types

Security Issues Associated with E-Government

Availability

Integrity

Confidentiality and Privacy

Security Measures for E-Government

Mechanisms and Techniques

Implementation and Management

Summary

Glossary

Cross References

References

E-GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES

Definitions of E-Government

E-government, a contraction of “electronic government,” refers to the use by government agencies of information technologies (such as the Internet) to conduct interactions with citizens, with businesses, and with other arms of the government. E-government initiatives seek to improve delivery of government services to citizens, improve interactions with business and industry, empower citizens through access to information, and improve government management efficiency. E-government can potentially result in less corruption, more transparency, greater convenience, revenue growth, and cost reductions (World Bank Group, n.d.).

General

Traditionally, the interaction between a citizen or business and a government agency took place in a government office. With emerging information and communication technologies, it is possible to locate service centers closer to the clients. Such centers may consist of an unattended kiosk in the government agency, a service kiosk located close to the client, or the use of a personal ...