Security Policies and Implementation Issues, 3rd Edition

The Weakest Link in the Information Security Chain

Security experts consider people the weakest link in security. Unlike automated security controls, different people have different skill levels. People can also let their guard down. They get tired or distracted and may not have information security in mind when they do their jobs. Automated controls have advantages over people. An automated control never sleeps or takes a vacation. An automated control can work relentlessly and execute flawlessly. The major advantage people have over automated controls is the ability to deal with the unexpected. An automated control is limited because it can mitigate only risks that it has been designed for.

This section looks at different ways in which ...