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COMM 327- Short Essay

Intellectual Property Rights and Internet Security issues

Olivia Huxley (3268834)


Global Cyber War

The internet is a significant evolution of computer technology. It has greatly contributed to


the economy’s standard of living and is present throughout the entire world. As the internet rapidly
grows and infiltrates the economy, so does the frequency of online fraud and crime. IT firms have
executed many security mechanisms, yet there are still loopholes in the system that cyber criminals
can hack into and exploit everyday. In addition to auditing and upgrading software, it is important
that firms in the IT industry partner together and introduce supplementary protection techniques to
enhance their defense against the cunning force of cyber hijackers.

When the internet was launched to the world it was an image of innovation. A disruptive
innovation is a technological innovation that represents an important shift from everything that has
come before (Pol & Carroll 2007, pg17). According to the article “Internet Security”, Microsoft’s
disruptive innovation was the internet. This modernized product allowed connectivity between
computers and introduced new methods of communication that were very attractive to businesses
and consumers. Within months it became a worldwide phenomenon. Yet, the pervasive nature of
the internet also intrigued criminals who soon masterminded how to taunt the system.

Hacking into software and implanting viruses is a major violation of intellectual property
rights. Intellectual property rights are special laws governing patents, copyrights, trade secrets,
trademarks and electronic media (Pol & Carroll 2007, pg60). The purpose of these rights is to give
innovators protection over their works so that it cannot be imitated or unlawfully used. However, it
can be extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to identify people who have breached
intellectual property rights in relation to IT software and the internet. The major negative of the
situation is that hack attacks usually cannot be stopped from occurring. Cyber criminals are
attracted to the internet as they basically have a free pass to perform deceptive and misleading
activities at the expense of the IT forms and online consumers, without being dealt the
consequences of breaking the law.

Microsoft is a company that experiences increasing returns to feedback. It has always been
ahead in the IT industry as the market leader and has the ability to feed off itself and move further
ahead. As Microsoft gets stronger in the market, this causes other IT companies to weaken. Its
power enables it to have the most efficient and highest standard of security systems over all other
firms. However, as the argument in the article “Internet Security” (New Economy Magazine,
September 2009, pg139) mentions, hackers and viruses that diminish internet and software security
is a whole industry issue that affects other IT brands besides Microsoft. To work towards a safer
internet, firms must look at forming virtual alliances with one another. Virtual alliances are a
customer centered pooling of resources that are mutually beneficial and that drive corporate growth
and value (Doug Hardman, 2005).

Companies within the IT industry need to be more accepting of open innovation. Open
innovation means that a firm cannot solve an innovative problem internally, somebody outside the
firm might have a useful piece of knowledge that the firm can use to find the required solution at an
affordable cost (Pol & Carroll 2007, pg155). Software hacking is a major problem across the whole
industry. If firms continue to only search for a solution exclusively within their individual firm then
the issue is most likely to spread even further, instead of declining. It is likely that initial hesitation
will occur, as firms want to guard their innovation from competitors, but unless they network
together and share their ideas about improving the quality of security then future innovations will
continue to be damaged by the same problems.
From the concepts outlined above and in the article, it can be seen that Microsoft and other
IT firms already have security initiatives in place for their software and the internet. However,
despite these attempts, there are still weaknesses in the system and cyber criminals have the ability
to exploit them. The It industry needs to explore further avenues, as the ones currently in use are not
enough to fight hack attacks. In my opinion all firms within the IT industry should ensure they
employ a team of specialised, professional staff who solely focus on monitoring and tracking
hacking patterns. This would be achieved by implementing a high tech data system that is designed
to scan through the internet, analyse any suspicious activities and send alert reports back to the firm.

IT researchers responsible for developing new security software could also consider the
option of forming working relationships with former hackers who have turned consultants. In doing
so, firms gain an insiders perspective into the science of hacking and the methods cyber criminals
use to crack the software codes. Having a few of such consultants at hand would provide Microsoft
and other IT companies with opinions and advice from people who have some of the most critical
knowledge that could help solve the growing problem relating to Internet Security.

In conclusion, if the IT industry is serious about working towards eliminating the hacking of
computer software then firms need to implement new and innovative security mechanisms, rather
than just update the already existing ones. Rather than only looking internally, firms need to
outsource in order to gain expertise not available within their own company. This increases the
knowledge and skill of IT companies that is needed to combat the continuous problems of hacking,
viruses and online scheming. If firms assign an expert team whose sole purpose is to investigate and
analyse the workings of cyber criminals then the companies could gain a better understanding of the
issue from another viewpoint. Besides identifying the vulnerabilities of their own products, firms
can explore and research into future security techniques that aim to pinpoint the host responsible for
hack attacks and block them from manipulating software, the internet and online users. If
successful, these techniques could prove to be a powerful weapon against criminals in the ongoing
global cyber war.
References:

1. Pol, Eduardo; Carroll, Peter 2007, An Introduction to the Creatuve Economy, McGraw- Hill,
North Ryde, NSW, Australia.
2. 2009, “Internet Security”, The New Economy Magazine, Summer edition, publisged
September 2009, pg 138- 139. (article obtained from The New Economy website:
http://www.theneweconomy.com/news/home/infotech/article215.html, accessed Jan 7
2010.)
3. Hardman, Doug; Messinger, David; Bergson, Sara; 2005, Resilience Report, Virtual Scale:
Alliances for Leverage, Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.

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