Securing Critical Infrastructures and Cyber Systems Assignment

Securing Critical Infrastructures and Cyber Systems - Assignment Example rrespondence to securing our cyberspace will eventually affect how safe and secure we are as a country and the benefits our country will reap from this digital era. Infrastructure control systems face risks because of system vulnerabilities, cyber threats and grave probable effect of attacks as displayed by reported incidents. Cyber threats can be targeted or untargeted, intentional or not and come from numerous places. Control systems are nowadays more vulnerable to cyber-attacks because of numerous reasons, counting the increased connectivity of systems through the internet. From evidences of past control attacks, it is clear that effect on critical infrastructure is vast. In 2003 for instance, a computer virus shut down the train signaling system all through the East Coast. In 2006, a foreign hacker planted malicious software that had the ability of affecting a water treatment plant’s operations. Infrastructure owners face organizational and technical challenges to securing control systems. Technical challenges include restricted processing abilities, design constraints and real-time operations all of which deter the owner’s ability to implement information technology security processes. Organizational defies which include difficulty in coming up with convincing business case for capitalizing in security and contradictory priorities of information security personnel and engineers. Numerous private sector acts such as standard setting associations and trade associations are putting up efforts to aid in securing control systems. The efforts put forth by the private sector entities include, providing guidance to members, developing standards and hosting workshops on security of control systems. For instance, the electricity industry recently advanced standards for the cyber security of their control systems and a trade association (gas) is in the process of developing gu idance to members to use encryption as a security measure to protect control

Analysis of Compensation Philosophy Research Paper

Analysis of Compensation Philosophy - Research Paper Example The policies and underlying philosophy governing the company’s compensation program are designed to accomplish the following objectives: Maintain a compensation program that is equitable in a competitive marketplace. Provide opportunities that integrate pay with the company's annual and long?term performance goals. Maintain an appropriate balance between base salary and short and long-term incentive opportunities. Recognize and reward individual initiative and achievements. Provide a clear focus and measurement on key objectives with a meaningful link to rewards. Achieve a performance-driven work culture that generates the company’s growth Provide compensation and benefits levels within our company’s financial ability to pay. Encourage competency building by better linking career development, performance management, and rewards. Provide a non-discriminatory merit-based compensation program. At the same time, the compensation program of Excel Consulting Company is designed to attract, motivate and retain talented employees. This is evident through working towards the company’s success, attracting and retaining the highest performers. According to Martocchio (2011), base pay is set by a formal job hierarchy. The author states that pay rewards should be obtained by merit or seniority, meeting specific goals or completing a specific project or as a result of acquiring new job skills or knowledge. That is why the author states that Excel Consulting strives to provide a competitive base salary that meets the market at the 50th percentile for fully proficient employees who meet expectations. Also, it is evident between the 60th and 75th percentile for employees who consistently perform above expectations and are highly proficient in their roles. New employees that do not meet expectations will be paid below the 50th percentile target (Martocchio,2011). The competitiveness of employees' base salaries will be reviewed on an annual basis and a djustments made when market conditions and financial performance allows. The size of the adjustment will be based on the employee’s experience, performance, and contribution to Excel Consulting Company’s performance as well as the employee’s salary within the marketplace. Also, Excel Consulting will use both annual incentives and long-term incentives to enhance its ability to achieve its mission and its employee compensation objectives. In this case, long-term incentives will be performance-based and will provide equity compensation at the 50th percentile when target goals are met with the potential for awards. However, it will be between the 60th and 75th percentile when long-term goals are exceeded. The payment of an incentive award to an employee will be subject to the employee’s achievement of pre-established targets. Excel consulting compensation programs will also ensure internal equity by considering differences among employees in skills, efforts, responsibilities and working conditions. This implies that visible effective commitment to the Excel consulting Company will also be rewarded. The company will also ensure that its compensation structure is linked to an effective performance management system (Daft et al, 2010).  Ã‚