See assignment criteria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

See assignment criteria - Essay Example Lando Calrissian, of Alderaan Security Solutions Ltd., claims that companies must implement the latest and most advanced technologies to protect client data and that the European Union’s Electronic Signature Directive not only puts electronic signatures on equal footing with physical ones, but also assigns responsibility for the technology underpinning electronic signatures. I believe Lando Calrissian is wrong in his assessment that companies must implement the latest and most advanced technologies to protect client data, but I do agree that the Electronic Signature Directive puts electronic signatures on equal footing with physical ones and that it also assigns responsibility for the technologies that electronic signatures employ. The statement made by Lando Calrissian regarding the requirement for companies to deploy the latest and most advanced technologies to protect confidential client data is misguided. Indeed, his argument is based entirely on the premise that not only is technology infallible, but that all security breaches can be avoided. Between power and network outages, maintenance downtime and natural events, it is utterly impossible to maintain or guarantee perpetual 100% integrity of an online data warehouse due to its reliance on a distributed physical infrastructure. Moreover, with new virtual security threats emerging on a daily basis, the depreciating cost of processing power and the pervasiveness of high-speed networks, unlawfully gaining access to a secured remote computer system is only a question of skill, time and opportunity. Since The Protection of Individuals with Regard to the Processing of Personal Data and on the Free Movement of Such Data 1995 art 17 establishes that only the deployment of appropriate security instruments sufficient to maintain an adequate level of security are required, it is clear that legislation only expects companies to accomplish their due diligence in attempting to maintain the integrity of their cli ents’ confidential data. Therefore, it would probably be most responsible of companies to i) delegate their IT security to consulting firms and to ii) insure themselves against the risk of data security breaches, rather than engage in the technological rat race of unremitting software transition and constant security infrastructure turnover. I do agree with Lando Calrissian’s statement that the Electronic Signature Directive puts electronic signatures on equal footing with physical signatures. Indeed, a physical signature not only signifies consent of the signatory to the subject matter, it also provides a crude form of verifiability of the signatory’s identity. This time-honored practice is vulnerable to forgery with minimal skill and to usurpation of identity and misrepresentation of intent, since the legitimate signature of the signatory is not always readily known to the other contracting party. On the other hand, electronic signatures using paired public an d private keys as implied by the Community Framework for Electronic Signatures 1999 art 2 deliver a more robust and reliable voucher of the signatory’s identity. In fact, electronic signatures of this type require far more advanced skills to forge than physical signatures do, skills not readily accessible to most individuals. Furthermore, given the high-speed data cross-referencing infrastructure already deployed whereby the identity of a signatory can be rapidly validated with distant third

Small Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Small Business - Essay Example The major advantages are that a franchisee is able to establish and operate a well established business in a new area where the whole marketing system inputs and guidelines are provided by the franchisor on a continuous basis. The franchisee is able to start business with a relatively small initial investment that has prospects of good return with immediate effects. The recurrent training and proven marketing strategies provided by the franchisor boost the confidence of the franchisee and help him to expand his business significantly. The main limitations are the loss of independence in running the business as one wants and restriction in the operational area comprising mainly of the goods and services that can be sold in specific areas. Other conditions like the restrictions on resale of franchisee rights and the individual advertising efforts are hurdles that restrict further scope for the franchisee. The main advantages of franchisor are that they are able to expand their business and spread them in wider areas of operation in a relatively short time and with reduced capital cost. By facilitating goods and services to the franchisee, the franchisor is relieved of the pressures of day today operation and therefore is better able to focus on his core business and developing network activities and franchisee support programs and strategies. The major aspect is that he is able to control the appearance and operation of the franchisee outlets as per his standards, thereby help maintain the credibility and high standard of his brands. The limitations of the potential franchisor are that it needs to keep updated with the training and strategies for its franchisee to meet the emerging challenges of the advancing technologies. Though the profit margins are considerably reduced but the widening network of franchisee, selected judiciously, help increase the overall profit with considerably less stress. Another major limitation is that expanding in foreign