Library to face challenges and prevent cyber threats

[Farid Bazmi]

When I am busy finalizing my research in a final shape, The  people in America condole the 10^th  anniversary of the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center. The whole world is worried about the surprised and unbelievable attack on the World Trade center in a highly developed and safe country like the United States. Security specialist could not have imagined in their dreams.In fact, this attack must have been a subject of the inquiry and investigation to find out, where the human, technical or security measures failed.

I myself discharging my duties in a highly secure premises of the police headquarters as a librarian from where I could not find or seen any external threat.The desperate act that took place in America made me think that a mischievous element, disgruntled employee, Publisher, book seller,  unauthorized user want to damage or modify the library's information he can entered through the
internet and will be successful to do so.

Library is a place where not only information regarding books is available but also a place where you can exchange books, purchasing process, financial resources, e-tendering process, in addition to the personal information of users is stored.

What can be done if by any means an unauthorized person get in to the library network and modify or delete information? It is a burning question across the world regarding security measures in library network.

The latest
example of the cyber attack conducted on the world famous and safe library was
on “Library of Congress”, The attack on the “Library of Congress” made me took
the challenge to work on the concept and encouraged me to work on the complex subject and is strengthened to fruition.

Being in police department it was my moral responsibility that I should contribute to make a plan to prevent cyber threats in the libraries.In the current scenario, it is essential how we should secure library information by cyber attack or unauthorized access/use of information.

As some of the libraries are not facilitated by the IT experts and enough resources are not provide for prevention of cyber threats risks. The information stored in the library are great assets, which is
equivalent to the economy of a nation. These kinds of attacks not only modify the information, but would breach the privacy of library users.

This research is not a wakeup call. In other words, it is a silent alarm for the librarian, because libraries are small fish in a big ocean and are soft targets for hacking. library computer network security,  ulnerabilities and cyber threats, some of the challenges which are to be prevented are privacy
of users, pornography, unauthorized access, identity theft etc.), These unlawful activities can be encountered by Risk management, disaster plan, security audit plan & develop a security policy,

 

Modern challenges and Cyber Threats

            Information is the key factor of everything, either it is society or the state. Everything is being regulated by information, that's why collection of information resources become so valuable and it needs to develop strong security measures and risk management policy. World's largest library of
Congress (United States) is losing enough data in cyber attacks to fill the Library of Congress many times and authorities have failed to stay ahead of the threat.

            Hackers have stolen/modify/delete intellectual property, financial secrets, including the loss of sensitive and unclassified data. Ensuring the national security in information exchange, struggle against electronic crimes; Taking into account the national interests, creating conditions to ensure rights of citizens and organizations to safely obtain and use of electronic information; creating an
environment providing citizens' information security.                                 

Neighboring opponent countries are attacking our valuable information resources frequently. Recently our high level national investigating agency CBI has been hacked by so called our neighboring country. Apart from this some errant new computer hackers are challenging our security
system and trying to crack our security system.

            In this perspective I am suggesting a new security policy and providing safety measures for libraries to face challenges and prevent cyber threats. In the process of research work  an IT expert suggest that the use of Intranet and Internet should be stopped. Is it the right solution for our security problem?  The Fukushima nuclear disaster highlights the fact that no accident comes without warning. There will be enough signals that an accident is about to happen but we may ignore it either out of risk blindness or pressure on production. Security has become a top priority after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in ... regarding the indigenous development of the nuclear reactor and inherent dangers. Should NASA stop space program after Colombia incident? We can’t stop any development and
advancement program for the sake of these accidents. So it’s not the right thing to stop use of Intranet and Internet in library. We have to face  security challenges and draw new outline for
our security system and plan a new risk management policy to secure our valuable
and sensitive data.

[Amuthan Durai Arasan]

 

Yes. Most of us (librarians) are very ignorant about cyber treats and how it could affect us. In many libraries, librarians do not even have control on library systems and system related stuffs. This is the time to think.

 

Amuthan D.

[Vinay Kumar]

 

Downloading files from warez sites and opening strange email attachments, is as good as inviting hackers to break your door. There are several possible way to prevent hacking, data theft from databases. Licensed subscriptions are liable to the library usage. Upgrading the security measures and knowing the limitations is the best way to avoid cyber attacks on library e-collection.

[Dr. Badan Barman]

I watch the background of World Trade Center attack on Discovery. Even the attackers used the library internet facility to communicate among them. All people knows that library provide a soft security measure and it is easy to invade it. Its really the time we should think for it.

[Farid Bazmi]

Yes, One of them terrorist Atta used florida library's computer.

[Bhabananda Das]

Yes sir,

Library have face the threaten from the cyber crime. Library is a social organisation and any body can use library and its technological facilities available . Most of the criminals use  social and business organisation where the common people can move easily and use its facilities available as criminal tool.. So, Library is the most commonest and save source to use as a criminal tool,  because   of nobody suspect that library can use as criminal tool. so, we have to aletr from that criminal procedure and must be take preventive measure to save the Internet Lab(within Library) from the cyber crime 

[Farid Bazmi]

Yes, its true.