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¶ … Business Messages
Send to:
Andrea, Tech. Rep., CIS
Copy To:
Janet, Supervisor,
Jack, Manager, CIS
Information Services
Potential Threat to Company IT Systems
Over the past few weeks, it has become increasingly evident to me that our company may be the target of a denial of service attack or other computer virus for which we may be ill-prepared today. In this regard, I have reviewed the company standing operating procedures concerning computer viruses in an attempt to determine what measures should be taken by whom and when. Unfortunately, the company's SOP does not even address denial of service threats and only mentions computer viruses in a tangential way.
To help address this apparent gap in the company's ability to respond to threats to the integrity of its IT systems, I believe we should form a task force immediately to develop appropriate responses in the event of a computer virus infection in general and a denial of service attack in particular. The specific issues to be addressed by the task force should include: 1) availability of alternative IT systems during periods of downtime for whatever reason, but specifically for this threat; 2) what event or events will trigger a response by the company; and 3) who will be primarily responsible for coordinating the response? This email is being sent to Andrea based on her expertise in this area and to Jack to solicit his assistance in getting the ball rolling as soon as possible on this effort.
Based on past experience in other companies and the daily news reports, the importance of this matter cannot be overstated; if these steps are not taken immediately, it will not be a matter of if a computer virus will infect the company's IT system, but it will rather be a matter of when.
Please let me know if you have any questions, or if I can be of any assistance in coordinating this task force.
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