A proposed model for explaining and educating Information and Computer Security principles

Most of the current Information and Computer Security (ICS) literature and research, appears to be following a traditional model of first addressing the technological and technical issues, and assuming that these issues will be augmented by humans. This is evident in the proliferation of security devices and software in our daily lives. Though we still have ICS problems. However, authors like Von Solms come back to the question, though in different degrees, of whether the involvement of humans is sufficiently addressed. The problem is that the elements of ICS are not correctly addressed in the right order to make ICS work properly. This paper presents a model that gives an alternative perspective on the different elements of ICS. This model was developed while the author were doing ICS-related work, and it borrows insights from Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs and desires, where there are certain needs that have to be satisfied before the desires can be achieved. Using this idea that the bottom layers have to be satisfied or addressed before the upper layers should be considered, a layered pyramid has been developed as a model to be used in ICS. It is suggested that this model is a useful tool to help managers, computer professionals and users, get a better perspective on and understanding of ICS-related issues.