Information Assurance, What the Heck is That?

I had the great opportunity to attend a discussion of "Information Assurance" hosted by Saint Michael's College this past Wednesday evening. The speaker was Professor M. E. Kabay of Norwich University. It would be easy, but wrong, to equate information assurance with computer or network security. When as Dr. Kabay asked us to consider the tenets of information assurance, it is quite apparent that concepts or issues like digital signatures, cyptographical methods, and biometrics (to name a few) are mechanisms within the information assurance framework.

In addition, I was particularly gratified to hear Dr. Kabay ask us to fully consider the psycho-social aspects involved in securing information which is often ignored by computer security specialists.

I hope to have another opportunity to hear Dr. Kabay speak again in the future.