Security Administrator
Job Name
Security Administrator
[Information Technology Security Support Officer]
[User Access Administrators]
Brief description
In an increasingly globalized international environment, where the acquisition of modern technology, irrespective of national and cultural borders, has become easily facilitated to an individual needs and desires. The ability of unethical conduct by firms and individuals driven by professional, competitive and personal motives has transgressed from the physical to the electronic. Applicable to both public and private firms, Security Administrators function as protectors and maintainers of security systems, designed to protect information and operational integrity.
A security Administrator looks at the security of IT systems, including such aspects as password protection, data access trails, encryption and theft. Security managers may also be involved in contingency planning and risk management analysis.(seek,2007)
Plan, implement, monitor, and troubleshoot internal information technology security policies, application security, access control, and corporate data safeguards. Analyze and define security requirements for local and wide area networks. Perform network scanning and vulnerability assessments. Update secure configurations by routinely reviewing vendor sites, bulletins, and notifications for security information. Recertify application, platform, and server security periodically. Provide technical advice on access control, security models, disaster recovery, business continuity planning, and security awareness training.
The IT Security Support officer is a supporting role within the management services division of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. The position involves working as part of the team with various responsibilities and duties involved in relation to IT Security and management and maintenance of Intranet services within the Department (Canberra Times, 11 August 2007).
Information Technology Security Officer - ATO
The occupant of this position will work in the Security Architecture, Threat Risk Assessment and Provision of Advice section of Trusted Access branch, Information and Communications Technology, and be responsible for the following tasks.
- Providing general IT security advice to Tax Office staff and project teams, reviewing and approving IT work requests and change requests.
- Contributing to IT security framework and architecture development process and IT security governance and management activities.
- Assisting in the IT system security certification process, and broader IT security compliance activities.
The position requires a 'highly protected' security clearance.
Sections within The job
Duties & responsibilities of this role
Security is an important part of system infrastructure. An information system with a weak security foundation will eventually experience a security breach. Examples of security breaches include data loss, data disclosure, loss of system availability, corruption of data, and so forth. Depending on the information system and the severity of the breach, the results could vary from embarrassment, to loss of revenue, to loss of life (Microsft, 2007).
Though heavily stereotyped as being an I.T. based practice, reality dictates that the specific role of function of Security Administration is dependant on the nature and subject activity undertaken by the firm. The Security Administrator is responsible for Administration of the Security Databases for various high profile clients with a role will involve day to day administration within the Security team, Gathering the raw data, Separate the data as per platform, Separate IBM from Customer data and Accurate and timely execution of tasks assigned.
This role requires you to implement and administer effective security controls that ensure unacceptable risk in Technology environments are mitigated, and that appropriate levels of access are available to authorised personnel (Seek, 2007)
The ideal candidate will have a commitment to quality in terms of productivity and customer satisfaction , be able to plan and schedule work, and calmly make decisions in situations of stress when working to meet tight deadlines and achieve target objectives. (Seek, 2007)
The Security Administrators prime responsibility is to help provide security administration support for all of my clients systems - both production and development. This involves providing user administration for my client's personnel and their customers, encryption key generation & management, monitoring and review of security systems and the network. This is a vital role, which carries with it a high level of responsibility and trust. (Seek, 2007)
Despite the varying nature of Security Administration itself, Security Administrators often find themsevles often providing a variety of jobs. Put simply however, the role of Security Administrators is to
- Identify (users, accessors, system breaches)
- Authenticate (Passwords, Smartcards, Biometrics, Users)
- Authorize (access control approval/denial)
- Encrypt (Secure data, infomation from wider access and use)
- Revise (Checksumming and digitally signing items to make sure no data is lost)
- Record Keep (Repudiate - record keep and log users)
(Microsoft, 2007)
Translated into practice, this may mean ...
- Systems Audits
- System Maintenance
- Applying operating system updates and configuration changes.
- Installing and configuring new hardware and software.
- Adding, removing, or updating user account information, resetting passwords, etc.
- System performance tuning.
- Answering technical queries.
- Troubleshooting any reported problems.
- Identification of a System Breach/ 3rd Party System interference
- Monitoring Operational status
- User-Access Network monitoring and logging
The successful applicant will have the following responsibilities: All aspects of security, including both logical and physical controls to protect the computer centre, staff, data, equipment, systems and networks; (Seek, 2007)
Provide security administration support for both production and development environments; (Seek, 2007)
This role involves providing user administration for staff and Clients, encryption key generation & management, monitoring and review of security systems and the network. (Seek, 2007)
Security administrator work behind the scenes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to keep Australia's largest independent electronic payment systems network running effectively. This role is a perfect opportunity for either a graduate or early in their career. (jobserve, 2007)
This appears to be for a systems administrator role rather than a Security Administrator position. Perhaps it should be removed.
A system administrator's responsibilities might include:
- Routine audits of systems and software.
- Performing backups.
- Applying operating system updates and configuration changes.
- Installing and configuring new hardware and software.
- Adding, removing, or updating user account information, resetting passwords, etc.
- Answering technical queries.
- Responsibility for security.
- Responsibility for documenting the configuration of the system.
- Troubleshooting any reported problems.
- System performance tuning.
- Keeping the network up and running.
In larger organizations, some tasks listed above may be divided among different system administrators or members of different organizational groups. For example, a dedicated individual may apply all system upgrades, a Quality Assurance (QA) team may perform testing and validation, and one or more technical writers may be responsible for all technical documentation written for a company.
In smaller organizations, the system administrator can also perform any number of duties elsewhere associated with other fields:
- Technical support
- Database administrator (DBA)
- Network administrator/analyst/specialist
- Application analyst
- Security administrator
- Programmer
System administrators, in larger organizations, also tend not to be system architects, system engineers, or system designers, however, like many roles in this field, demarcations between systems administration and these other roles are often not well defined in smaller organizations. However, even in larger organizations, senior systems administrators often have skills in these other areas as a result of their working experience.
In smaller organizations, IT/computing specialties are less often discerned in detail, and the term "system administrator" is used in a rather generic way — they are the people who know how the computer systems work and can respond when something fails.
- knowledge of Unix operating system, and ideally Tandem
- must have a strong interest and some knowledge of Information Security.
- _ responsibility is to help provide security administration support for all of the clients systems, both production and development. This involves providing user administration for the client's personnel and their customers, encryption key generation management, monitoring and review of security systems and the network. This is a vital role, which carries with it a high level of responsibility and trust._
Responsibilities for IT Security Support Officer:
- Responsible for assisting the Department's IT Security Group with support services.
- Ensuring the Department continues to meet its obligations under Government guidelines while delivering services out to the Australian public.
- Responsible for the management and delivery of a range of Information Corporate Technology (ICT) and corporate services to the department.
Duties for the IT Security Support Officer:
- Under limited direction and support, maintain the Department's Internet and email scanning facilities daily, following the Department code of conduct.
- Provide management with detailed systems usage/activity reports as requested.
- Actively monitor, report and manage potential security incidents.
- Liaise with the agencies and the IT outsourced service provider, support and maintain the network log-on account base for the department.
- Administer and manage the group's task tracking system, including the ability to refine daily tasks and contribute to the teams overall business objectives.
- Actively maintain and keep up to date information on the Departments Intranet that relates to IT Security.
- Assist with ongoing development, maintenance and communication of the Department's policies and practices in relation to IT Security (DAFF Website, 18 August 2007).
Information Technology Security Officer - ATO
Under limited direction, the occupant will undertake one or more duties in the following areas.
- Participate in the security consultations of various Tax Office groups, contribute to developing IT security framework and security architecture/solution design components.
- Provide general IT security advice to Tax Office staff and project teams as part of the business-as-usual activities. Review and approve IT work requests.
- Conduct day-to-day review and approval activity for all IT change requests through the ATO Change Management process, and represent the Trusted Access branch on the Change Advisory Broad (CAB).
- Assist in coordinating IT system security certification process, and create/update relevant documents for the certification project as required.
- Conduct compliance/assurance checks on certain IT security responsibilities associated with the section, and update the relevant integrity indicators in a timely fashion.
- Participate actively in the staff development and training activities of the area. Work to create a shared organisational vision and sense of purpose, and to enable and motivate team members to achieve high performance.
- Apply workplace diversity, workplace relations, and occupational health and safety principles to the working practices of the area and the management of staff and/or clients.
Job Requirements
- It is essential that you have relevant IT knowledge (Seek, 2007)
- An understanding of various security policies, standards and guidelines associated with technology and business functions, along with a tertiary qualification (Seek, 2007)
- IT security experience and knowledge of the banking environment is desirable but not necessary (Seek, 2007)
- You will need strong communication, time management, and analytical skills (Seek, 2007)
- Network and Internet skills are highly desirable (Seek, 2007)
- Experience on UNIX and Tandem operating systems and associated security systems is highly desirable. (Seek, 2007)
- A background in computing operations and exposure to security policies and practices would be beneficial. (Seek, 2007)
- Requires a capacity for systematic problem analysis and problem resolution skills (Seek, 2007)
- Successfully completed or currently undertaking university or recognized education degree in an IT related course. Work experience in a technical IT role would be highly regarded (Seek, 2007)
- Demonstrated analytical and problem solving skills (Seek, 2007)
- Experience with multiple firewall, IDS and Internet technologies (Seek, 2007)
- Experience with reporting software (Seek, 2007)
- Knowledge of TCP/IP networks and devices (Seek, 2007)
- Effective written and oral communication skills (Seek, 2007)
- Ability to work independently as well as part of a team (Seek, 2007)
- Effective written and oral communication skills (Seek, 2007)
- Knowledge of security change control procedures (Seek, 2007)
- Knowledge and understanding of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)
- Knowledge and understanding of Ethical Practice
- Knowledge and understanding of Ethnic Affairs Priorities Statement (EAPS)
- Knowledge and understanding of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS)
- Network and Internet skills are highly desirable. Experience on Unix and Tandem operating systems and associated security systems is highly desirable. A background in computing operations and exposure to security policies and practices would be beneficial. Requires a capacity for systematic problem analysis and problem resolution skills.(jobserve ,2007)
- The successful candidate will have:
o 2-3 years commercial experience as a
Security Administrator
o Experience in a help desk role.
o Experience liasing with Management, in
relation to security issues, restrictions
and policies.
o Great people skills - You will interface
both on the phone and face-to-face with
a variety of stakeholders including
internal customers, IT staff and
management.(seek,2007)
Suitable candidates will have:
a minimum of 3 years commercial experience within a security administration role, with proven knowledge of current IS industry security standards, frameworks and policies. In addition, you will possess strong analytical and problem solving skills, and have previous experience running small projects relating to mapping, analysing and developing IT systems. Prior exposure to the Symantec suite of security products such as mail security gateway, anti-virus server, firewalls etc would be desirable but not essential. (CareerOne 2007)
Skills Required:
- Network and internet skills are highly desirable; (Seek, 2007)
- A background in computing operations and exposure to security policies and practices would be beneficial; (Seek, 2007)
- A capacity for systematic problem analysis and problem resolution skills; (Seek, 2007)
- Experience on UNIX and/or Mid-Range operating systems and associated security systems is highly desirable. (Seek, 2007)
Key Role Requirements Skills:
- General understanding of compliance.
- Support and Maintenance.
- Execellent verbal & written communication skills - you will be producing reports
- A good working knowledge of MS Office applications - i.e. Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
- Good PC skills using MS Office and any experience managing Windows - XP, NT, 2000, 2003 accounts or remote access accounts - also of benefit (mycareer, 2007)
Professional Criteria:
- College Graduate preferred with at least 1-3 years work experience in an IT Admin, Services Desk, Access Controls, Security or Helpdesk. (mycareer, 2007)
Personal Attributes:
- Quick learner.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to utilize and follow complex procedures.
- Strong Customer focus.
- Good time management skills. (mycareer, 2007)
Previous Experience:
- Previous experience within the IT industry.
- Sound working knowledge of IT Software, hardware and LAN/WAN network infrastructure.
- Relevant CIT Qualifications in Information Technology or higher.
Role Specific abilities:
- Aptitude in promoting consesus and gaining agreement in administering policy.
- Ability to communicate and liaise with internal and external stakeholders.
- Capability to work independently or cooperatively within a team environment.
- Ability to organise and deliver IT security awareness and education programmes.
- Understanding of the APS code of conduct, OH&S principles and practices and concept and practice of workplace diversity.
Personal Characteristics:
- Self motivated.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Strong aptitude to learning new IT based tools and applications.
- Show initiative.
- Pleasant and approachable demeanour.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Security Requirements:
- Successful applicant requires a Top Secret security clearance before commencement of employment with the DAFF.
- Applicants must be an Australian Citizen. (DAFF Website, 18 August 2007)
Information Technology Security Officer - ATO
1. Expertise
- Sound knowledge of IT security management and relevant government security standards and guidelines such as PSM and ACSI 33, and demonstrated experience in supporting IT security management relating to a large-scale information technology environment.
- Knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas.
- IT security architecture and operations.
- IT system development process.
- IT change management process.
- IT infrastructure and technical components.
2. Achieves results
- Take responsibility for managing work projects to achieve results.
- Identify and use team and individual resources wisely.
- Adapt to, support, and manage change.
3. Contributes to strategic thinking
- Identify risks and uncertainties, and take these into account, in planning and prioritising.
- Applies judgment, intelligence and commonsense.
- Contribute to planning and decision-making.
- Think strategically and maximise work linkages, opportunities and solutions.
4. Supports productive working relationships
- Develop and maintain effective internal and external relationships partnerships and networks.
- Build rapport and cooperation within and across teams.
- Value difference and diversity.
5. Shows personal drive and integrity
- Use experience and knowledge to identify and manage risks, challenges and opportunities.
- Seek development options for self and team.
6. Communicates with influence
- Communicate clearly and concisely.
- Listen, understand and adapt to audience.
- Negotiate and work to reconcile diverse views.
Salary
$79,188.00-$87,263.00 (Seek, 2007)
- $70,000 - $80,000 per annum (mycareer 2007)
Permanent Role: $59,000 - $65,000 + Super (Seek, 2007)
$50K - $65K + Super + Unrivalled global career opportunties to suit a graduate with 1-3yrs experience interested in IT&T security/user administration. (mycareer, 2007)
$61,095 - $68,116 per annum (Plus superannuation) - DAFF Band 2 Work Level 6 - Ongoing full-time position. (Canberra Times, 11 August 2007, P.E9)
APS6 Information Technology Security Officer (ATO), $62,372 - $71,649 (28 August 2007)
Industry/Organisation
The Security Administrator is a role used in either the private or public sector.
The Abraxas organisation is a trully global leading financial markets firm and a world leader in investment management, genuine opportunites will exist for the right individual for unrivalled career development and possible long-term opportunities in some of the worlds premier global financial markets regions. The successful applicant will join a small, fast growing global team spread across offices in Sydney, the US, London and Hong Kong/Tokyo responsible for administering user accounts (for applications development & IT infrastructure globally) and access across several platforms and utilizing various software tools - the role sits across front, middle and back-office IT and business users bases globally administering user accounts and remote access. Abaxas is a private organisation. (mycareer, 2007)
| Employment Agency | Aristotle Corporation is a private company |
The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:
The Information Technology Security Support Officer position is with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foresty located in Canberra. The Department offers opportunities related to policy and programme development work, addressing some of the nation's most important domestic and international issues. The Departments mission is to increase the profitability, competitiveness and sustainability of Australian Agricultural, food, fisheries and forestry industries and to enhance the natural resource base to achieve stronger rural and regional communities.
Policies and programmes relate to:
- Encourage and support sustainable natural resource use and management
- Protect the health and safety of plant and animal industries
- Enable industries to adapt to compete in a fast-changing international and economic environment.
- Help improve market access and market performance for the agricultural and food sector.
- Encourage and assist industries to adopt new technology and practices.
- Assist primary producers and the food industry to develop business and marketing skills, and to be financially self-reliant.
The Department is a Government agency and is committed to workplace diversity and OH&S work practices. The Department employs 4200 staff in Australia and overseas, including policy officers, program administrators, scientists, economists, meat inspectors, veterinary officers and quarantine officers. (DAFF Website, 18 August)(Canberra Times 11 August 2007)
Job listings
CareerOne.com.au (August 2007) Retrieved on 11 August 2007 from http://jobs.careerone.com.au/texis/jobsearch/details.html?id=46affaf248ddd0&q=security%20administrator&qMiles=15&qField=All&qCountry=Australia&qSort=smart&qMatch=all&pp=20&view=1&page=1
Seek.com.au (August 2007) Retrieved on 11 August 2007 from (link has expired) http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=12&PageNumber=1&JobID=10157460&
Seek.com.au (August 2007) Retrieved on 11 August 2007 from (link has expired)
http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=17&PageNumber=1&JobID=10124741&
Seek.com.au (August 2007) Retrieved on 12 August 2007 from (link has expired)
http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=123&PageNumber=1&JobID=10124533
Seek.com.au( August 2007) Retrived on 18 August 2007 from (link has expired)
http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=84&PageNumber=1&JobID=10065411&
myfuture.edu.au (August 2007) Retrieved on 18 August 2007 from (link has expired)
http://www.myfuture.edu.au/services/default.asp?FunctionID=5050&ASCO=122411A
Seek.com.au (August 2007) Retrieved on 18 August 2007 from (link has expired)
http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=102&PageNumber=1&JobID=10127260&
mycareer.com.au (August 2007) Retrieved on 18 August 2007 from
jobsever.com.au (August 2007) Retrieved on 20 august 2007 from (link has expired)
http://www.jobserve.com.au/W2E8CC42489D9D322.job
jobserver.com.au (August 2007) Retrieved on 20 August 2007 from (link has expired)
http://www.jobserve.com.au/WC13D8E4C368DA550.job
This link is not to a job advertisement and is not for a Security Administrator position, perhaps it should be relocated or removed:
wikipedia.org (August 2007) Retrieved on august 2007 from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_administrator
----
The Canberra Times 11 August 2007 for the DAFF - IT Security Support Officer position (Page E9).
Seek.com.au( August 2007) Retrived on 18 August 2007 from
http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=32&PageNumber=1&JobID=10093520
Mycareer.com.au(August 2007)Retrived on 20 August 2007 from
http://mycareer.com.au/jobs/sydney/it-telecommunications/network-systems-administration/5313080+system+administrator.aspx?style=enhanced
seek.com.au, APS6, Information Technology Security Officer, advertised 23 August 2007, accessed 28 August 2007, http://www.ato.gov.au/careers/content.asp?doc=/content/89111.htm&page=1&H1
also listed on www.ato.gov.au http://www.ato.gov.au/careers/content.asp?doc=/content/89111.htm&page=6&H6
Differences observed
As there are different types of companies, there are various types of its demands on the skills and experiences the employees has must have: candidates are required to have a minimum of 3 years commercial experience within a security administration role, with proven knowledge of current IS industry security standards, frameworks and policies. In addition, must possess strong analytical and problem solving skills, and have previous experience running small projects relating to mapping, analysing and developing IT systems. Prior exposure to the Symantec suite of security products such as mail security gateway, anti-virus Server, Firewalls etc would be desirable but not essential. where as some companies give opportunity to new graduates, where there is very little experience is required.(jobserve, 2007)
Comparison with an International similar position:
HSBC Technology Services in Hong Kong
IT Security Support Officer
Working within a team the IT officer will have comprehensive exposure to a variety of system platforms and technologies and manage the logical access to different computer platforms.
Responsibilities include:
- Maintain user accounts and access rights to computer systems in accordance with established control procedures, maintain access control lists and provide support to resolve system access related problems.
- Prepare and distribute reports to end-users for exception review.
- Support the team leader in preparing internal procedures.
- Participate in testing the user account administration process for new computing and application systems to ensure that group standards are adhered to.
- Perform reviews of system logs and investigate security incidents.
- Work occasionally during unsocial hours if required.
Job Requirements:
- A university graduate in Computer Studies or other relevant discipline
- Willing to learn and work under pressure.
- Trustworthy with good interpersonal and problem solving skills.
- Effective communication skills in written and spoken English and Chinese.
Differences observed:
The role sounds very similar to the Australian position, the responsibilities of the Officer require them to report directly to a team leader, where as in other advertisements the Officer was acting in a management type role. The Australian advertisement also related alot to the Security of the organisation and the maintenance of the Intranet (internal webpage), indicating that this company may have a seperate role for this task. The job requirements are slightly different with request for graduate in computer studies which is not specified by other companies, the applicant must also have the ability to communicate in Chinese and English indicating that communication will be required with stakeholders in these languages (HSBC Hong Kong, 18 August 2007).
Positions that are advertised for Government Department positions and ones that are for Private enterprises will normally be advertised in different manners, providing a variety of different specifications and formats for the advertisements. Government Departments normally have long lists of selection documentation that is required of applicants to complete if they wish to apply for the position, the recruitment process after this submission is often prolonged and can take months before a decision is made on the successful applicant. In comparison private enterprise normally require a formal resume submitted and then the successful or more appealing applicants are interviewed. The private recruitment process is historically faster which could be argued that they are more efficient with the process.
The job requirements differ between the different advertisements with some positions specifying the need for sound IT skills but in other only a basic understanding on the use of Microsoft office programmes is required. The Educational qualification requirements also vary with the different advertisements with one company requiring commercial experience of 3 years compared to the Government department requires sound knowledge but qualifications is only required a CIT qualification in IT.
Another difference is the security requirements of the Government advertisement, they require a Top Secret security clearance and the applicant is required to be an Australian Citizen compared to the other advertisement this is not mentioned.
The pay rates for Government Departments are often assumed to be much higher then Private enterprises, but due to competition and shortage of capital in the market private enterprises have of late been matching pay rates in order to pursuade workers. The salaries of the various IT Security Administrator's are very similar and there is no extreme value being offered with the advertisements displayed.
After reviewing various postings from students I have found that the job requirements section has been broken down into three sub sections; skills required, fromal qualifications and experience. This breakdown shows that the skills required to perform the role of security administrator is extensive and varies depending on the organisation's requirements. However, formal qualifications and experience that employers are seeking are mostly the same and fairly across all job postings. this indicates that the application process for jobs is very competitive as applicants will most likely have the same formal qualification and experience, which means the successful applicant will have to demonstrate a higer developed skill requirement than other applicants
Differences observed:
The job advertisement I looked at was unique in the sense that it required knowledge and understanding of ethical and moral practices such as: Equal employment Opportunity, Ethical Practice, Ethnic Affairs Priorities Statement and Occupational Health and Safety.
Compared to other Security Administrator listings my job also required a high level of technical know how. where is some other jobs simply required a basic understanding of office programmes etc, the job advertisement I looked at required experience with IDS and internet technologies, UNIX operating systems and TCP/IP networks and devices.
Although there are some differences within the job advertisements, the nature of the job itself is of a similar nature to that of the other jobs. Similarities include the basic role of providing network security support and firewall and general systems testing.
Other References used
Payscale.com Retrieved on 12 August 2007 from
http://www.payscale.com/Job_Description/Security_Administrators,_IT
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Website. Retrieved 18 August 2007 from:
http://daff.nga.net.au/fnt_jobs_list.cfm?mode=daff
APS Jobs online. Information retrieved in relation to DAFF position on 18 August 2007 from:
HSBC Hong Kong Website. Retrieved 18 August 2007 from:
http://www.hsbc.com.hk/1/2/careers/home/joblisting-it/it.071037
Australian Tax Office (August 2007) Retrieved on 28 August 2007 from http://www.ato.gov.au/careers/content.asp?doc=/content/89111.htm&page=5&H5
Australian Tax Office (August 2007) Retrieved on 28 August 2007 from http://www.ato.gov.au/careers/content.asp?doc=/content/89111.htm&page=6&H6
Australian Tax Office (August 2007) Retrieved on 28 August 2007 from http://www.ato.gov.au/careers/content.asp?doc=/content/89111.htm&page=7&H7
Industry/Organisation [Cont'd]
Abraxas Technologies Ltd.
IT User Administrator/Junior IT Security Admin
Security is an important part of system infrastructure. An information system with a weak security foundation will eventually experience a security breach. Examples of security breaches include data loss, data disclosure, loss of system availability, corruption of data, and so forth. Depending on the information system and the severity of the breach, the results could vary from embarrassment, to loss of revenue, to loss of life. (Microsoft 2007)
Abraxas Technologies desires an individual, with approxomatley 1 - 3 years worth of post-graduate experience as 'IT User Administrator/Access Controls/IT Security Admin' a to joing a 'Global User Access Administration team' within the financial industry. With offices in Sydney, the U.S., London, Hong Kong and Tokyo, this employment role will be responsible for administering user accounts and monitoring remote access from an international spectrum with a substantial backdrop in Help desk/Service Desk, User Access Admin, and Access Control technology. (Jobseek 2007)
Role/Requirements:
- General understanding of compliance.
- Support and Maintenance.
- Excellent verbal & written communication skills - you will be producing reports
- A good working knowledge of MS Office applications - i.e. Word, Excel or PowerPoint.
- Good PC skills using MS Office and any experience managing Windows - XP, NT, 2000, 2003 accounts or remote access accounts - also of benefit
Professional Criteria:
- College Graduate preferred with at least 1-3 years work experience in an IT Admin, Services Desk, Access Controls, Security or Helpdesk
Personal Attributes:
- Quick learner.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to utilize and follow complex procedures.
- Strong Customer focus.
- Good time management skills
[Abraxas Tech, Seek 2007)
Differences observed [cont'd]
Given the entry level nature of the job, it is not surprising to see that there are no major unique requirements and functions. However, the advertised position still requests several minor functions that differentiate greatly from other roles.
Amid the primary contrasts as to many other jobs offered within the same industry, the emphasis placed upon Clientele Support/ Help desk capability is amongst the most striking. Whereas Security giants such as Microsoft require minimum levels of communicative ability, clientele support and customer interactivity are not detailed job functions. Furthermore, customer interactivity, a requirement of Abraxas technology, is another subtle, yet perhaps unorthodox function.
While the inclusion of programs such as Powerpoint also seems unconventional in usage. Although auditing and report formulation often becomes an integral aspect in administrative record keeping, I found it unorthodox to say the least for employees to be using Powerpoint given its presentation orientated emphasis.
Furthermore, the lack of required experience in managing security programs such as firewalls and Symantec products is not greatly demanded by this advertised position. Contrary to preferences detailed amongst other employment positions However, this may due to the entry level nature of the job.
Job Listings
Abraxas Technology, 'IT User Administrator/Access Controls/ IT Security advertisment. Accessed Monday August 20th from:
http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=46&PageNumber=1&JobID=10113878&
Security Administrator advertisment. Accessed Monday 20th August from:
&" rel="nofollow"linktype="raw" linktext="http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=37&PageNumber=1&JobID=10119845&">http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=37&PageNumber=1&JobID=10119845&
Control Room Operator, Accessed Saturday 18th August from:
http://www.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=60&PageNumber=1&JobID=10142987
Mainframe Security Administrator. Accessed 12th August from:
& " rel="nofollow"linktype="raw" linktext="http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=59&PageNumber=1&JobID=10065411& ">http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=59&PageNumber=1&JobID=10065411&
Security Investigator. Accessed 12th August from:
User Access Administrator/ Security Analyst. Accessed Sunday 19th August from
& " rel="nofollow"linktype="raw" linktext="http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=50&PageNumber=1&JobID=10190662& ">http://it.seek.com.au/users/apply/index.ascx?Sequence=50&PageNumber=1&JobID=10190662&
Other References used
Microsoft Technet (2005). Accessed 18th August 2007 from.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/solutionaccelerators/cits/mo/smf/smfsecad.mspx
Security Administrators, University of Toronto (2004). Accessed 20th August from.
http://www.utoronto.ca/security/index.html\\
Stair R. & Reynolds G. (2007). Principles of Information Systems: A managerial approach (Ed. VIII). (Chpt. 2, 13.). Thompson Technology, Canada.
Transportation Security Administration (2007). TSA: Layers of Security. Accessed 12th August from:
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