In a corporate, networked setting, should end users be allowed to install applications on their company workstations, whether the applications are on a DVD or downloaded from the Internet? Be sure to weigh security against usability.

No, end users should not be allowed to install applications on their company workstations, whether the applications are on a dvd or downloaded from the internet.

Explanation:

Employees can threaten the enterprise data security in ways as below:

1) Insider Malice: The malicious attacker is difficult to be detected and causes more harm than the outside attacks.

2) Poor password practices: Passwords are termed as the oldest/traditional authentication protocol which if not dealt properly leads to breaches.

3) Weak Access policies: Weak policy leads to compromised enterprise data security.

4) Unsafe downloads: This is the area where users/employees keep downloading from external sources like the internet or CD or DVD as a result of which the security threat to the complete organization gets compromised. Trojan virus can easily penetrate the systems on the network causing great loss to the organization.