Choosing IT Platforms In The Age Of Stuxnet

Abstract

This paper addresses the question of choosing/investing in IT (hardware/software) platforms that avoid quick obsolescence and the underlying dilemmas of choosing proprietary software versus open source software, and opting for managed services such as public cloud computing versus in-house hardware/communication infrastructures. These dilemmas in strategic information systems planning have become more significant in light of the recent revelations of security backdoors in commercial software, encryption backdoors in communication software, and governmental access to private data on managed services for national security reasons. This paper considers enterprise-wide challenges and strategies for adopting open source software/hardware in response to these security concerns.