Question

On the job, Kari Yau got a call from the local police asking why she was sending a caller multiple adult text messages and sexually explicit emails per day. After further investigation, Kari’s account records proved the calls were not coming from her phone or email. Neither she nor her mobile company could explain how the messages were sent. After finding no way to block the unsavory messages, she changed her mobile number and quit STI to avoid further embarrassment by association.

For each internal control weakness identified, explain why it is a weakness and recommend a way or ways to correct the weakness.

Answer 1

Internal control is a system that ensures operational efficiency of an organization by controlling all probable risks. This is a process of fulfilling objectives.

The issue given here is certainly a weakness, because the operational efficiency of using mobile phone is gone; it increases the risk of using it. Although the sender doesn’t send explicit messages, she is still caught of doing so. This is the failure of mobile operation.

Recommendations:

Point 1) the issue could be resolved by changing email password; it is quite sure that someone hacked such password and then created the same email account for doing such notorious act. If such password is changed there will be no more access in K’s email by trespassers.

Point 2) The mobile company should keep track of all the messages send from the changing number too (at least for few days). It may help to catch the actual culprit.