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16 Feb 2018, 13:59
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In order to maintain the competitive edge our company has gained through extensive research, decades of experience, and development of innovative methods, we must ensure that information security remains a top priority. The information stored on our networks, such as research data, training materials, and company memos, could potentially be very valuable to competitors and foreign governments alike. In order to safeguard this information, we require that all employees adhere to strict password and data encryption policies and complete a training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company-issued physical assets, such as laptops and mobile phones. Employees who fail to comply with those policies and follow the steps described in the training course are compromising the security of the company's intellectual property and will face stern consequences.
If the statements above are all true, which of the following can properly be inferred on the basis of them?
A. Competitors and foreign governments might be able to use the company's laptops to access information stored on its networks.
B. Employees who repeatedly fail to comply with the password and data encryption policies will most likely face termination.
C. The company competes, either directly or indirectly, with at least one foreign government.
D. Employees who have not yet completed the training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company issued physical assets are likely to have their their laptops or mobile phones stolen.
E. Employees use company issued physical assets, such as laptops and mobile phones, to store research data, training materials, and company memos.
If the statements above are all true, which of the following can properly be inferred on the basis of them?
A. Competitors and foreign governments might be able to use the company's laptops to access information stored on its networks.
B. Employees who repeatedly fail to comply with the password and data encryption policies will most likely face termination.
C. The company competes, either directly or indirectly, with at least one foreign government.
D. Employees who have not yet completed the training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company issued physical assets are likely to have their their laptops or mobile phones stolen.
E. Employees use company issued physical assets, such as laptops and mobile phones, to store research data, training materials, and company memos.
16 Feb 2018, 13:59
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Official Solution:
In order to maintain the competitive edge our company has gained through extensive research, decades of experience, and development of innovative methods, we must ensure that information security remains a top priority. The information stored on our networks, such as research data, training materials, and company memos, could potentially be very valuable to competitors and foreign governments alike. In order to safeguard this information, we require that all employees adhere to strict password and data encryption policies and complete a training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company-issued physical assets, such as laptops and mobile phones. Employees who fail to comply with those policies and follow the steps described in the training course are compromising the security of the company's intellectual property and will face stern consequences.
If the statements above are all true, which of the following can properly be inferred on the basis of them?
A. Competitors and foreign governments might be able to use the company's laptops to access information stored on its networks.
B. Employees who repeatedly fail to comply with the password and data encryption policies will most likely face termination.
C. The company competes, either directly or indirectly, with at least one foreign government.
D. Employees who have not yet completed the training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company issued physical assets are likely to have their their laptops or mobile phones stolen.
E. Employees use company issued physical assets, such as laptops and mobile phones, to store research data, training materials, and company memos.
Employees who fail to comply with the company's strict password and data encryption policies or who fail to follow the steps described in the training course are compromising the security of the company's intellectual property and will face stern consequences. Why
The information stored on the company's networks, such as research data, training materials, and company memos, could potentially be very valuable to competitors and foreign governments alike. Okay, but why not let competitors and foreign governments access that valuable information
"In order to maintain the competitive edge our company has gained through extensive research, decades of experience, and development of innovative methods" - ah, okay... the company has done a lot of work to acquire this information and develop a competitive edge. If that information is compromised, the company will lose its competitive edge
So it makes sense that this company needs to "ensure that information security remains a top priority," but how?--by requiring "that all employees adhere to strict password and data encryption policies and complete a training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company-issued physical assets, such as laptops and mobile phones.
So we've established WHAT information the company wants to protect, WHY the company wants to protect that information, and HOW it goes about protecting that information (i.e. policies and training). Employees who fail to comply with the policies and training will face stern consequences
Now, if the statements in the passage are all true, which of the answer choices can properly be inferred on the basis of them
(A) Employees must complete a training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company-issued physical assets (such as laptops) in order to safeguard the information stored on the company's networks (such as research data, training materials, and company memos). If there was no way for competitors and foreign governments to use the company's laptops to access information stored on the company's networks, then theft or loss of those laptops would not compromise that information. In that case, requiring that employees complete the training course would NOT help the company safeguard the information stored on the its networks. Thus, it follows that "competitors and foreign governments might be able to use the company's laptops to access information stored on its networks. (A) looks good
(B) We only know that the employees will face stern consequences if they fail to comply with the password and data encryption policies or fail to follow the steps described in the training course. We do NOT know what those consequences would be (i.e. reduction in pay or bonuses, loss of vacation time, demotion, etc.). (B) can be eliminated
(C) We know that the company's information would be valuable to foreign governments, but we don't know WHY. If at least one foreign government would use that information to somehow compete with the company, then (C) would be true. However, perhaps the governments will simply benefit from that information without competing with the company. For example, it is possible that a foreign government purchases products or services from the company and would NOT need to do so if the government had free access to the company's information. (C) can be eliminated
(D) We can't say whether employees who have not yet completed the training are likely to have their assets stolen. Perhaps it is very unlikely that employees will have their assets stolen, even before completing the training. The training might simply decrease the already low probability of loss or theft. (D) can be eliminated
(E) If employees do in fact store such information on company-issued laptops and mobile phones, then the company would certainly want to avoid loss or theft of those assets. However, even if employees do not store ANY such information on those devices and simply use those devices to access sensitive information on the company's networks, the company would still want to protect those assets from loss or theft. We cannot infer choice (E) based on the information in the passage alone, so (E) must be eliminated
This leaves choice (A) as the best option
Answer: A
In order to maintain the competitive edge our company has gained through extensive research, decades of experience, and development of innovative methods, we must ensure that information security remains a top priority. The information stored on our networks, such as research data, training materials, and company memos, could potentially be very valuable to competitors and foreign governments alike. In order to safeguard this information, we require that all employees adhere to strict password and data encryption policies and complete a training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company-issued physical assets, such as laptops and mobile phones. Employees who fail to comply with those policies and follow the steps described in the training course are compromising the security of the company's intellectual property and will face stern consequences.
If the statements above are all true, which of the following can properly be inferred on the basis of them?
A. Competitors and foreign governments might be able to use the company's laptops to access information stored on its networks.
B. Employees who repeatedly fail to comply with the password and data encryption policies will most likely face termination.
C. The company competes, either directly or indirectly, with at least one foreign government.
D. Employees who have not yet completed the training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company issued physical assets are likely to have their their laptops or mobile phones stolen.
E. Employees use company issued physical assets, such as laptops and mobile phones, to store research data, training materials, and company memos.
Employees who fail to comply with the company's strict password and data encryption policies or who fail to follow the steps described in the training course are compromising the security of the company's intellectual property and will face stern consequences. Why
The information stored on the company's networks, such as research data, training materials, and company memos, could potentially be very valuable to competitors and foreign governments alike. Okay, but why not let competitors and foreign governments access that valuable information
"In order to maintain the competitive edge our company has gained through extensive research, decades of experience, and development of innovative methods" - ah, okay... the company has done a lot of work to acquire this information and develop a competitive edge. If that information is compromised, the company will lose its competitive edge
So it makes sense that this company needs to "ensure that information security remains a top priority," but how?--by requiring "that all employees adhere to strict password and data encryption policies and complete a training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company-issued physical assets, such as laptops and mobile phones.
So we've established WHAT information the company wants to protect, WHY the company wants to protect that information, and HOW it goes about protecting that information (i.e. policies and training). Employees who fail to comply with the policies and training will face stern consequences
Now, if the statements in the passage are all true, which of the answer choices can properly be inferred on the basis of them
(A) Employees must complete a training course detailing steps to avoid theft or loss of company-issued physical assets (such as laptops) in order to safeguard the information stored on the company's networks (such as research data, training materials, and company memos). If there was no way for competitors and foreign governments to use the company's laptops to access information stored on the company's networks, then theft or loss of those laptops would not compromise that information. In that case, requiring that employees complete the training course would NOT help the company safeguard the information stored on the its networks. Thus, it follows that "competitors and foreign governments might be able to use the company's laptops to access information stored on its networks. (A) looks good
(B) We only know that the employees will face stern consequences if they fail to comply with the password and data encryption policies or fail to follow the steps described in the training course. We do NOT know what those consequences would be (i.e. reduction in pay or bonuses, loss of vacation time, demotion, etc.). (B) can be eliminated
(C) We know that the company's information would be valuable to foreign governments, but we don't know WHY. If at least one foreign government would use that information to somehow compete with the company, then (C) would be true. However, perhaps the governments will simply benefit from that information without competing with the company. For example, it is possible that a foreign government purchases products or services from the company and would NOT need to do so if the government had free access to the company's information. (C) can be eliminated
(D) We can't say whether employees who have not yet completed the training are likely to have their assets stolen. Perhaps it is very unlikely that employees will have their assets stolen, even before completing the training. The training might simply decrease the already low probability of loss or theft. (D) can be eliminated
(E) If employees do in fact store such information on company-issued laptops and mobile phones, then the company would certainly want to avoid loss or theft of those assets. However, even if employees do not store ANY such information on those devices and simply use those devices to access sensitive information on the company's networks, the company would still want to protect those assets from loss or theft. We cannot infer choice (E) based on the information in the passage alone, so (E) must be eliminated
This leaves choice (A) as the best option
Answer: A
30 Oct 2019, 00:57
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Can you help me understand why E is not the correct inference. As per the explanation given it is one of the possibilities. However it is not a must be true question and hence as per my understanding E can very well be inferred, unless it has some other explanation.
