System Threats!

System Threats!

1. Malware!

   • Malware - software written to infect computers and commit crimes such as fraud and identity theft.
     • the computer may crash, reboot or slow down without any logical explanation
       • Back up files regularly
         • Enable OS updates
           • Staff training:caution opening attachments
       • Files may be deleted, become corrupt or encrypted.
         • The internet connection may become slow.
       • How do you prevent malware?
     • What are the effects of malware?
   • `What is it?

2. Phishing

   • What is it?
     • Effects
       • Prevention
         • Strong security software ( firewall, spam filter, anti-virus ,anti-spam
           • Staff training: awareness of spotting fake websites and emails.
             • Staff training: never disclose personal of financial infomation
           • Staff training: disable pop-ups.:
       • Accessing a victim's account and withdraw money or purchase merchandise or services.
       • Gaining access high-value corporate data
         • Financial services can blacklist institutions, resulting in reputational damage
     • Phishing is an online technique used by criminals to entice you to disclose personal information

3. Brute Force Attack!

   • A brute force attack is a trial error method used by programs to decode encrypted data such as passwords or Data Encryption Standard (DES) keys, through exhaustive effort rather than employing intellectual strategies
     • The effects of a brute force attack are...
       • Theft of data!
       • Access of corporate and private computer systems.
         • How do you prevent a Brute Force Attack?
           • Network lockout policy: Locks after a number of tries.
             • Staff training: using effective psswords that contain symbols and numbers.
               • Challenge response tests e.g. reCAPTCHA -user has to look at a picture and answer a question.
   • What is it?

4. Denial Of Service Attack!

   • What is it?
     • Flooding a server with useless traffic causes servers to become overloaded preventing them from responding to legitimate client-server requests-from users.
       • What are the effects of a Denial Of Service Attack?
         • Revenue losses: downtime affects profits. Based on industry surveys, the average cost of downtime is over £4000/minute.
         • Productivity Loss: when critical network systems are shut down, your workforce's productivity comes to a halt
         • How can you prevent it?
           • Strong security software (firewall).
           • Packet filters on routers.
           • Configuration of the web-server
           • Good network policy: audits, logs, monitoring.

5. Data Interception Theft!

   • What is it?
     • An attacker monitors data streams from a target, in order to gather sensitive information.
     • What are the effects of a data interception theft?
       • Discovering username and password credenrials
         • Gaining access to systems.
           • Disclosure of corporate data.
             • Theft of data.
       • How can you prevent data interception thefts?
         • Strong encryption.
           • Using virtual networks.
             • Network forensics.
           • Staff Training: use of passwords, locking and portable devices.