System Threats

System Threats

1. Malware

   • Software that infects computers and commits crimes
   • Effects
     • Computer may crash
     • Internet connection may become slow
     • Files may be deleted, become corrupt or encrypted
   • Prevention
     • Strong security software

2. Phishing

   • Online fraud technique used to get hold of people's personal information
   • Effects
     • Withdrawing money from a victim's account
     • Open new bank or credit-card accounts in a victim’s names
     • Gaining access to high-value corporate data
     • Financial services can blacklist institutions
   • Prevention
     • Strong security software
     • Staff training: awareness of spotting fake websites & emails
     • Staff training: never disclose personal or financial information
     • Staff training: disable pop-ups

3. Brute Force

   • Trial and error method used to decode encrypted data e.g. passwords
   • Effects
     • Theft of data
     • Access to corporate and private computer systems.
   • Prevention
     • Network lockout policy: locks out after a number of tries
     • Staff training: using effective passwords that contain symbols and numbers
     • Challenge response tests e.g. reCAPTCHA – user has to look at a picture and answer a question.

4. Denial of Service

   • Flooding a server with useless traffic to overload it and shut it down

5. Data Interception and Theft

   • An attacker monitors data streams to or from a target in order to gather sensitive information

6. SQL Injection

   • A code injection technique, used to attack data-driven applications
   • Effects
     • New rogue records can be added
     • Data in the database can be amended and deleted
     • Contents of the database can be output, revealing data that otherwise would be hidden
   • Prevention
     • Validation of input fields
     • Using parameterised queries
     • Using database permissions
     • Penetration testing