B1 - Threats to Data

6 reasons why systems may be attacked

personal fun/ challenge

industrial espionage (business vs business for rival info, plans designs etc)

financial gain (theft of money, goods and services without paying, use of ransomware (computer system infected with malicious software until paid to remove it)

personal attack

disruption for financial, social, environmental, political reasons

data and info theft (of customers)

8 types of external threats

unauthorised access / hacking

malware

denial of service attacks

phishing

pharming

social engineering

shoulder surfing

what is unauthorised access / hacking?

individuals gaining access by guessing a user's log in details or using vulnerabilities in software to gain access

black hat hacker = person accessing system unauthorised

what is a black hat hacker?

break into other people's computer systems and may just look around or may steal and destroy information

how to protect a system from hacking

strong passwords

change passwords regularly

software updated regularly

what is malware

software with malicious intent that install themselves on the user's system without their knowledge to encrypt, steal or delete data

7 examples of malware

virus

worm

botnet

rootkit

trojan

ransomware

spyware

how to protect a computer system from malware

apply operating system updates

update anti malware software

firewalls

security precautions like not opening email attachments from unknown senders

What is a denial of service attack?

floods a website with so many requests that the website is unable to respond to authorised users. harms reputation and loses customers

how to protect from dos attack

firewall

intrusion detection/prevention systems

configure web systems to ignore dos requests

what is phishing

The attempt to gather sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card information by masquerading as a trustworthy entity

sends spoof email or text, user uses link or replies with login info. enters login info

prevention of phishing

Security awareness training, email filtering, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) help defend against phishing.

what is pharming

Reroutes requests for legitimate websites to false websites to confirm login details

how to prevent pharming

anti malware software and safe computer user habits

what is social engineering

using one's social skills to trick people into revealing access credentials or other information valuable to the attacker by pretending to be somebody trustworthy

how to prevent social engineering

staff training, authenticate people, no password disclosure policies

what is shoulder surfing

Observing someone entering their password or PIN

how to prevent shoulder surfing

-Angle your computer so that other people cannot see what you are typing

-Use a privacy screen to make your screen less visible to others

-If possible, sit or stand with your back to a wall when entering a password on a device in public

-Try to avoid viewing restricted information in public

-Shield forms from viewing when filling out paperwork

-Use strong passwords to make it more difficult for someone to try and guess what you typed

-Remember to lock your computer or device when you leave your desk

what is a man in the middle attack

An attack in which a malicious user is positioned between the two endpoints of a communication's link, like on an open wifi connection

how to prevent a man in the middle attack

Encryption, dont use wifi

what do secure web pages begin with

https://

6 internal threats to data security and digital systems

unintended disclosure of data

stealing or leaking information

overriding of security controls (password on note, unauthorised staff getting access to confidential info, unauthorised family members or friends being given access)

use of portable storage devices

downloads from the internet

visiting untrustworthy websites

6 potential impacts on an organisation from a security breach

data loss -difficult or impossible to retrieve deleted data or decrypting after ransomware

damage to public image - customers pull away

financial loss - cost of resolving issues, cant invest, also from public image=loss of customers

reduced productivity - time wasted, sets workplace off balance, systems affected affects ability to work

downtime - shut down for investigation or to fix things

legal action - fines, payment of damages