Profiling the ways an organization can prevent a cyber security breach

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Communicated Content – A seemingly endless list of high-profile data breaches only serves to remind small and large organizations alike that cyber security is of the utmost importance. Threats come from a variety of sources, so a comprehensive approach is paramount to ensuring your company stays safe.

 

A security breach is simply any unauthorized access to a private network and they occur when security protocols are bypassed or infiltrated, or when those measures are unsatisfactory in the first place. The difference between a security breach and a data breach should be noted.

 

Security breaches are defined as an incident where a cybercriminal has circumvented security measures, a data breach describes that same user withdrawing information from the servers. The ramifications of this data being accessed are complex which is why many companies outsource their security requirements to specialists in the field like Perimeter 81.

 

Similar to preceding years, 2022 has seen its fair share of notable data breaches:

 

Crypto.com 

The key to 500 users’ cryptocurrency wallets was compromised on January 17 of this year with the attackers getting away with $15 million of Ethereum and $18 million worth of Bitcoin in the process.

 

News Corp

Media giant News Corp fell victim to a cyberattack in February in what is reported to be a state-sponsored targeting. The company insists it focused on employee documents and that subscribers remained unaffected; Dow Jones and News UK were also victims.

 

Microsoft

Microsoft swiftly dealt with an incident in March of this year where hacker group LAPSUS$ claimed to have compromised several products including Bing and Cortana. The company claimed only one account was affected, however, just months later a misconfigured server would inadvertently reveal the information of over 65,000 customers.

 

Security breaches take many forms and understanding each of them helps to create a system that is prepared for an attack.

 

Malware or Viruses

Malware is the catch-all term for any intrusive program that is designed to damage the host computer or network. A portmanteau of the terms malicious and software, various types of malware explore, infect or steal information.

 

A virus is a specific type of malware that is self-replicating. It does this by inserting its code into other programs on the network.

 

Phishing Scams

Phishing scams involve the sending of a deceptive message with the intention of obtaining information or installing malware onto the recipient’s computer or network. Usually, phishing emails will imitate an official communication from within the company or from a trusted party but the links will direct to the malicious agent’s own URL.

 

Whereas phishing attackers can cast their net wide, spear phishing is the term used when a hacker utilizes known or obtained information about a group or individual to put together a more targeted scam. Spear phishing attempts are more complex and hence harder to protect against.

 

Ransomware

A type of malware that threatens the recipient with the publishing of acquired, sensitive data or blocks accesses to the network unless a ransom is paid.

 

Compromised Passwords

These are databases of lists that have been acquired via a data breach and published or sold among cyber criminals on the dark web. Private individuals can check if their passwords have been published via websites that collate this information in the interest of keeping consumers safe. Corporate passwords are also liable to these threats.

 

How a Cyber Attack Can Affect a Company

The effects of compromised security can far outlive the duration of the attack itself. For example, the reputation of a finance corporation may be irreparably harmed if a security breach is deemed the result of an oversight in preparation.

 

The costs associated with the ‘clean up’ immediately after such an attack can be substantial, with a percentage of the IT workforce needing to be allocated to the task, taking them away from their typical role. Alternatively, this process might be outsourced to specialists but by far the most cost-effective approach is utilizing a service like Perimeter 81 in the first place – a cloud and network solution replacing legacy VPNs and firewalls.

 

Many attacks occur on outdated systems due to the fact that hackers can gain access to one part of the network and then freely move laterally throughout – reaching more sensitive information as they do. Zero trust is a framework that requires all users to be authenticated and then routinely validated in order to gain access to further applications and data.

 

Former employees can represent a weak point and a zero-trust approach helps mitigate the threats they can pose. As workers increasingly operate remotely, from outside the local network, using a variety of devices that may not have been vetted by the IT department, zero trust treats them all equally.

 

A company’s approach is only as watertight as its weakest link and this is why effective cybersecurity training is crucial. Everyone who has access to the network must attend – from the CEO to temporary staff and interns.

 

Phony spear phishing emails can be routinely sent to the workforce to determine how employees might respond to a legitimate attack and if they are utilizing what they have been taught or if more training is required.

 

In regards to cyber security, prevention is always preferable to cure. Make sure you examine your current security measures today and prioritize updating them where necessary.




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