Tag Archives: personal
Protecting Against a List of Malicious Attacks
A threat profile is a list of things that a malicious attack can do to a computer. When a penetration testing company is performing security checks against threats to a customers database or website applications, they focus on specific areas that coordinate with the threat profile. There are several diagnostics that an application security testing company can perform to see how easily a companys system can be breached. Once a threat profile has been established, the security company can begin web application security testing.
What Types of Threats Exist?
Different threats have different goals. Depending on who and what is attacking the site, different things may happen. For example, the idea behind the threat may be to steal credit card information on a companys clients or to cause an e-commerce site to malfunction and lose business. To protect an application against threats, a computer security company must first know what the system needs to protect against, before it can create and implement a plan.
What Does Testing Involve?
Checking and testing for possible security weaknesses is done through a battery of testing procedures. The plan for testing must first be custom designed with the particular application in mind. The security company tries to mimic the possible avenues that could be used to cause trouble. The tests are then performed. Depending on how in depth the process is and how many tests are performed, it can take anywhere from 10 days to one month. A quality security company will not rush the process and risk problems down the road for the sake of saving a few minutes here and there. Qualified personnel will take their time to verify that an application is as secure as possible through a variety of exhaustive methods. Tests using scanners are helpful, but people-driven testing tools are often more effective for preventing sabotage, malicious attacks, siphoning and other threats.
Certification
When consumers use a website for e-commerce or to exchange personal information, they want to know that its secure. They do not want their personal contact information, credit card numbers, financial details to be shared with other people. They want reassurances that any website or website application they use is safe from hackers and identity thieves. Without a security certification posted on the website, many potential customers will gladly take their business elsewhere in favor of personal safety. Once a website application has been authentically certified, it should be displayed where it can be seen. The site should be certified by experts who have had proper, up-to-date training in prevention of risks and thwarting attacks.
Protecting Against a List of Malicious Attacks
A threat profile is a list of things that a malicious attack can do to a computer. When a penetration testing company is performing security checks against threats to a customers database or website applications, they focus on specific areas that coordinate with the threat profile. There are several diagnostics that an application security testing company can perform to see how easily a companys system can be breached. Once a threat profile has been established, the security company can begin web application security testing.
What Types of Threats Exist?
Different threats have different goals. Depending on who and what is attacking the site, different things may happen. For example, the idea behind the threat may be to steal credit card information on a companys clients or to cause an e-commerce site to malfunction and lose business. To protect an application against threats, a computer security company must first know what the system needs to protect against, before it can create and implement a plan.
What Does Testing Involve?
Checking and testing for possible security weaknesses is done through a battery of testing procedures. The plan for testing must first be custom designed with the particular application in mind. The security company tries to mimic the possible avenues that could be used to cause trouble. The tests are then performed. Depending on how in depth the process is and how many tests are performed, it can take anywhere from 10 days to one month. A quality security company will not rush the process and risk problems down the road for the sake of saving a few minutes here and there. Qualified personnel will take their time to verify that an application is as secure as possible through a variety of exhaustive methods. Tests using scanners are helpful, but people-driven testing tools are often more effective for preventing sabotage, malicious attacks, siphoning and other threats.
Certification
When consumers use a website for e-commerce or to exchange personal information, they want to know that its secure. They do not want their personal contact information, credit card numbers, financial details to be shared with other people. They want reassurances that any website or website application they use is safe from hackers and identity thieves. Without a security certification posted on the website, many potential customers will gladly take their business elsewhere in favor of personal safety. Once a website application has been authentically certified, it should be displayed where it can be seen. The site should be certified by experts who have had proper, up-to-date training in prevention of risks and thwarting attacks.
Failure To Encrypt Data May Lead To Serious Data Breaches And Hefty Fines
Organizations have to undertake a serious review of the way they handle data or the level of security of their information network. A school’s ignorance of the need to encrypt mobile and portable devices has led to a breach of the Data Protection Act, after a laptop was stolen from a teacher’s car, the Information Commissioner’s Office has found.
Freehold Community School in Oldham was said to have broken data laws when the unencrypted device containing personal information on 90 pupils was stolen from the car parked at the teacher’s home. Enquiries from the ICO found the school was not aware of the need to encrypt such devices. A school policy informing staff that storage devices should not be kept in cars away from school premises was however in place.
“The fact that the school was unaware of the need to encrypt the information stored on their laptop shows that many organizations continue to process personal information without having the most basic of security measures in place,” said Sally-Anne Poole, the ICO’s acting head of enforcement
Virgin Media Limited is an example of a large organization to be held to account for a breach of the UKs Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). The breach seems to have occurred following the loss of a compact disc that was passed to Virgin Media by Carphone Warehouse. The disc contained personal details of various individuals’ interest in opening a Virgin Media Account in a Carphone Warehouse store.
Virgin Media was required, with immediate effect, to encrypt all portable or mobile devices that store and transmit personal information. Further, the company is to ensure that any service provider processing personal information on its behalf must also use encryption software and this requirement has to be clearly stated in all contracts.
Over the past years laptops (Marks & Spencer), DVDs (HM Revenue and Customs), and memory sticks (PA Consulting) have all gone astray, with the potential loss of thousands of records.
Recently, the Ponemon Institute surveyed 275 European organizations in its latest lost laptop report to determine the economic consequences of having a laptop lost or stolen. It was found that participating organizations lost over 72,000 laptops during a 12-month period for a total economic impact of $1.79 billion, according to the “The Billion Euro Lost Laptop Problem” report, released in April. The researchers calculated that on average, each laptop loss cost participating organizations about $6.85 million in 2010.
The European study complemented the earlier Ponemon Institutes December study which surveyed 329 organizations in the United States about laptop loss. Respondents lost more than 86,000 laptops over the course of a year, according to “The Billion Dollar Lost Laptop Study.” The report valued the total cost at $2.1 billion at the time.
When the resulting losses from the European study are combined with the US study, the total damages ballooned to $3.9 billion across almost 160,000 lost laptops in the space of one year. Only 34 percent of lost laptops were encrypted, 26 percent were backed up regularly, and seven percent had other anti-theft features enabled, according to the European report. There were other similar trends in the European and US studies. Both reports found that roughly 30 percent of the lost laptops contained confidential data that was not encrypted.
Organizations have to pay more attention on data policies, and have a proficiently skilled IT security workforce in order to avoid cyber attacks and security breaches. IT security professionals can increase their information security knowledge and skills by embarking on advanced and highly technical training programs. EC-Council has launched the Center of Advanced Security Training (CAST), to address the deficiency of technically proficient information security professionals. CAST will provide advanced technical security training covering topics such as Advanced Penetration Testing, Digital Mobile Forensics, Advanced Application Security, Advanced Network Defense, and Cryptography, among others. These highly sought after and lab intensive information security training courses will be offered at all EC-Council hosted conferences and events, and through specially selected authorized training centers.