Cyber-attacks are common in the defense industry, but in January 2010, a sophisticated, advanced persistent threat hacked into the commercial sector forever changing the face of cyber security. Dubbed “Operation Aurora” by McAfee, the attack targeted specific high profile corporations to obtain valuable intellectual property. Google, Yahoo, Juniper Networks and Adobe Systems were also among the victims of this highly coordinated cyber heist. By manipulating computer codes the attackers were able to exploit the Microsoft Internet Explorer vulnerabilities to gain access and obtain valuable sensitive information from over thirty high profile companies. Operation Aurora proves that the world is entering into a high-risk era where …show more content…
McAfee advised that its customers should first verify and update to the latest threat definition while performing a full scan of their systems. Second, double-check and inspect the network traffic history for any possible external systems related to the current or past attacks. Thirdly, always search and examine files or file attributes that have been associated with current or past attacks. To protect against IE vulnerabilities McAfee urges consumers to use McAfee Network Security Platform, McAfee Web Gateway and McAfee Firewall Enterprise (Evers and Bain).
Due to the sophistication of Operation Aurora, McAfee also advises consumers to take several countermeasures to ensure IP security is optimal in their systems.
• Users accounts should be limited and not granted excessive authorizations especially ability to access to administrative functions such as read and/or write source code and source code trees.
• To ensure system integrity, all logs must be set up and configured to record each and every event performed on the system. The systems should audit these logs frequently.
• Account users should submit to a two-factor authentication process. Inactive or retired log-on accounts should be deleted or removed.
• The system should be able to block attempts and protect its configuration files as well as logs through cryptographic hashing.
• It is ideal to maintain back up
It must be possible to deny a particular login access to the server if necessary
A firewall will be used so that UN authorized users will be restricted. Parts of security will be different user account and password for each member.
The system should also allow users to access the network from anywhere as long as they can verify authenticity. The system should also be able to prevent brute force attacks. The system should also make it possible for admins to see suspicious activity. Overall the components in the system should work as intended, to ensure top notch reliability and availability.
Since the system/application domain involves business’s mission-critical systems and applications, as well as data, it is important to ensure security of this domain. Failure to do so can result in a large loss of information and can ultimately lead to the cease of productions. This will ensure the protection of confidential data and its integrity. By implementing monitoring software tools, this will analyze any potential vulnerability that may exist on the
One of the important part of system administration should be secure, so it is very important to understand which factors can affect security inside and outside our system. There are many key decisions that have to be made, for example, what server operating system should a system use to which
Do you think your roles provide the minimum access needed for a user to sufficiently perform his/her job function for the period of time in which they are expected to carry out that activity?
With cyber war, nations are able to skip the battlefield. Gone are the days where troops line up across from each other hoping to do damage to the other. Clarke explains that people, industries, governments, companies and organizations can be possible targets and are vulnerable to these attacks. Keeping that in mind should help these targets become defensive minded and shield off attacks before they happen. As we all know, the prevention is better than the
Another point for user account maintenance is that being a loud to create documents in their own home area and know where else so the network isn’t cluttered with files. Also setting restriction on what can be deleted and installed is important because you don’t want someone to be able to install anything because it could have malicious software. And you don’t want people being able to delete anything they feel like because the will be important software that help the network to run.
The policies and procedures must reference management oversight and organizational buy-in for compliance with the documented security controls.
Today however, a new type of warfare has emerged and occurs when outside entities conduct an attack on a power grid, network, or both with the intent of causing damage. This type of warfare is called cyber warfare. In the United States computers control everything. It is no secret that hostile countries and terrorist organizations are cognizant and they know our economy, security, and infrastructure can be crippled by a successful cyber-attack. Examples of potential targets for cyber terrorists include military bases, water systems, banking facilities, air traffic control centers and power plants. Even the Commander in Chief, President Obama has stated the threat of a cyber war is real and we must prepare for it and increase our security measures. First, this paper will discuss cyberterrorism and cyber-attacks as they pose a direct threat to national security and the economy. Then, we will review cyber-attacks against the U.S. from China, Iran, and Russia along with the impact and possible ramifications from those attacks. Finally, this paper discusses U.S. strategies to minimize the impact of cyber-attacks.
The level of encryption was successful hiding the attack and avoiding common detection methods (Bremer, 2013). The attacks were said to have attacked at least 34 companies in the technology, financial and defense sectors and were given the name of “Operation Aurora” by McAfee. The name comes from references in the malware to the name of a file folder named “Aurora” that was on the computer of one of the hackers. Just a few minutes after Google announced it had been attacked, Adobe made the announcement that they, too, had been attacked. The story additionally disclosed that there was a “zero day vulnerability” within Internet Explorer and that it was exploited by the hackers to gain access to Google and other
When installing any operating system regardless of whether it is a Linux or windows based operating system it is essential that steps are taken to ensure the security of the operating systems. Ensuring the security of an installed operating system before for it is put into use is known as system hardening. System hardening is done by taking known vulnerabilities in an operating system and making security enhancement to mitigate these vulnerabilities. Thus, it is important to know the vulnerabilities which are posed by each operating system and the ways in which they can be mitigate. Below are three common vulnerabilities in windows operating system and recommendations on how to mitigate them.
3. Users must not attempt to access any data, documents, email correspondence, and programs contained on systems for which they do not have authorization.
Since the onset of the first packet switching event that many believe to be beginning of the internet, no other technology besides the printing press has ever transformed the ability to deliver information. Although the internet is used by a large percentage of the civilized world, few Americans realize how vital cyberspace is to our national infrastructure. Today, we are faced with even more threats although it has been a recognized problem since 2009, when President Barrack Obama said “The cyber threat is one of the most serious economic and national security challenges we face as a nation. It’s also clear that we’re not as prepared as we should be, as a government or as a country (Obama, 2009).” Every industry that operates in the United States is dependent on the internet for some aspect of their business. Commerce, transportation, financial institutions, military, as well as industrial control systems are all interconnected. This interconnectedness has created vulnerabilities within their infrastructure that have increasingly become targets of terrorists, script kiddies, foreign governments and hackers of all types.
In today’s world it is highly impossible for any kind of business to function without the assistance of technology. Any company that relies on digital data and computer networks have exposure to a host of varying Cyber Attacks. As technology continues to evolve, cyber security breaches become even more difficult to solve. The cybersecurity world rightly believes in the maxim – It’s not if, it’s when!