Essay Sample on Cybersecurity Threats and Vulnerable Assets

Introduction

In the modern corporate world, the establishment of various organizations exposes an entire organization or individual's business enterprise to several cybersecurity threats obtained from several sources (Abomhara, 2015). Both large-scale organizations and small enterprises have exposure to cybersecurity threat effects, therefore, suggesting none of the organizations has a safer position from the attack and threats in the cybersecurity understandings. For instance, Kaspersky Lab, an antivirus organization, samples the outcome where the internet contains several malpractices and insecure files such as over three hundred thousand malicious files are processed by the antivirus organization that indicates an average of two hundred and fifty malware threats exposure in a single day. To express the extent of threat an organization is exposed to in the cybersecurity risks, an adequate understanding of the statistics are identified, for instance, the identified malware cases by the Kaspersky labs do not represent the entire threats exposure in the cybersecurity industry (Malm et al., 2017). Thus, organizations do face not only the danger of malware but also experience threats and networks vulnerabilities from various sources that might favor the stealing of the company's data or result in unnecessary harm. Therefore, this article presents the analysis of possible cybersecurity threats and vulnerable assets exposed to the organizations.

Malware

Malware is consistently produced daily to affect the operation of the business enterprise. However, in the initial understanding of malware productions, the newly generated malware files are mainly identified as the rehashes of the older malware programs that have been transformed with a different structure to make them unrecognizable to the applications of antivirus. Over a specific period, other types of malware have been established where every type affects the targeted system differently.

Ransomware

In the understanding of ransomware-type of malware, the mischievous software is created with the aim of encrypting drives for storing data of the targeted user thus affecting the access of the data by the owner. The criminals, therefore, give an ultimatum that demands the payment to return the key for the encryption process (Meszaros & Buchalcevova, 2017). Therefore, on the occasion where the user fails to reach the ransom demands, the criminals delete the key thus losing the data permanently.

Trojans

Trojans are identified as a malware delivery system where it is designed to cover up as a legitimate program to lure users into installing them into the systems. The trojan can be significantly destructive since they slip up into the user's extreme defenses of the network security by displaying a harmless status while it significantly destroys and creates an internal threat to the system.

Worm

Worms are malware programs that replicate on their own and spread through various means like emails into the secured systems of the organization. Once the work enters the mode, it pursues a specific file sharing system or contacts database and shares itself as an accessory (O'Halloran, 2017). In the formation of the email, the attachment created by the warm is also included in the email thus confusing the receiver, as it looks similar to emails sent by the compromised computer.

Various malware programs are therefore created with the primary objective of accessing and copying sensitive data from the database systems of the targeted users. Other improved malware programs are designed with the ability to reproduce, sent the data of interest autonomously, and delivered it to a particular server or port that the criminal can use inconspicuously to obtain the data. Malware program's effects can be controlled using basic antivirus programs. However, more advanced malware threats can be managed by adopting a multilayered solution for security that includes the use of antivirus, intrusion detection systems, inspection firewalls, employee training to create awareness of possible threats, and the application of email virus scanners.

Unpatched Security Vulnerabilities

Many of the daily developing threats in cybersecurity and vulnerable assets depend on the old security vulnerabilities to function effectively. With the availability of computer malware designed to adventure similar weaknesses continuously, one of the significant risks an organization can engage in is failing to cover the discovered vulnerabilities and chances for cybersecurity threats (O'Halloran, 2017). On several occasions, users avoid the notification that suggests new updates of the system thus preventing the possible way of covering opportunities that might result in potential threat leaks. To most users, updating the system is a nuisance, which can be instrumental in saving the organization's data and significant information by protecting against potential internet criminals. The most effective way to cover the chances of cyber insecurity is to maintain a schedule to update the system regularly where the users check for any patches in the system for the software and ensure they are adequately applied to the database systems of the organization or individual.

Phishing (Social Engineering) Attacks

In the understanding of social engineering attack, the criminal initiates the activity by luring the targeted user to give sensitive information and credentials of the account or forceful download of dangerous malware. Email mimicking of one of the organization's associates describes the most used strategies by the criminals to trick the users into providing sensitive information. Similarly, the attacker can also mimic the email details of a senior person within the organization to easily bait the employee to provide the required information to carry out a cybersecurity crime (Abomhara, 2015). For instance, the attacker might construct an email that directs the user to set the password without knowing the email contains malware that captures all the details thus compromising the entire system of the organization. The principal aim of applying the phishing attack strategy is to exploit the targeted user to bypass security levels for the attackers to have easy access to the desired information. Therefore, to cover the possible cause of phishing attack, several actions such as the installation of email virus detection, installation of multifactor authentication, creating awareness among the employees on the cybersecurity issues acts as the most effective measures involved in protecting the organization's sensitive information.

Internet of Things Devices

The understanding of the internet of things includes several smart devices such as Wifi capable manufacturing robots, refrigerators, coffee makers, printers, and other technologies. The cybersecurity criminals, therefore, target the stated devices and hijack them to create slaved networks for the devices, which are compromised to sponsor more attacks. Organizations that continuously use the Internet of Things devices have very high exposure to the cybersecurity threat as they have numerous unprotected vulnerabilities connected to their systems. Continuous security auditing in the organization should be performed to assist in identifying the functionality of the Internet of Things devices connected to the network and establish whether they are functioning adequately (Malm et al., 2017). Therefore, continuous auditing is significant as it helps in identifying any device added into the system or ejection of any item from the system that might expose the organization to a higher risk of cybersecurity challenges.

Organizations Own Employees

Within the organization, the greatest cybersecurity threat and vulnerable asset are the employees to the business enterprise. The breaching of a database security system can be traced to an individual's actions who may have participated in wrongdoing either accidentally or intentionally. For instance, an organization's employees might decide to abuse the provided privilege of assessing the organization's most sensitive information for personal benefits. Similarly, an organization faces a high risk of cybersecurity crime by employees being tricked into giving details of the company's, sensitive account credentials, downloading harmful files from bad sites as well as clicking wrong emails in the malicious emails that might have to contain malware programs. Therefore, the attackers get the chance to access the system quickly and obtain significant information about the organization. Actions such as offering training for the employee cybersecurity activities, application of defense in depth, installation of multifactor authentication, and use of a policy of at least privilege are necessary to help in controlling possible intentional or accidental involvement of employees into cybersecurity crime activities.

Training of Employees on Cybersecurity Awareness

Exposing employees to the information and realization of possible cybersecurity crimes would increase the understanding of concepts possibly applied by the attackers to trick employees into giving the information (Malm et al., 2017). Therefore, the training helps in equipping the employees with adequate knowledge needed to identify and evade any malicious activity that might result in contrary access to the information used to destroy the organization.

The Policy of Least Privilege

An organization should establish a policy of least privilege, which means an individual, is highly restricted to access the information from the system, therefore, creating limited abilities of information exposure to individuals thus creating a slim chance to follow up any malpractice.

Installation of Multifactor Authentication

Employees are highly exposed to unnecessary pranks by cybersecurity criminals to give information about the organizations' database or download malware programs that later result in massive destructions of the organization's database and sensitive information (Meszaros & Buchalcevova, 2017). Therefore, the installation of multifactor authentication techniques such as biometrics makes it harder for cybercrime attackers to hijack the system, which could be easily attacked in the case of applications of passwords and usernames.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an adequate understanding of the threats an organization is highly exposed to creates the essential step required for the company to protect its customers' information as well as the sensitive data of the organization. With the availability of numerous cybersecurity threats and vulnerable assets, lots of expertise, hard work, and vigilance are needed among the employees and management to help in minimizing the cases of cyber insecurity threats and sensitive assets. In conjunction, other multilayered security solutions must also be applied in the organization to help in containing secret information. For instance, for an organization to maintain high-security levels for their information and data, security measures such as the use of antivirus, installation of email virus scanners, installation of deep-pocket firewalls, and training employees are necessary for creating a more secure environment to contain sensitive information within the organization.

References

Abomhara, M. (2015). Cybersecurity and the internet of things: vulnerabilities, threats, intruders, and attacks. Journal of Cyber Security and Mobility, 4(1), 65-88.

Malm, T., Ahonen, T., & Valisalo, T. (2017). Risk assessment of machinery system concerning safety and cyber-security. In Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) Nordic Chapter Conference, RISK 2017.

Meszaros, J., & Buchalcevova, A. (2017). Introducing OSSF: A framework for online service cybersecurity risk management.