Unit 7
Assignment 1
Introduction
Throughout this report I will be looking at the potential threats and their impacts on
organisations. This will include the methods of gaining unauthorised access, damage and
destruction of systems, and information, information security, e-commerce threats,
counterfeit goods and the overall impact of threats on an organisation.
Potential threats
Natural disasters
Natural disasters can pose a threat to IT systems [in terms of data loss and damaged
equipment]. Three of the most common natural disasters which are a threat to IT systems
include: Fires, Earthquakes and floods.
Fires can be caused from something as small as a spark, to a vast forest fire. Fires can also
be caused by someone with malicious intent by something as simple as a match to the more
deceiving cigarette.
Earthquakes are impossible to predict however they are more common where the tectonic
plates are shifting. Companies around these areas can take evasive action ensuring
earthquakes don’t pose as much of a threat.
Floods can be caused by torrential rain, high water pressure and shifting tectonic plates
(earthquakes leading to tsunamis).
Below I will discuss why the three natural disasters stated are threats to an IT system:
1. Fires have the ability to fry wires as well as computers internal components meaning
IT equipment may need to be replaced and there may be a loss of data.
2. Earthquakes can be the cause of many issues including fires and floods. The
earthquake itself can distort the electricity supplies leading to loss of power. In terms
of structural damage there may be damaged data and power lines; some people may
take advantage of this as security systems may be disabled and go about the streets
looting goods.
3. Floods can cause damage to internal components, although the system may work as
it did prior to the flood long term damaged will be caused meaning the metals within
the system corrode sooner than it perhaps should.
Below I will now discuss the impacts of a natural disaster:
1. Fires can cause loss of service from the computer systems, it can also cause loss of
data due to the components being fried. This will mean that not only information
[potentially providing your company with a competitive advantage] would be lost/
corrupt meaning data will have to be re-gathered but also the equipment will need
to be replaced.
2. Earthquakes may be the cause of loss of power and data. With loss of power the
company may now possess a disabled security system meaning there would be no
way to identify looters with footage as proof.
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Matthew Lloyd-Jones
,Unit 7
Assignment 1
3. Floods can cause damage to IT equipment making them either redundant or due an
early replacement [as it will inevitably have internal corrosive damage]. There will be
an immediate loss of power throughout the company as all sources of electricity
should be disabled ensuring no person is damaged. This would mean once again
security systems are offline meaning looters have access to goods with much less of
a chance to be caught.
Malicious damage
Malicious threats to a system are always present whether the cause is Internal or External.
Malicious damage can be encountered via an external hacker, an attacking system or a
corrupt member of staff. Although security measures will always be put in place, dedicated
threats (whether this be a person or system) will usually still find a way to damage a system.
Threats related to e-commerce
Since the arrival of e-commerce there has been a constant battle against hacking and similar
crimes such as: Website defacement, control of access to data via third-party suppliers and
denial of service attacks.
Counterfeit goods
The trading of counterfeit goods has two major impacts, 1) it affects the creator of the
product/service as there will be a loss of income and 2) it is illegal meaning the recipient
may face fines or in major circumstances be sued.
Technical failure
Due to the complexity of the systems being used there is always a risk of technical failure.
Examples of technical failure include: The loss of a server, storage devices, or internet
connect. This would most likely cause disruption to the workers within an organisation thus
leading to delays in the completion time of their workload.
With the security systems of today being connected in some way over [for example CCTV] to
a network there may be compromised security footage as a result of technical failure.
Human errors
Human error is known to be the most likely cause of security threat in any networked
system. Typical human characteristics can lead to an increased potential of a security
breach, the characteristics I am talking about include: ignorance, innocence, lack of
knowledge and forgetfulness.
Ignorance of the need for network and general systems security has been the most common
cause of network intrusion and virus infection.
With the use of broadband/ADSL connections over the past years there has been a
noticeable increase in hacking attacks and Virus, Worm, Trojan transmission. As a result of
this, firewalls are now typically installed within the operating system. Home and commercial
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Matthew Lloyd-Jones
,Unit 7
Assignment 1
users have also been made aware of their increased threats therefore reducing the chances
they will fall victim to such attacks.
Well informed, devious fellows may use social engineering and phishing attacks to gain
entry into network security systems. These innocent misunderstanding have led to serious
attacks in the past; the only real way to avoid such attacks is by learning from experience.
Forgetting to place data in a secure location, forgetting your access card, forgetting to back
up data, forgetting to erase hard drives prior to disposing of them, forgetting to close a port
after installing something. These are all threats of security on a networked system.
To reduce all of these [human error] threats dramatically companies should create well
revised procedures [which must be aided by] and upon this ensure the staff are trained
adequately to ensure the companies security is not altered/manipulated by their accord.
Theft of equipment
Theft of technical property and theft of data can have a vast and prolonged impact on both
organisations and individuals.
There are two ways in which the theft can take place, via computer or in the physical sense;
the data can then be kept by storing it onto a removable USB storage device. Shredded
paper may also be taken and reassembled, with theft of data there can be major
repercussions such as: giving the competitor an advantage with the use of information, loss
of customers as the company will be less trusted [when data is leaked]; it may even go into
financial ruin due to the loss of fiscal control. Lastly, the organisation will need to hold
accountable someone and therefore an employee will need to be fired [usually this is the
employee whose error allowed the theft to occur but this isn’t always the case].
All the already mentioned issues stand true with theft of technical property also. The major
risks within the organisation include the laptops that are used outside the office and the
external hard drives some employees take with them to continue their work.
Malicious damage
Internal and external threats
Unfortunately, unsatisfied staff may have malicious intent they wish to carry out [and most
probably will in the near future] and to aid them in doing so, they install within the system
threats [such as Key logging programs]. It is a shame as you’d expect your staff to be
trustworthy and honourable. Upon this external threats are evolving [daily] to get access
into network infrastructures from the outside. Below I will add a table containing examples
of both internal and external threats:
Internal threats External threats
[within the system] [outside the networks infrastructure]
Magic disk tactics Phishing and identity theft
Forging data
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Matthew Lloyd-Jones
,Unit 7
Assignment 1
Key logging Hacking with piggybacking, tunnels and
probes
Man in the middle attacks Worms
Trojans
Use of scanners Virus attacks
Access causing damage
Unauthorised software which has gained access on your system may be used in damaging
your data or restricting/jamming your resources.
Some attacks may go unnoticed as close to no action is taken. The intruders may only want
access onto the computer system to know that they can in future. Alternatively, the data
held on the computer system may be their prize [for it may be copied or manipulated].
Virus attacks
Virus attacks occur once a rouge piece of code has gained entered to your system. A virus
will typically hide itself within ordinary executable code and has the ability of doing the
following:
Create havoc – Opening and closing CD door, swapping the key responses for
example ‘a’ for ‘d’.
Self-reproduce – spreading virus from application to application evading detection
and elimination.
Cause damage to data and cause damage to the hard drive.
Viruses will typically embed themselves within an application, redirecting its commands and
code around itself while running as a separate task.
Most virus scanners can detect a virus by opening the file and scanning for the code, looking
for this type of redirection.
Many anti-virus applications will create a hash [which is known as an MD5*] for each
application. If the MD5 changes, it may be treated as a virus attack.
Once found, the anti-virus application offers the option to remove or isolate the virus into a
quarantine zone.
*MD5 – this is an independent code which represents the data inside an application. Here is
a definition I found online –“MD5 is an algorithm that is used to verify data integrity through
the creation of a 128-bit message digest from data input (which may be a message of any
length) that is claimed to be as unique to that specific data as a fingerprint is to the specific
individual.”
Trojans
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Matthew Lloyd-Jones
, Unit 7
Assignment 1
Trojans a deceiving applications, they were designed to allow others to access your system.
They are typically transported via infected email attachments, infected downloads, Infected
CD/DVDs, or worms which use vulnerabilities from within your operating system. Trojans
have the ability to cause the most damage.
Sub-7, this is an infamous Trojan attack which can be used for key logging and remote
attacks, controlling your computer to initialise the real attack, and distributed denial of
service attacks.
Worms
Although many systems weaknesses have been patched over the years, worms still exist and
are targeting the unsuspecting. Worms are a type of malicious software which contain
within it active payloads which can include Trojans and Viruses. Worms can be identified as
either active [can self-transport without human manipulation] or passive [this relies on the
user’s lack of knowledge of the ‘worm’ to transport them from one location to another].
Active worms can relocate around the networks infrastructure via: email, using the
vulnerabilities within the operating system, the web and DNS servers and with the use of
alternative traffic systems.
Access without damage
Hackers may have gained access onto your computer system subtly and left no trace behind
meaning you may have no idea as to what they can have done.
To ensure this is no longer the case you should:
Regularly check your computer system
Ensure your anti-virus is up-to-date
Ensure there is a well written procedures list for the staff can identify any possible
computer manipulation
As these hackers are very discrete you may not find the issue until sometime later; by this
time however you may find your completion has taken advantage of your data or that there
is a problem with your customers.
Phishing and identity theft
Phishing is a method used by people with malicious intent, the method will lure you for
giving your personal information; this method typically works with the use of social
engineering [meaning - using someone else’s trust they have placed to gather sensitive data
which you shouldn’t possess].
Typically phishing will employ a range of tactics [tactics of which are constantly evolving],
here is a typically example - An email says you may be entitled to PPI and then asks for your
bank details.
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Matthew Lloyd-Jones
