Cyber Security
Cyber Security is the practice of identifying the vulnerabilities and threats associated with
digital systems and mitigating these risks. The term “cyber” refers to a nickname for an
internet-connected computer or any other device that uses a processor, input/output and
networking connections. The common threats include: viruses, worms, trojans and malware.
A related term is cyber warfare which is the use of cyber tools in warfare to achieve
objectives that would not be possible by using physical means such as bombs or missiles.
Cyber security has always been an important issue but it became prominent when major
events happened such as the 2015 Bangladesh bank robbery where hackers stole $81 million
from the banks central account at its headquarters in Bangladesh. The role of cyber security
professionals is to protect critical systems and information. The main goal of cyber security is
to prevent hackers from gaining access to information or using nefarious actions that would
put the users’ information at risk.
Cyber security is important because the government, military, law enforcement, and private
industry use many critical resources that could be negatively affected by cyber attacks. Many
of these systems are financial, such as banks, credit cards, ATMs, stock markets and
networks. Government agencies use software to manage the US budget system and the
military uses software to track troop movement. Because of these vital uses, cyber attacks
could cripple important services or even destroy the country’s financial security.
In order for companies to operate securely in today’s technological world they need to
implement cyber security protections. These protections include firewall protection, antivirus programs, encryption codes that keep hackers from easily accessing sensitive data and
data backup systems in case any security breach occurs that causes damage to systems or
information.
Cyber security is of increasing concern for businesses, governments and individuals. Despite
the many controls and systems in place, there are still many cyber attacks that occur. Some of
the most recent high-profile attacks include: The Target data breach, Heartbleed bug, the
WannaCry attack and Bangladesh bank robbery. These events exposed customer’s personal
information which can be used by hackers and targeted for identity theft or as part of a
fraudulent scheme.
A major concern to cyber security is providing more efficient support to better protect against
cyber related activities. This means an organization must have the information available to
help identify possible threats including understanding what possible methods hackers may
use to gain access, and how the organization can prepare for any potential attacks.
Cyber security is a constantly growing area of study and research. Some of the most recent
research being done is focused on cyber security in cyber space. The purpose of this paper
will be to analyze if a previous study found in 2012 correctly identified computers within an
organization as well as their movement throughout the network. There are two main findings
that are sought out which were: 1) how computers move across networks (e.g. LAN, WAN,
etc.), and 2) how computers might behave in a network. The assumption is that computers
within an organization move between locations (e.g., building or branch offices) and they
may change their location(s). Also, the behavior of a computer can be tracked as observed
(e.g., its IP address changes from one to another, or its Whois information changes from one
domain name service provider to another).
Many networks have become globalized today using the internet as the primary means of
communication with many different locations and companies around the world. A new report
published by Gartner Inc. named the number of organizations that use geographic
information systems (GIS) for cyber security have risen dramatically to two-thirds. The other
third are using other technologies, including intrusion detection systems (IDS), firewalls, and
antivirus software.
No information security agency is perfect. Most infosec practitioners in the world today agree
that no agency can completely protect their organization from all possible threats. However,
the best agencies should have a variety of defense techniques which can work together as an
effective strategy to secure the organization from malicious activities.
Server hardening is one of these techniques that could work effectively when it comes to
cyber security and computer network defense. This practice is used to strengthen the security
of a system. Preventing harm from malicious hacking or other types of attacks can be a
challenge in today’s digital world. This is why, security professionals should implement good
practices and standards for cyber-hardening their systems.
Server hardening is one important way to protect against attacks that could result in damage
to an organization’s data, infrastructure, and strategies for meeting business goals. Server
hardening is also known as application whitelisting and uses special techniques to add
controls on the operating system (OS) that are not related directly with the applications
installed on the server. It’s important to stress that server hardening is an asset-focused
process. It’s not just a checklist of steps that one can blindly follow. It requires the
information security expert to identify the required baseline configuration and then fine tune
it according to the information gathered during asset review or from other sources.
Cybercrime and protecting systems against attacks are both increasing in the world today.
Cyber security is a topic of major concern among the government and private sector. As
technology advances it becomes easier for hackers to exploit vulnerabilities in operating
systems, applications, and hardware. Attackers have no problem taking advantage of these
vulnerabilities and use them to their advantage. A cyber attack can be interpreted as an
offense or a defense depending on how it is used by the attacker. An attacker may use a cyber
attack offensively to create chaos and disrupt services during peacetime or defensively to
prepare for an offensive attack during war time.
Children are being targeted more and more by cyber criminals. Cybercriminals use
legitimate-looking email accounts and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram,
to target children with malicious links or attachments in an attempt to gain access to their
network. These criminals may also use the same account and then message the child about
their personal life which leads to a breach in trust. Once the attacker has proven that he is
legitimate he may ask for the child’s home address, birthday and other personal information.
The reason for this is so they can send a birthday gift (which is actually malware) and/or
other gifts which will lead to more trust (this may be delivered via snail mail).
Every individual today has the opportunity to benefit from technology. This is an advantage
for people, but it also opens organizations up to new risks which may be exploited by
cybercriminals. Since a majority of the population uses computer technology directly or
indirectly in daily life.
Cyber security offers a variety of career paths depending on the level of experience you have
and your area of expertise. You can be an analyst/engineer, network administrator,
programmer, or data analyst and many more other positions available depending on your area
of interest and experience. Some jobs a required while others are possible as long as it relates
to your field in the security field such as computer science or finance. If you’re looking for a
career that will pay well, then cyber security is the right choice for you because it’s relatively
new and will only continue to grow.
Cyber security is an important topic that needs to be taken into account and researched more
and it is evolving rapidly.