Being Aware And Safeguarding Against Direct Attacks

One of the major issues facing companies’ technology infrastructure is safeguarding their data against direct attacks.
While large organizations have robust security measures in place, all it takes is one careless or uninformed employee placing much of this critical data at risk.

• Crackers and identity thieves are creating more sophisticated spyware applications that can leave even the most diligent companies at their mercy.
• Phishing techniques have also become more complex as these computer criminals have stepped up their efforts in order to profit off an organization’s neglect in creating robust security measures.

Many of the direct attacks that make the nightly news tend to happen because an organization failed to configure their security systems correctly. Even though most firms take extra precautions to ensure that their network systems can withstand a variety of threats, one wrong setting within the security software can be exploited.
Spyware software developers have learned to create their applications to target specific weaknesses in both computer software and in the people using these systems. What may appear as a regular process within a program may actually be a piece of malware that has been disguised to act like part of the normal application or operating system.
It is likely that more advanced computer professionals or those employees working within the information technology department will be able to discern against faulty program instructions. Casual or less experienced users may be completely unaware of a direct attack.
Much of the latest threats that have been designed to be able to learn the weakest part of a computer system, be it a specific person or a security glitch within an application. Utilizing advanced social engineering techniques, a web site that may appear to be valid is in fact a clever phishing tool that can be used to extract sensitive data or install malware on an unsuspecting user.

Computer crackers are relentless in their attempt to gain from successful companies.

Whether the goal is to gain financially or obtain critical information from the organization, the techniques these high tech criminals employ can fool even the most experienced individual.

1. Organizations need to establish comprehensive and frequent training opportunities for their employees to ensure that no one is performing actions that may risk the entire company information system from direct attacks.
2. Helping less informed employees know how to recognize phishing websites and methods used to install spyware on a computer system can help provide another level of protection against these menaces.
3. In addition, organizations should routinely review configuration settings within the security applications to prevent any unexpected access by cyber criminals.