Computer Security
By Duncan Hall
Three protections of information
When trying to protect information, you must make sure that your solution
follows the three guidelines.

Confidentiality: Ensures that only authorized parties can view the information
and prevents the disclosure to others.

Integrity: Ensures the information is correct and has not been tampered with
by unauthorized persons or malicious software.

Availability: Ensures that data is accessible when needed to authorized users.
Difficulties in defending against attacks

Universally connected devices

Increased speed of attacks

Greater sophistication of attacks

Availability and simplicity of attack tools

Faster detection of vulnerabilities

Delays in security updating

Weak security update distribution

Distributed attacks

User confusion
What are the different kinds of
attackers?

Script Kiddies: People that use downloaded automated software.

Spies: Someone who breaks in a computer and steals info without leaving a trace.

Insiders: When someone from inside the organization attacks the organization.

Cyberterrorists: People that usually perform a huge attack on a nations network to
cause panic.

Hacktivists: These people attack a specific website; usually in retaliation.

Government agencies: Nations will often attack each other through the internet.
Some information terms

Asset: item that has value. Ex. Employee database

Threat: action that has the potential to cause harm. Ex. Data can be stolen.

Threat agent: person or element with the power to carry out a threat. Ex.
Hacker.

Vulnerability: flaw that allows an attacker to bypass security. Ex. Software
defect.

Exploit: how the vulnerability can be taken advantage of. Ex. Virus sent to
unprotected email server.

Risk: the likelihood that a threat agent will exploit the vulnerability. Ex. Data
will be stolen.
How does an attack work?

Step 1: The threat agent will often check the object he/she is about to attack
check for vulnerabilities, trying to find the easiest way in. they will try to
avoid the firewalls, and try to bypass them.

Step 2: if they can’t find a easy way in they might turn to social engineering
by contacting employees or executives for information. (passwords and
usernames usually)

Step 3: the attacker will then use the information he/she has gathered to
exploit the vulnerability. Gaining entry.

Step 4: attacker will try to steal data and deal additional damage towards
your productivity.

Step 5: sometimes the attacker will cover their tracks once they’re done to
avoid being caught, making it harder to find them.
Attackers will often
impersonate people
from organizations
or employees from
your company. To
get information
This is often
how social
engineering
works.
Who is likely to be attacked?

CEOs or executives

File servers

Employees

Web site servers

Email servers
How can I defend myself against these
attacks?

Using to firewalls to filter out unwanted traffic

Complex and long passwords

Change passwords regularly

Enforcing security using group policy

Don’t open or download things from emails of people you don’t know

Keep your software up to date

Don’t store secure info on mobile devices (or something that can be stolen
easily)

Encrypt secure info and keep a copy of the encryption key in another
location.
No
defense is
perfect!