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5.3 Cyber Security

Cyber Security Threats

Cyber Security Threats

Cybersecurity threats pose a major challenge for individuals and organisations that rely on
digital technology to store and transmit sensitive information.
Brute-Force Attack
A brute-force attack is a trial-and-error method used to crack passwords or encryption
keys by trying every possible combination until the correct one is found
The aim of a brute-force attack is to gain unauthorised access to a system or network
Data Interception
Data interception involves eavesdropping on communication channels to intercept and
steal sensitive information, such as passwords, credit card numbers, or personal data
The aim of data interception is to steal sensitive information for personal gain or to use it for
further cyber attacks
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attack
A DDoS attack is where multiple computers are used as bots
They flood a server with lots of requests at the same time which the server can’t respond
to; causing it to crash or become unavailable to users
The aim of a DDoS attack is to disrupt the normal functioning of a system or network by
denying users access
Hacking
Hacking involves gaining unauthorised access to a system or network to steal or
manipulate data, disrupt services, or cause damage
The aim of hacking can vary from personal gain to activism or cyber espionage
Malware
Malware is malicious software designed to harm or gain unauthorised access to a system or
network. Types of malware include:
A virus is a piece of code that attaches itself to a legitimate program or file and then
replicates itself to spread to other programs or files on the computer. It can cause damage
to the system, steal personal information or corrupt files
A worm is similar to a virus but is a standalone program that can spread and replicate itself
over computer networks. It can slow down the system, cause crashes or delete files
A Trojan horse is a program that disguises itself as a legitimate program or file, but when
installed, it can give hackers remote access to the computer, steal personal information or
cause damage to the system
Spyware is a type of software that secretly collects personal information from the
computer and sends it to third parties without the user's knowledge or consent. It can slow
down the system or change browser settings

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Adware is a type of software that displays unwanted advertisements on the computer

without the user's consent. It can slow down the system and cause pop-up ads
Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the user's files and demands a ransom
payment to decrypt them. It can cause data loss, and financial damage and disrupt
business operations
The aim of malware attacks can range from data theft to extortion or disruption of services
Phishing
Phishing involves the user is sent an email which looks legitimate
This contains a link to a fake website where the user is encouraged to enter their details
The aim of phishing is to steal sensitive information for personal gain or to use it for further
cyber attacks
Pharming
Pharming involves malware being downloaded without the user’s knowledge
This redirects the user to a fake website where they’re encouraged to enter their personal
details
The aim of pharming is to steal sensitive information for personal gain or to use it for further
cyber attacks
Social Engineering
Social engineering involves manipulating individuals to gain access to confidential
information or to perform an action that benefits the attacker
This can include techniques such as:
Impersonation
This involves posing as someone else to gain trust or access to sensitive
information
Attackers might pretend to be a co-worker, IT support personnel, or a law
enforcement officer to get people to divulge sensitive information or perform an
action they wouldn't otherwise do
Baiting
Baiting is a social engineering technique that involves enticing a victim with a
desirable item or promise to extract sensitive information or gain access to a
system
Attackers might leave a USB drive with a tempting label, like "salary information," in
a public place and wait for someone to pick it up and plug it into a computer
Once the drive is connected to the computer, the attacker can access sensitive
information or install malware
Pretexting
Pretexting involves creating a fake scenario to extract sensitive information
The attacker might pose as a bank representative and ask for personal
information to "verify your account”
The aim of social engineering is to exploit human behaviour and vulnerabilities to gain
unauthorised access to a system or network

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Accidental Damage
Data could also be accidentally damaged through:
Loss of power
Liquids being spilt
Flooding
Fire
Hardware failure
Software failure
Human error
Pressing delete by mistake
Not saving data
Not shutting down the computer correctly

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Keeping Data Safe

Keeping Data Safe

Access Levels
Access levels are used to restrict access to sensitive information to only authorised
personnel
This helps to prevent unauthorised access, which is one of the main security threats to
data
Access levels can be set based on a user's role, responsibility, or clearance level
Full access
This allows the user to open, create, edit & delete files
Read-only access
This only allows the user to open files without editing or deleting
No access
This hides the file from the user
Anti-Malware
Anti-malware solutions are used to prevent and remove malware, which is a common type
of security threat to data
Anti-malware software includes anti-virus and anti-spyware programs, which help to
detect and remove malicious software from a computer system
This software works by scanning the computer’s files and any files being downloaded and
comparing them to a list of known malware
If any malware is found, it is quarantined to prevent the spread
The malware is then deleted
Authentication
Authentication is used to ensure that only authorised users can access data
There are several methods of authentication:
Passwords are used to protect sensitive data by preventing unauthorised access. A
strong password should be complex, unique, and not easily guessed. Passwords
should be changed regularly, and users should avoid reusing passwords across
multiple accounts.
Biometrics is used for authentication by identifying unique physical characteristics of
an individual such as fingerprints, facial recognition, or iris scans. Biometric
authentication is more secure than using passwords since it is harder to fake or
duplicate. However, biometric data should be stored securely to prevent it from being
stolen.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) requires users to provide two forms of
authentication before accessing data, such as a password and a verification code
sent to a mobile device. This provides an extra layer of security and reduces the risk of
unauthorised access. 2FA is widely used to protect online accounts, such as email or
banking.
These methods help to prevent unauthorised access and protect sensitive data.
Automating Software Updates

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Automating software updates ensures that software systems are up-to-date with the
latest security patches, which helps to prevent security threats
This is especially important for operating systems and software that are frequently
targeted by hackers
It does this by scanning the Internet for known updates to software which are installed on
the computer
If any updates are found, these can either install automatically or notify the user to install
them
Communications
Checking the spelling and tone of communications is important to prevent phishing
attacks
URL
Checking the URL attached to a link is another way to prevent phishing attacks.
Hackers often use fake URLs to trick users into visiting fraudulent websites
e.g. http://amaz.on.co.uk/ rather than http://amazon.co.uk/
Firewalls
A firewall can be software or hardware based
It monitors incoming and outgoing traffic between the computer and the network
The user sets criteria for the traffic
The firewall will accept or reject the traffic based on this
It can help prevent hacking and malicious software that could be a threat to the security of
the data
Privacy Settings
Privacy settings are used to control the amount of personal information that is shared
online
They are an important measure to prevent identity theft and other forms of online fraud
Users should regularly review their privacy settings and adjust them as needed
Proxy-Servers
Proxy-servers are used to hide a user's IP address and location, making it more difficult
for hackers to track them
They act as a firewall and can also be used to filter web traffic by setting criteria for traffic
Malicious content is blocked and a warning message can be sent to the user
Proxy-servers are a useful security measure for protecting against external security threats
Secure Socket Layer
SSL is a security protocol which is used to encrypt data transmitted over the internet
This helps to prevent eavesdropping and other forms of interception
SSL is widely used to protect online transactions, such as those involving credit card
information or other sensitive data
It works by sending a digital certificate to the user’s browser
This contains the public key which can be used for authentication
Once the certificate is authenticated, the transaction will begin

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Physical Methods
Physical methods are used to physically protect hardware that stores sensitive data
This can include:
Locked rooms needing a key or card access
CCTV
Bodyguards
Backup
This is the process of making a copy of files in case something happens to the original
ones
Backing up data is important to protect against data loss due to hardware failure, cyber-
attacks, or other disasters
Backups should be stored in a secure location, and multiple copies should be made
Regular backups ensure that data can be recovered in the event of a security breach or
data loss

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