Cyber Security Vulnerabilities

Posted by mctracy On February 20, 2023

Technology presents security risks inherently as it becomes more embedded within everyday life. Being aware of cyber security vulnerabilities allows us to be better protected and prevent cyber-attacks.

“A vulnerability only becomes a problem when it is exploited. This exploit may be performed intentionally by an attacker or unintentionally by a legitimate user. For example, a buffer overflow vulnerability that leads to a Denial of Service (DoS) attack could even be triggered by a cat walking across a user’s keyboard. Regardless of how it is exploited, a vulnerability poses a significant threat. Vulnerabilities can lead to data breaches, malware infections, and a loss of critical services.” (Check Point).

DoS attacks are not to be confused with Distributed Denial of Service attacks (DDoS).

“The difference between DoS and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks has to do with the origin of the attack. DoS attacks originate from just one system while DDoS attacks are launched from multiple systems. DDoS attacks are faster and harder to block than DOS attacks because multiple systems must be identified and neutralized to halt the attack.” (Crowd Strike).

Cyber security vulnerabilities include unpatched software and unauthorized access to networks.

“Software vulnerabilities are common, and they are corrected by applying patches or updates that fix the issue. A failure to properly patch out-of-date software leaves it vulnerable to exploitation.” (Check Point). “It is common for companies to assign employees and contractors more access and privileges than they need. These additional permissions create security risks if an employee abuses their access or their account is compromised by an attacker. ”

Unauthorized access could mean an insider threat.

“Insider threats are internal actors such as current or former employees that pose danger to an organization because they have direct access to the company network, sensitive data, and intellectual property (IP), as well as knowledge of business processes, company policies or other information that would help carry out such an attack.” (Crowd Strike).

Credential theft is another type of cyber security vulnerability.

“Cybercriminals have different means of stealing user credentials, including phishing, malware, and credential stuffing attacks. An attacker with access to a legitimate user’s account can use this access to attack an organization and its systems.” (Check Point).

Phishing is one of the most common types of cyber-attacks.

“Phishing is a type of cyberattack that uses email, SMS, phone, social media, and social engineering techniques to entice a victim to share sensitive information — such as passwords or account numbers — or to download a malicious file that will install viruses on their computer or phone.” (Crowd Strike).

Overall, to patch vulnerabilities, monitoring access and accounts as well as using a vulnerability scanner to help will assist companies in protecting their data.

“A vulnerability scanner can automatically identify many of the vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems. Performing a vulnerability scan provides insight into the issues that need correction and where the company is most likely to be attacked.” (Check Point). “Many vulnerabilities arise from weak authentication and access control. Implementing least privilege and deploying multi-factor authentication (MFA) can help to limit the risk of account takeover attacks.”

Want to learn more about improving cyber security? Responsive Technology Partners is the leading cyber-security expert in the Athens, Metter, Milledgeville, Vidalia, and Atlanta, Georgia areas. We also have locations in Tampa, Florida, Roanoke, Virginia, and Raleigh, North Carolina. Service offerings include I.T. support, cyber-security and compliance, cloud-based POS systems and support, telephony, cloud services, cabling, access control, and camera systems. Our company’s mission is to provide world-class customer service through industry leading I.T. solutions that make every customer feel as if they are our only customer. Please visit our website to learn more: https://www.responsivetechnologypartners.com/.