Threats safety and Vulnerabilities in workplace .pptx

Safety

1. Threats and Vulnerabilities Introduction Prepared by: Prof. Alejandro Ortega, PhD

2. Threats and vulnerabilities refer to potential risks that can compromise the security and integrity of a system or organization. A threat can be defined as any event or action that has the potential to harm a system or its data. V ulnerability is a weakness or gap in a system's security that can be exploited by a threat to gain unauthorized access or cause damage.

3. Third Party Threats Threats and vulnerabilities can come from various sources, including human error, intentional attacks from hackers or malicious insiders, natural disasters, and technical failures. C ommon types of threats include malware, phishing attacks, social engineering, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks . Vulnerabilities can exist in software, hardware, networks, or organizational processes.

4. Third Party Threats It is important for organizations to identify and mitigate threats and vulnerabilities through a comprehensive risk management program. This involves identifying potential threats and vulnerabilities, assessing their likelihood and impact, implementing security measures to reduce risks, and monitoring and updating security measures on an ongoing basis. Failure to effectively manage threats and vulnerabilities can result in data breaches, financial losses, reputational damage, and legal liabilities.

5. Examples of threats and vulnerabilities in the context of cybersecurity: Phishing attacks: A threat actor could send an email that appears to be from a legitimate source (e.g., a bank or company) to trick the recipient into providing sensitive information. The vulnerability here could be a lack of employee training or an outdated email filter that fails to catch the phishing attempt.

6. Examples of threats and vulnerabilities in the context of cybersecurity: Malware infections : A threat actor could exploit a vulnerability in a software application to install malware on a system. The vulnerability could be a software bug that the vendor has not yet patched or a misconfiguration that leaves the system exposed

7. Here's an example scenario of a malware infection: Let's say a user receives an email with an attachment that appears to be a legitimate invoice from a vendor. The user opens the attachment, which contains a malicious payload that installs malware on their system. The malware may be designed to steal sensitive information from the user's system or to gain control of the system for use in a botnet.

8. Here's an example scenario of a malware infection: The vulnerability in this scenario could be a lack of employee training or an outdated email filter that failed to catch the malicious email. Alternatively, the vulnerability could be a vulnerability in the software that the user is running, such as an unpatched software bug that the malware exploits. Once the malware is installed, it may attempt to communicate with a command-and-control server controlled by the threat actor. The malware may use various techniques to evade detection and hide its presence on the system, such as encrypting its traffic or using rootkit techniques.

9. Here's an example scenario of a malware infection: If the malware is not detected and removed promptly, it can cause significant damage to the system and the organization. The threat actor behind the malware may be able to steal sensitive information, cause system outages, or launch additional attacks against other systems or networks. To prevent malware infections, organizations should implement a robust cybersecurity program that includes measures such as employee training, patch management, endpoint protection, and network monitoring.

10. Examples of threats and vulnerabilities in the context of cybersecurity: Password attacks: A threat actor could use brute force or social engineering techniques to obtain a user's login credentials. The vulnerability could be weak passwords or a lack of multi-factor authentication.

11. E xample scenario of a password attack: Let's say a threat actor targets a company's employees using a phishing email that appears to be from the company's IT department. The email contains a link to a fake login page that looks like the company's legitimate login page. When the employee enters their username and password on the fake page, the threat actor captures the credentials and can use them to access the company's systems.

12. E xample scenario of a password attack: The vulnerability in this scenario could be weak passwords or a lack of multi-factor authentication. If the employee used a weak password that was easy to guess or used the same password for multiple accounts, the threat actor may be able to easily crack the password and gain access to the employee's account. Alternatively, if the company does not use multi-factor authentication, the threat actor may be able to access the employee's account using only the captured password.

13. E xample scenario of a password attack: Once the threat actor has obtained the employee's login credentials, they may use the access to steal sensitive data, install malware, or launch additional attacks against the company's systems or networks. To prevent password attacks, organizations should implement strong password policies that require employees to use complex, unique passwords and change them regularly. They should also use multi-factor authentication to provide an additional layer of security to protect against unauthorized access. Finally, employee training on how to identify and avoid phishing emails is critical to preventing password attacks.

14. Examples of threats and vulnerabilities in the context of cybersecurity: Insider threats: A threat actor could be an employee or contractor who intentionally or unintentionally causes harm to the organization. The vulnerability here could be a lack of access controls or monitoring that allows the insider to access sensitive data or systems.

15. Example of Insider threats Insider threats are a type of threat in cybersecurity that come from within an organization. These threats can be intentional or unintentional and can include employees, contractors, or third-party vendors who have access to an organization's systems or data. Here's an example scenario of an insider threat:

16. Example of Insider threats Let's say an employee who has access to sensitive customer data becomes disgruntled with their employer and decides to steal the data to sell it on the black market. The employee may copy the data onto a USB drive or email it to a personal email account outside the organization. Alternatively, the employee may use their access to install malware on the company's systems to disrupt operations or steal additional data.

17. Example of Insider threats The vulnerability in this scenario could be a lack of access controls or monitoring that allows the employee to access sensitive data or systems. Alternatively, the vulnerability could be a lack of employee training or support that leads to employee dissatisfaction and a desire to harm the organization.

18. Example of Insider threats To prevent insider threats, organizations should implement strict access controls and monitoring to limit employee access to sensitive data and systems. They should also establish clear policies and procedures for handling data and detecting and responding to insider threats.

19. Example of Insider threats Employee training and support programs can also help to reduce the risk of insider threats by promoting a positive work environment and providing employees with the skills and resources they need to do their jobs effectively. Finally, organizations should conduct background checks and other screening processes before hiring employees, contractors, or vendors to identify potential insider threats before they gain access to the organization's systems or data.

20. Examples of threats and vulnerabilities in the context of cybersecurity: Insider threats: A threat actor could be an employee or contractor who intentionally or unintentionally causes harm to the organization. The vulnerability here could be a lack of access controls or monitoring that allows the insider to access sensitive data or systems.

21. Example of Insider threats Malicious Insider: A disgruntled employee who intentionally steals or destroys data, installs malware, or disrupts operations to harm the organization. This type of insider threat can be difficult to detect because the employee has legitimate access to the systems or data they are targeting. Careless Insider: An employee who unintentionally causes a security breach by misusing their access to data or systems. This can include leaving passwords written down or easily guessable, falling for phishing scams, or accidentally sending sensitive information to the wrong person.

22. Example of Insider threats Third-Party Insider: A contractor or third-party vendor who has access to an organization's systems or data and intentionally or unintentionally causes a security breach. This can include sharing sensitive information with unauthorized individuals, failing to properly secure their own systems, or falling for phishing scams. Credential Thief: A malicious actor who steals an employee's login credentials and uses them to gain unauthorized access to an organization's systems or data. This type of insider threat can be difficult to detect because the attacker is using legitimate credentials to access the systems.

23. Example of Insider threats Employee Sabotage: An employee who intentionally sabotages the organization's operations or reputation, often as a form of retaliation or to gain a competitive advantage. This can include leaking confidential information, damaging company property, or sabotaging computer systems. .

24. Examples of threats and vulnerabilities in the context of cybersecurity: DDoS attacks: A threat actor could use a botnet to flood a website or network with traffic, causing it to become unavailable. The vulnerability could be a lack of DDoS protection or a poorly configured firewall that fails to block the traffic.

25. Example of Insider threats To prevent insider threats, organizations should implement strict access controls, monitoring, and security policies and procedures. They should also provide employee training and support programs to reduce the risk of careless or malicious insider behavior. Finally, background checks and other screening processes can help to identify potential insider threats before they gain access to the organization's systems or data..

26. Examples of DDoS attacks DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks are a type of cyber attack where a large number of compromised computers or devices, known as a botnet, flood a targeted website or server with traffic in order to overwhelm and disrupt its normal operation. Here are some examples of DDoS attacks:

27. Examples of DDoS attacks SYN Flood: In this type of DDoS attack, the attacker exploits the TCP/IP protocol's three-way handshake process. The attacker sends a large number of connection requests to the target server with fake IP addresses, but does not complete the handshake process, causing the server to wait for a response that never comes. This ties up server resources and prevents legitimate requests from being processed.

28. Examples of DDoS attacks UDP Flood: In this type of DDoS attack, the attacker sends a large number of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets to the target server. Since UDP does not require a handshake process like TCP, the server cannot verify if the requests are legitimate or not, causing it to become overwhelmed and unable to respond to legitimate traffic. HTTP Flood: In this type of DDoS attack, the attacker sends a large number of HTTP requests to a website or server with the goal of overwhelming its resources and causing it to crash or become unavailable. This can be accomplished using a botnet or by leveraging vulnerable web servers.

29. Examples of DDoS attacks DNS Amplification: In this type of DDoS attack, the attacker sends a large number of DNS requests to open DNS resolvers with the spoofed IP address of the target server. The resolvers then respond with a large volume of traffic to the target server, amplifying the traffic volume and causing the server to become overwhelmed. IoT Botnet Attacks: In this type of DDoS attack, the attacker takes control of a large number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as routers or webcams, that have weak security controls. The attacker then uses these devices to launch a DDoS attack on a target server or website.

30. DDoS attacks can cause significant damage to organizations by disrupting their operations and causing financial losses. To prevent DDoS attacks, organizations can implement network security measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and content delivery networks. They can also use DDoS mitigation services and strategies, such as rate-limiting and traffic filtering, to block or reduce the impact of DDoS attacks.

31. END