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CATEGORIES

Mobile

Web Apps

Internet of Things (IoT)

Cloud

Network

Email

Social Media

Endpoint

Cyber Threat #1

Unsecured

Wi-Fi

Injection

Application Vulnerabilities

Data Loss

Virus/Trojan Horse

Malicious Links

Phishing Scams

Mobile threats (BYOD)

Cyber Threat #2

Data Leaks

Cross-Site Scripting

Unsecured wireless devices

Insider Threats

Rogue Software

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

Malware

Compromised Routers

Cyber Threat #3

Broken Cryptography

Misconfigurations

BYOD unsecured devices

Denial of Service

Spyware and Adware

Ransom-ware

Malicious Links

Fax Machines & Printers

Challenges

Impact on Dayton Soft Products

Mobile Security Threats

Unsecured Wi-Fi

Threats to the organization can occur when employees use unsecured wi-fi in places such as airports, coffee shops, etc. With 743 off-site employees place around the globe, training and other security protocols must be rolled out to all employees. Off-site employees are not the only ones at risk, onsite employees travel and frequent coffee shops too.

Data Leaks

Applications downloaded to mobile phones can be the cause of unintentional data leakage (Kaspersky.com, 2019). Some applications contain risky-ware that sends data to servers remotely that is used by cybercriminals for illegal actions.

Broken Cryptography

Broken cryptograph occurs when developers use poor encryption algorithms containing vulnerabilities. This can lead to hackers modifying the send/receive capabilities of the application and send copies of text messages to other locations without the users’ knowledge.

Web Application Threats

Injection

Hackers use this threat on a target interpreter to exploit its syntax by attacking them through text (Owasp.org, 2019, Top 10 Injection). By understanding the syntax, the attackers can send untrusted data to the target interpreter. This type of threat is very common in legacy applications, such as SQL and XPath queries.

Cross-Site Scripting

This type of threat involves hackers using scripts to hijack a user’s session via the browser. It can redirect users, use malware to hijack their browser, or even deface websites (OWasp.org, 2019).

Misconfigurations

Misconfigurations can occur at all levels of the application stack, from the web server to the application server. The hacker exploits this threat by accessing unused pages, unpatched flaws, default accounts, and unprotected files to obtain access to a business system. This frequently occurs to machines that do not have the latest security patches and the updates installed and can result in the entire system being compromised.

Internet of Things (IoT) Security Threats

Application Vulnerabilities

The Internet of Things brings along with its massive vulnerabilities and threats to Dayton Soft Product. Application software is distributed for an exponential number of devices and balancing security with flexibility can be a real challenge.

Unsecured Wireless Devices

The Internet of Things (IoT) apps can be installed on a wide number of different device types, such as refrigerators, automobiles, hospital equipment, and other business machines and many of these device types do not have the capability of a secure environment in which to monitor or scan for security threats.

BYOD Unsecured Devices

BYOD is in this category because employees bringing personal devices containing a multitude of unsecured applications is normal in today's business environment. Often, companies do not provide company-issued iPads, Smartphones, Tablets, Laptops, etc., so the employee is expected to purchase and use personal devices for business needs. Companies are making a huge mistake by not providing secured devices for their employees since the cost of infiltration can range in the millions if the right hacker gets into the right app and steals company or customer information.

Cloud Security Threats

Data Loss

This type of threat does not always come from an attack. Data loss can occur when events such as an environmental or weather-related issue occur, human error, or employees accidentally deleting files. This threat can happen unintentionally, and the best way for Dayton Soft Products to mitigate damage is to keep up-to-date backups of all files in the cloud environment.

Insider Threats

This type of attack comes from disgruntled employees or even those who are just plain malicious. Insider threats can also include employees of the hosted cloud server environment who already has inside access to all data and information files.

Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks

DoS uses botnets usually purchased from the Dark Web using cryptocurrency. When a DoS occurs in a cloud environment, it gives the criminal(s) plenty of time to do major damage and cover their tracks to avoid being caught.

Network Security Threats

Virus/Trojan Horse

According to Mello, (2014), the chances of a third of the computers in the world being affected by a malicious ware are very high. The impact to Dayton is that employees may not be properly trained on how to identify email links that are malicious code ready to take down the company's network. In the case of the Trojan Horse, users willingly install software from links by being tricked since the sender is most often someone they know (the email is not really from that sender – in fact, the sender more than likely has the virus and is unaware that an email was sent out under their name).

Rogue Software

This type of threat comes in the form of a pop-up on an employee's computer that alerts them in red letters that their computer is infected, and they are offering software to save their files, if they just click and install it. Unfortunately, this still occurs today and the reason behind it is lack of company training.

Spyware and Adware

Third-party software programs, usually free that contain some spyware, adware, or bloatware that is meant to advertise products and bog down an employee's computer, and productivity for Dayton Soft Product. Adware track browsing history and habits and give popups for things you may have searched for previously. Users usually give authorization by not unchecking a box during installation. This poses a serious threat to employee productivity and employees should be prevented from downloading any software by removing Admin privileges from all company computers.

Email Security Threats

Malicious Links

Clicking on random links inside an email can be disastrous and can cause the company’s entire network to crash. Some links can install viruses on the computer and leak into the network where it will replicate as a worm, continually destroying data, files, or anything in its path.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

This type of attack occurs from many devices that are compromised and many Internet connections to flood a target, usually distributed via a botnet. The goal is to prevent a user from utilizing critical services.

Ransomware

Ransomware can be distributed through software applications, infected external storage devices, websites and are compromised, remote desktop sessions, or even email attachments. When this type of threat occurs, the ransomware changed the user's login information and holds the computer and the data therein, hostage, until the user pays a ransom using cryptocurrency. The only way to get out of paying the ransom is if the user has a good backup to restore the computer.

Social Media Threats

Phishing Scams

This type of threat involves trickery through fake websites, text messages, email, phone calls, etc. The goal of the criminal is to get the target to send them money, confidential information, passwords/login information, or any other valuable commodity by tricking them into thinking they are helping or being ordered to do this by a superior.

Malware

Malware runs rampant on social media websites and works in the background to take over social media profiles while the user remains unaware that this is occurring. Dayton Soft Products would do well to block employee access to social media websites during working hours.

Malicious Links

Malicious links still work because people continue to click on unknown links. This is risky because clicking on a malicious link could download malware that hackers may use to take control of the computer. This attack is vicious because the user has no idea that they have opened the door to allow a hacker to potentially control their machine and the company data on the computer.

Endpoint Security Threats

Mobile threats (BYOD)

Endpoint security is usually controlled by installing software on the endpoint, such as a gateway or server on a network. With the rapid growth of employees at Dayton Soft Products, the concern here is that the BYOD policies for employees do not require personal devices to be submitted to IT to install endpoint security software on them. Since employees will be using these devices to connect to the company network, there is a huge risk here.

Compromised Routers

Routers are also endpoints and are prone to attack by hackers who attempt to compromise them to change settings. Once the settings are changed, employees could easily be routed to malicious websites that will steal company and personal data. The hacker's goal is based on the financial gain if the attack is a success. One of the main problems that create this vulnerability is that Security personnel fail to change default passwords on routers which give hackers an easier way in using web-based scripts (TrendMicro.com, 2019).

Fax Machines & Printers

Fax machines and printers can easily be overlooked but are endpoints. Since fax machines are rarely used in today's office, they may be sitting in a corner gathering dust, but still connected to the company network or unsecured Internet connection, making them an ideal target for hackers.