BEING VIGILANT

Preclusion of data theft like credit card information, bank account numbers, passwords, work related documents or sheets, etc. is crucial in current days interaction since many of our daily activities is contingent upon the security of the data paths. Computer security deals with computer associated assets that are subject to distinctive kind of threats and for which countless actions are taken to safeguard those assets. Computer security is the protection given to an automated information system in order to accomplish the appropriate purposes of upholding the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of information system resources. The resources comprise software, hardware, firmware, information/ data, and telecommunications.

Very frequently, computer and network security is not considered about until an issue appears. By this point, a fissure in security can trigger enormous and possibly harmful problems to business and/or their clients. By situating up a security plan and an alternative action plan, one can know that the information they possess in their computers and networks is safe and secure.

Sony Pictures Entertainment recently underwent a data breach when hackers posted intimidating posts on the company’s computers. The post started with a skull appearing on screens, and then an oddly threatening message conveying users that they had been hacked by something called Guardians of Peace (GOP). The post got strange as it claimed it to be just the beginning and then threats were also made to release documents by 11 PM the very same day (November 24, 2014). The company had to entirely shut down all email communications and employees were not permitted to use company computers during the time the company worked through where and what the threat was and if it was real. The threat did not give any particulars or any message on any kind of ransom for the data that had allegedly been hacked.

Sony picture’s single server was compromised and the attack was spread from there. Right after the revelation of the attack, the GOP team announced two lists, incorporating names of several documents, private key files, password files, financial data, PII, source code files (CPP), network maps and outlines, inventory lists for hardware and other assets, production outlines and schedules.  The GOP hacking team released preview copies of numerous Sony movies, including Fury, Annie, and Still Alice. The cyber attack instigated much more than the online circulation of pirated movies. A batch of sensitive employee records was also flowing on the Internet. Also the servers used by the members of the GOP to leak online employee information also belong to Sony Corporation. The hackers also stole more than 25 gigabytes of sensitive data on thousands of Sony employees, containing medical, salary information and Social Security numbers. The last set of files released comprises contracts between numerous TV stations and Sony Pictures Television. The documentation includes a detailed organizational chart of the Sony Pictures, which comprises a gigantic number of information like cell phone numbers of the employees and an internal phone list.

With the additional recent threat and data breach in multiple known organizations such as Target, Home Depot, Blue Cross Blue Shield – Anthem, the need for information security management has never been higher. Companies are trying to secure their network and data as never before. Companies have started to apply several security protocols and measures to avoid being the next target. Disallowing plain FTP of the file, building secure firewalls, mandating SFTP and VPN, continuously changing user credentials for databases and user accounts have become trending security practices.

A network administrator should be mindful of the kinds of security risks possible. They should also be mindful of some of the solutions available to alleviate those risks. Some of the attacks against a network cannot be prohibited and only effective supervision of the network and appropriate responses will decrease the risk related with the wireless portion of a network. Regardless of additional precautions, it is always possible that systems will be breached. This is the reason why it is imperative to have an emergency action strategy, a strategy that is developed to shut down and protect systems in case of a breach or an attack. One needs to make sure that all relevant personnel are mindful of the plan in case it needs to be executed. This strategy will support any damage or unintentional sharing of private information, permitting one to keep control of the situation.

References

Infosec Institute. (2015, n.d n.d). Cyber Attack on Sony Pictures is Much More than a Data Breach . Retrieved February 24, 2015, from Infosec Institute: http://resources.infosecinstitute.com/cyber-attack-sony-pictures-much-data-breach/

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. (2014, November 24). Sony Pictures. Retrieved February 23, 2015, from Privacy Rights Clearinghouse Empowering Consumers. Protecting Privacy: https://www.privacyrights.org/data-breach-asc?title=sony