Common Network Vulnerabilities Essay

Businesses, governments, and other establishments face a wide array of learning guarantor risks. Some wipeoutanger the confidentiality of private information, some threaten the integrity of data and operations, and still others threaten to disrupt availability of critical schemes (Sullivan, 2009). Since such gage risks are always going to present in the cyber world, businesses and organizations contend to fully be aware of whatsoever vulnerabilities in their administrations. The initial realization of any organizations photo set up only first be understood through the knowledge of what photograph means.A vulnerability is a pledge department weakness but not a security threat. It is what take to be assessed in order to examine an organizations interlocking. One of the main network vulnerabilities face IT coach-and-fours today is the absence of encrypted data creation transferred and received between uninformed exploiters and the lack of knowledge and intelligence w ithin an organizations internal structure. Network vulnerabilities are present in every system and with the constant advancement in knowledge, programs, and technology it can be extremely difficult to rid any vulnerabilities in any root word.Whether it is implementing hardware or beefing up software security, no atomic number 53 method of defend a network can be greatly increased unless the users and IT professionals behind the update are up to speed on what is happening. To begin, all users in an organization or business need to be aware. Be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of the software that you use on a daily basis, and the information that is being passed between every oneness. Security awareness in any infrastructure needs to be the center of any cyber security business program.In many respects, the challenges of implementing and managing effective technical controls pale in comparison with the difficulties in addressing organizational weaknesses, such as insufficient or ineffective security awareness items of life (Sullivan, 2009). Companies that outweart set up security awareness and training are leaving open pathways into their network (McLaughlin, 2006). From an IT managers standpoint, companies are fully aware of the threats that their organization is faced with mundane.From a survey conducted from nearly 550 depleted and midsize businesses, it was found that human error was the primary cause of nearly 60 percent of security breaches during the then(prenominal) year (McLaughlin, 2006). This 60 percent clearly states that the primary holes in any organizations security remain user problems and insufficient training throughout the society. The alarming part is that little is being do to change cultural behavior (McLaughlin, 2006). Even knowing that the lack of education and training cause go withwide vulnerabilities, changes and training continue to lie on the wayside and be less of a precedence rather than a study one.The lucre i s rapidly growing and evolving and people need to evolve with it. The Internet is ultimately becoming the staple for all businesses today. Businesses from all over the world have found the Internet to be a cost effective and reliable business tool. Indeed, in the last few years, in addition to pompous business transactions, many of the controls systems (SCADA) that support national and public utilities are adopting the Internet as a internality data transport method. This has resulted in businesses and societies becoming critically dependent on the continuous operation of the Internet (John, n. ).These dependencies need to then be addressed to provide critical support for end user vulnerabilities. extirpate user vulnerabilities need to first be recognized within a business and proper stairs need to be taken to adequately train employees. Most of the flaws that emerge in the security and vulnerability assessment realm are due to misconfigurations and poor application of corporate security practices, which points to a need for training (McLaughlin, 2006). Businesses need to include security training and awareness this being the first step in the correction of network holes.In my opinion, security awareness is the basis of all network flaws. Because network security is extremely important, businesses need to make it a top priority to have a network infrastructure assessment. Networks are becoming increasingly complex and by executing a network assessment it allow assist IT managers ensure the companys network is operating at peak efficiency. The vulnerability of the system depends on the state of the system itself, on the capacity of a hazard to affect this state and on the undesired consequences the combination of the hazard and the vulnerability will eventually expire to (Petit & Robert, 2010).Known vulnerabilities of a security infrastructure require a situational awareness. This includes knowledge of security software versions for integrity management and anti-malware touch, signature deployments for security devices such as intrusion detection systems, and monitoring status for any types of security collection and processing systems (Amoroso, 2011). In addition to an entire infrastructure assessment, there must(prenominal) be companywide training classes.These trainings need to help employees understand not only the importance of network security, but also how their actions can impact everyone and everything well-nigh them. According to a Booz Allen Hamilton survey, the nations cyber defense is seriously challenged by shortages of highly skilled cyber-security experts (Vanderwerken & Ubell, 2011). This poses one major issue the people being hired to run elaborate business networks are flat and inadequately trained. These businesses must provide high- take in-house training programs to the experts as well as the entire men to ensure the integrity of internal and client systems and to avoid the cyber threats surrounding the bu siness.Training must be provided to end users to provide overall awareness and give them the general knowledge needed to maintain the businesses integrity and a sufficiently functional network. This simple, yet effective training will provide any business with a sufficient return on investment. As long as there are cyber criminals ready to strike, your company rest vulnerable. Vigilant cyber-security training and education must be your companys top priority (Vanderwerken & Ubell, 2011).Even though a business can provide the necessary training through company ide programs, the biggest vulnerability in an organization are the negligent employees who gullt care or dont want to participate in the proper security procedures. Most companies are oblivious to the fact that the most pervasive attacks on a network are caused by gullible and negligent employees clicking and arising invasive files embedded in emails and data from beyond the companys network firewall. Despite gruelling effo rts by most companies to alert force-out to email and Internet behavior that opens up firms to invasion, employees continue to do foolish things.As more access is given to the end user by means of energetic computing, cyber-crime prevention has to be a top priority. The corporate landscape requiring protection is multiplying at very truehearted pace (Vanderwerken & Ubell, 2011). Another major aspect in training is to be familiar with the upgrading of a network with new hardware. Such an update is a suitable idea but the installation and a working knowledge of how to use and implement this new technological hardware is essential.Many companies just dont understand how vulnerable they are in areas they never would expect there to be flaws, such as hardware purchasing. Inadvertent mistakes are better avoided when consistent and specific training is given to non-IT staff regarding the dangers their everyday activity can incur (Vanderwerken & Ubell, 2011). Taking it one step further, company wide training can only provide so much assurance but IT management also needs to be aware of the internal threats that may come from dishonest employees. Internal threats from dishonest employees are a major risk.Organizations need to keep a watchful eye on those who misbehave on internal networks, intentional or not (Beidel, 2011). Problems from the inside are often overlooked. Hackers have been successful against firms with solid security frameworks by analyzing their employees and going after them with cleverly worded emails, also known as phishing. Companies have begun training all employees on cybersecurity fundamentals. No amount of technology can prevent attacks if employees are not educated (Beidel, 2011). Phishing incidents are one of the main threats to uneducated employees.Uneducated employees are susceptible to the wolves and become prey to the malicious viruses disguised as harmless data or programs. Phishing is one of the easiest ways for enemies to feed off of these uneducated users in an organization. It takes the users lack of knowledge and gullible nature and tempts them in to opening or transferring data that has potentially been tampered with. This type of attack plays into the gullibility of the users and tries to get them to open malicious documents and pass them on to create a chain effect within a company and thus cause all sorts of problems.This ultimately could lead to loss of clients and even worse the downfall of the company itself. In conclusion, every network user must be educated and trained on Internet security. It is this training that is going to lesson a businesss network vulnerabilities and provide the education needed to strengthen security gaps on a companywide scale. Organizations must provide sophisticated training to in-house experts to ensure the integrity of internal and client systems.They must also offer charge to their entire workforce to avoid cyber minefields surrounding us all. Simple, yet effective, training must be provided to personnel for general awareness, while graduate education is now globally available to specialists to gain the high level of expertise your company requires. As long as there are cyber criminals ready to strike, your company remains vulnerable. Vigilant cyber-security training and education must be your companys top priority (Vanderwerken & Ubell, 2011).