Category: Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity refers to protecting systems linked to the Internet, including software, data, and hardware, from online threats. Individuals, governmental and non-governmental institutions, business entities, and companies use the practice to secure against unsanctioned access to information centers and other computerized networks. Cybersecurity aims at providing vital protection to organizational servers, computers, mobile devices, and the stored data on the gadgets from hackers with malicious intentions.

The Threat of Cyberattack for an Organization

Cyber-attackers can access, erase, or extort an entitys or individuals sensitive information, making cybersecurity essential. Vital information stored on business servers contains confidential data that may be utilized by a third party to blackmail a company for ransom upon a successful hack (Lallie et al., 2020). Safeguarding an organization and employees requires firms to implement robust cybersecurity measures and utilize the correct equipment. The tools include various risk management approaches, training, and regular system update as technologies continue to evolve and transform (Vartolomei & Avasilci, 2020). Managing dangers entails identifying, assessing, and controlling threats against a business entitys earnings and capital.

A threat management scheme can help organizations incorporate identifying and managing risks to their digital assets. A businesss digital advantages include proprietary pooled data, personally identifiable information (PII) of a customer, and intellectual assets. Every institute anticipates or faces an unplanned risk, harmful impacts that may lead to financial loss (Aldawood & Skinner, 2019b). Risk management enables an entity to prepare for unanticipated hack-attacks by reducing the harms and extra incursions before they happen.

Categories of Cybersecurity Threats

Maintaining new security trends, technologies, and vulnerability intelligence remains a challenging task for most businesses. However, data protection and security of other assets from cyber threats form an essential part of Information Technology security (Booth, 2020). The risks include malware, ransomware, phishing, and social engineering.

Malware refers to a mode of spiteful software that utilizes any program or file to harm an organizations computer user, including viruses, worms, spyware, and Trojan horses (Aldawood & Skinner, 2019a). Ransomware attacks involve a third-party locking a legitimate users computer system files, usually via encryption, demanding remittance to decrypt them. Therefore, IT training must tackle such factors as a way of ensuring the safety of their networks.

Social engineering entails a hack dependent on human activities, which deceives users into breaching security protocols to access crucial data. It occurs in various forms and can be undertaken in places where people frequently interact. Human risk manifests in two primary ways using social engineering in the business environment. First, any dissatisfied employee may use the privilege of access to steal an organizations confidential information or disrupt the system, which results in losses (Sadeh-Koniecpol et al., 2016).

Second, loyal employees may unintentionally divulge confidential details or provide the third party with the opportunity to enter internal systems. Therefore, organizations must ensure awareness and training program entails measures of tackling the threat.

Characteristics of an Effective Cybersecurity Awareness in Training Program

Awareness training on cybersecurity entails the formal process to educate an organizations employees on computer security. The programs often aim at transforming behaviors or fortifying proper security operations. According to Aldawood and Skinner (2019b), awareness differs from training in that the purpose of the former focuses on security. The realization initiative generally targets enabling individuals to acknowledge information technology security and act accordingly (Sadeh-Koniecpol et al., 2017). Thus, awareness hinges on the concentration of the broader audience with enticing packaging methodologies.

The skills gained during training enable employees to have an insight on security basics and literacy medium. However, the program may not necessarily result in a formal certificate from a college. Nonetheless, a learning course may have similar material as those in higher learning institutions (Vartolomei & Avasilci, 2020).

Business firms should train system administrators on IT Security courses, which address the organization control approaches. The session should include the implementation of operational benchmarks and technical directions (Booth, 2020). Management jurisdiction comprises policies, IT security initiatives, risk management, and life safety. Therefore, functional controls should include users and individual issues, contingency planning, handling incidences, and computer support actions.

Regular tutoring remains essential in businesses with higher turnover rates and heavily dependent on temporary, contract, and contingent workers. Effective cybersecurity training programs must include an evaluation of need. An assessment of need helps determine a businesses awareness and training requirements (Aldawood & Skinner, 2019a). Therefore, the analysis outcome provides justifications to persuade the management to provide adequate resources in meeting the established consciousness and security training urge.

Factors Influencing Effective Cybersecurity Training

Cybersecurity awareness training and transforms employees behaviors and increases their ability to make security decisions in a business environment logically. Lallie et al. (2020) note that educating and training employees about cybersecurity is essential as cyberattacks chances continue to increase. Thus, the rising security breaches during the Covid-19 pandemic resulted from the directives by various businesses requiring staff to operate remotely (away from the usual work-stations), which led to challenges for many organizations.

Availing proper methods of dealing with cybersecurity to employees plays a significant role in enhancing awareness coaching. Entities should use language and words that can be easily understood by employees in a specific environment. Therefore, companies should assess their applications, systems, and data familiar to users (Ficco & Palmieri, 2019).

Training of remote staff on safe working practices also helps firms to prevent cyberattacks. Many businesses allow their workers to operate their gadgets, which are considered a tremendous cost-saving strategy that allows flexible working (Sadeh-Koniecpol et al., 2016).

However, such privilege is also risky for businesses as hackers may find an opportunity to access a companys data using an employees computer that lacks proper cybersecurity techniques. According to Zandani (2016), workers should be reminded of the importance of locking individual devices. Therefore, any loss must be immediately reported to network providers to stop the third party from accessing and infiltrating available data.

Personnel working from home require additional training in understanding on safe usage of Wi-Fi networks. Fake public Wi-Fi services and networks in open places such as coffee shops and public utility areas are considered a significant threat to an organizations system (Aldawood & Skinner, 2019).

The networks often leave the end-user at risk of feeding information into non-secure and unsafe public servers. Companies should focus more on educating the employees on the safe usage of Wi-Fi or be advised to evade using such networks (Booth, 2020). Thus, a recommendable training initiative can also enable workers to detect any potential Wi-Fi threats.

In the contemporary business environment, companies must continue to remain vigilant on the issue of phishing. Firms should institute training programs and awareness initiatives that enable employees to identify phished emails and social engineering hacks (Sadeh-Koniecpol et al., 2016). The lessons should also highlight the impacts of the actions the staff may have on the establishment. Therefore, the threats can be controlled and reduced through adequate training of the end-user to recognize possibly detrimental emails and alert the dubious ones.

Persons to be Trained

Conducting the evaluation should involve key personnel and roles to be addressed in terms of special coaching includes;

1. The executive management, such as the firms leaders, should wholly comprehend laws and directives, forming the cybersecurity program base. They must also understand their leadership duties in guaranteeing compliance by system operators in their units.
2. Security operators, including program managers in charge of security, system owners, and enforcement officers. They act as expert consultants for the business firm hence must be well trained on security initiatives and recommended practices. System owners should have a broader knowledge of IT security policies and requirements relevant to their control system.
3. System admins, IT support persons, operation managers, and system users. These individuals require a higher training extent and technical knowledge in efficient security policies and implementation. They also need security consciousness and training on system management they use in conducting business operations.

Completion of a need evaluation for cybersecurity training can enable businesses to develop plans and awareness schemes. According to Booth (2020), the initiative should act as the official document in discussing elements such as the scope, responsibilities, and functions of the organizations persons developing, designing, implementing, and maintaining the consciousness and teaching equipment. The assessment should also investigate the security control of a firm by analyzing the vulnerabilities.

Supply Chain and Cybersecurity

High profile businesses continue to be devastated due to prevalent cyberattacks practices, leading to losses in finances and damaging the brands esteem. According to Sadeh-Koniecpol et al. (2017), companies are today striving to protect the available information, data integrity, and confidentiality. IT has become more complicated and complex due to constant innovations that involve large data storage, the usage of cloud-based guides, and predictive analytics. Electronic equipment, including e-sourcing and robotized acquire-to-pay systems, further compounds the challenges (Vartolomei & Avasilci, 2020).

The value chains include foreign and domestic manufacturers, importers, logistic firms, agents, and third-party transport utility providers. The value chains have recently become the main target of hackers seeking to hold ransom institutions by infiltrating (Sadeh-Koniecpol et al., 2016). Businesses often rely on trusted relations with third-party distributors and service providers to undertake other functions. Most contracted firms encompass essential suppliers of constituents and preservation, while others provide professional services, including IT, marketing, and accounting (Aldawood & Skinner, 2019b). Therefore, attackers often use such situations to access a business security system and servers, notwithstanding the existing cybersecurity threat management policies.

Regulations and Laws Requirements on Cybersecurity Awareness and Training Programs

Most state laws across the world continue to promote strategic proposals in addressing cybersecurity targeted at business entities. Cyberattack threats are increasingly transforming thanks to the speed of new technological advancements, prompting lawmakers and government agencies to make the attacks a top priority (Booth, 2020). For instance, about forty-three states in the United States, including Puerto Rico, initiated approximately thirty bills dealing exclusively with cybersecurity. In contrast, thirty-one states ratified legislation on cyber-attack in 2019. Some of the regulations include;

1. Making it mandatory for businesses to execute training or specified forms of security plans and practices
2. Creation of commissions or task forces that address the security of linked devices
3. Restructure of organizations affected by cyberattacks for advanced safety
4. Provision for the safety of utilities and censorious structures
5. Regulation of cybersecurity within the insurance agencies

Cybersecurity standards are critical in helping organizations to protect their businesses from hackers. In most cases, companies hire experts to implement recommended practices. The qualities apply to all establishments regardless of the industry or size (He & Zhang, 2019). Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) refers to the Department of Defense specified alternative to the Federal Acquisition Regulation, which provides purchase directives particular to the DoD (Aldawood & Skinner, 2019b).

Therefore, accession officials from the government and contractors transacting business with the Defense Department must stick to the DFARS regulations.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) ratification aims to secure personal data and develop more openness. The policy was initiated in Europe in May 2018 to create transparency in organizations that transacted with the European Union (Aldawood & Skinner, 2019a). The rigorous data consent and protection regulations have also affected the U.S. businesses in Europe that utilize private client data for marketing purposes. The policy also requires data managers to distinctly impart any data collection and state the legal basis and motive for the processing.

Return on Investment Opportunities in Awareness and Training Program

Cybersecurity protection has presented many companies with difficulties as a result of improper handling of network security. Information Technology staff training forms an essential part of ensuring appropriate mechanisms are utilized (Ficco & Palmieri, 2019). Internet security coaching, including authentication for IT experts, provides updated knowledge that enables personnel to make appropriate resolutions. Hence, the empowerment forms a significant part of the extensive return on investments for cyberattacks awareness and training. In the contemporary environment, data forms an essential part of daily business operations. Costs and returns present more compelling evidence in measuring the finances of a technology.

According to Vartolomei and Avasilci (2020), 86% of establishments determine technology-based structures using Return on Investment approach. The RoI of safety awareness training appraises the financial benefits achieved through investments and the execution of a security consciousness coaching plan (Zandani, 2016). Therefore, the practice does not lead to increased revenue; instead, profits are measured as the value saved from the prevented cyber risk.

Sample Topics Valuable to Company Departments in Supply / Value Chain

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) serves as a national laboratory that promotes innovations and business competition in various organizations. The body formulates research standards to strengthen company structures and safeguard their safety recognition and training strategies. NIST emphasizes certainty awareness and tutoring as constituents of the protective function of cybersecurity structure (Sadeh-Koniecpol et al., 2017). The below topics can be subdivided into comprehensive sub-topics to serve as a list for training staff members. Some of the issues include;

• Regular data access monitoring
• Safe web browsing
• Safeguarding business using complex protection layers
• Malware and removable media
• Physical and mobile safety

Vetting of vendors before the commencement of partnerships is essential for a companys procurement department. According to Sadeh-Koniecpol et al. (2016), most establishments have little or no ability to reduce breaching incidents. Evaluating all distributors and logistic partners safety policies and privacy strategies decreases computerized attacks (Aldawood & Skinner, 2019a).

For instance, conducting a security self-evaluation on the type of certainty tool, the type of privileged access recognition policies available, and their status updates on servers and systems are fundamental in reducing cyberattacks. Therefore, performing audits on suppliers and regular undertaking of penetration analyses can guarantee the safety of businesses.

Integration of Awareness and Training into the Rate of Exchange

Technology continues to influence financial services for companies in various ways. For instance, training and awareness of cybersecurity address themes that business executives can use to develop a strategic plan. The use of technology, coupled with new monetary transaction models, continues to replace traditional mediators for financial affairs (Aldawood & Skinner, 2019b). Microfinance agencies face transitional challenges related to markets and models indistinguishable from more prominent financial service sectors. Therefore, awareness and training should focus on the integration of significant security breaches that new businesses face.

Covid-19 and Cybersecurity Awareness Training

The coronavirus outbreak has led to an increase in the likelihood and influence of security breaches as entities continue to grapple with operational and monetary challenges. The nature of cyber-attacks is increasingly changing as hackers exploit unprecedented instances. According to Pranggono and Arabo (2020), various business responses, such as allowing people to work remotely, have had a negative effect on cyberattacks incidences. The existing dangers remain unattended as expenditure and IT transform, coupled with the emergence of new possibilities ravage many firms.

Training and awareness programs have enabled many companies to switch to remote working. Most staff members operate from home, and therefore, there would be a significant impact on cybersecurity and the entire IT structure of an organization. Booth (2020) states that the application of security controls may be unavailable to the new strategies and systems to support workers in remote operation. In addition, available protocols and exercises may be sidelined or unavailable (Lallie et al., 2020). Therefore, coaching employees on cybersecurity can significantly help businesses to monitor their systems even when working from home.

Covid-19 has led to a change in business operations for most companies. Priorities have shifted as establishments prepare for or continue to encounter notable operational and economic challenges. The change has made cybersecurity issues ignored as more resources are now being channeled towards gaining entities financial stability. The awareness and coaching programs have proved efficient during the pandemic-associated scams (Lallie et al., 2020).

Hackers have adjusted and re-evaluated new methods to take advantage of the current Covid-19 situation. They have now pivoted from dispatching phishing communications such as inquiring for bitcoin to a more pandemic-related and personal approach. Therefore, employee education on cyber-attacks has increasingly become crucial in the last past months.

Data-theft fraud is also an added challenge during the pandemic awareness and training practices have had to address. Attackers are now fixing codes into websites that bear a close resemblance by providing real information regarding the virus. For instance, hackers had developed a similar kind of map of global coronavirus cases with implanted malware (Pranggono & Arabo, 2020). Therefore, business owners have recently been advising their staff to ensure that devices such as cellphones, laptops, and applications are up to date and install necessary patches.

In conclusion, an organizations staff remains one of the biggest threats to its cyber safety. Most IT professionals perceive human error as the leading cause of data breaches. IT experts often play an integral role in tackling cybersecurity issues in the organization. If provided with sufficient training and awareness of the knowledge required to detect cyber-attacks, the IT personnel can help firms prevent significant breaches and formulate strategies to avoid them before they occur. Therefore, implementing cyber safety coaching initiatives can help prevent the network and system dangers that an entity may face, including malware, email scams, password safety, removable devices and media, and safe internet practices.

References

Aldawood, H., & Skinner, G. (2019a). Reviewing cybersecurity social engineering training and awareness programs  Pitfalls and ongoing issues. Future Internet, 11(3), 73.

Aldawood, H., & Skinner, G. (2019b). Challenges of implementing training and awareness programs targeting cybersecurity social engineering. 2019 Cybersecurity and Cyberforensics Conference (CCC), 111117.

Booth, D. (2020). Building capacity by guarding against cyber-attacks. Journal of Environmental Health, 83(4), 2830.

Ficco, M., & Palmieri, F. (2019). Leaf: An open-source cybersecurity training platform for realistic edge-IoT scenarios. Journal of Systems Architecture, 97, 107129.

He, W., & Zhang, Z. (2019). Enterprise cybersecurity training and awareness programs: Recommendations for success. Journal of Organizational Computing and Electronic Commerce, 29(4), 249257.

Lallie, H. S., Shepherd, L. A., Nurse, J. R., Erola, A., Epiphaniou, G., Maple, C., & Bellekens, X. (2020). Cybersecurity in the age of COVID-19: A timeline and analysis of cyber-crime and cyber-attacks during the pandemic. ArXiv Preprint ArXiv: 2006.11929. Web.

Pranggono, B., & Arabo, A. (2020). COVID-19 pandemic cybersecurity issues. Internet Technology Letters, 23(4), 2-3.

Sadeh-Koniecpol, N., Wescoe, K., Brubaker, J., & Hong, J. (2016). Method and system for controlling context-aware cybersecurity training (United States Patent No. US9373267B2).

Sadeh-Koniecpol, N., Wescoe, K., Brubaker, J., & Hong, J. (2017). Mock attack cybersecurity training system and methods (United States Patent No. US9558677B2).

Vartolomei, C., & Avasilci, S. (2020). Digitalization concept: Cyber-risks and damages for companies in adhered industries. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 898(1), 4-8. Web.

Zandani, S. (2016). System and method for cyber-attacks analysis and decision support. (United States Patent No. US9426169B2). Web.

In the contemporary world, organizations have been subjected to new threats emanating from advancements in technologies. Cybersecurity is essential for safeguarding computer systems and networks in an online space. As new computer crimes continue to emerge, cybersecurity innovation is required to counteract vulnerabilities in the Information Technology (IT) environment (Lezzi et al., 2018). Cyber attacks are getting more complex, and current skills and capabilities do not answer them effectively. This paper explains the role of innovation in the cybersecurity industry, identifies the major developers related to inventions, and also outlines how technology innovations influence risk management in the cyber defense domain.

Innovation plays a crucial role in cybersecurity because new ways of combating computer crimes are constantly needed. Innovative ideas help experts level the playing field in the fight against cybercrime. The primary areas of cybersecurity innovation are visibility and automation, and as such, organizations should focus on the fundamentals and not ignore the human factor of security (Li et al., 2019). Examples of activities that benefit from innovation are the removal of the redundant network and access privileges, data movement monitoring, and Software running privilege distribution (Mahdavifar & Ghorbani, 2019). In addition, Innovation-driven automation makes it easier to implement changes consistently across the entire network.

Today, a large number of organizations are developing cybersecurity-related inventions. Examples of these firms are Microsoft, International Business Machines (IBM), Cisco Lockheed Martin, and CyberArk Software. Some individuals have contributed greatly to the fields development. Kevin Mitnick, Joanna Rutkowska, and Tsutomu Shimomura have a monumental impact in the field of computer security (Mahdavifar & Ghorbani, 2019). In essence, research and development will enable the IT domain to continue finding new ways of improving cybersecurity techniques.

Today, there are numerous ways in which technology innovations can shape risk management in the cybersecurity space. First, real-time visibility has become more available, thereby allowing organizations to uncover threats and develop a response strategy. Also, the component of automation is essential in aiding a corporation to maintain a superior level of security. Moreover, risk management in cybersecurity is influenced by current technologies because of the introduction of securer devices. As such, new strategies for securing data, including facial recognition and fingerprints, are used (Sun et al., 2018). These approaches have minimized risk since information can only be accessed by authorized individuals.

In conclusion, researchers should continue to develop their studies to gain further insights into the emerging threats facing the IT space. Innovation is extremely important for cybersecurity as it provides new ways to fight cybercrime. The major developers of cybersecurity-related inventions, such as Kevin Mitnick, Joanna Rutkowska, and Tsutomu Shimomura, have a great impact in this sphere. At the same time, risk and risk management the cybersecurity are impacted by technology innovations through such tools as real-time visibility, automation, and biometric techniques. Microsoft, Amazon, IBM, Cisco, and other monumental firms have immensely contributed to building cybersecurity techniques. As technology continues to advance, new threats will also keep emerging, which will need to be answered preemptively. Therefore, cybersecurity experts must find new ways of addressing such threats.

References

Lezzi, M., Lazoi, M., & Corallo, A. (2018). Cybersecurity for Industry 4.0 in the current literature: A reference framework. Computers in Industry, 103, 97110. Web.

Li, L., He, W., Xu, L., Ash, I., Anwar, M., & Yuan, X. (2019). Investigating the impact of cybersecurity policy awareness on employees cybersecurity behavior. International Journal of Information Management, 45, 1324. Web.

Mahdavifar, S., & Ghorbani, A. A. (2019). Application of deep learning to cybersecurity: A survey. Neurocomputing, 347, 149176. Web.

Sun, N., Zhang, J., Rimba, P., Gao, S., Zhang, L. Y., & Xiang, Y. (2018). Data-driven cybersecurity incident prediction: A survey. IEEE Communications Surveys & Tutorials, 21(2), 17441772. Web.

Introduction

I am currently working as a Paraprofessional for the Board of Education in the city of New York, and I am looking to change my career to cyber security. I would like to put little bit more emphasis on how cybersecurity can protect our children at home and in our schools who are our future leaders. The increase in occurrences of data breaches in our health care and educational institutions has had a direct impact on my family and my kids. Our daughters school informed us in May 2022 that student data had been compromised, including enrollment information, such as schools attended, dates of attendance, grade levels, graduation dates, assigned teachers, and guidance counselors, as well as scholar demographic information, and academic information.

My choice to undertake this important career move was influenced by the fact that I am a teacher. I feel that society as a whole, my family, friends, and especially the students who are just starting their lives are all so vulnerable to these cyber attacks that sometimes one feels completely helpless to stop them. I will do my best to make the most of this opportunity to learn about cyber security in order to safeguard our future academics and leaders. I will also take advantage of this chance to further my studies and attempt to earn a Masters degree in the field of cyber security.

Overview

The basic principles of cybersecurity are needed as a constant daily knowledge for school staff and students alike. Cybersecurity is becoming important for schools due to the ever-increasing number of risks, the typology of which is becoming more extensive and diverse. As a rule, the tasks of cybercriminals include stealing private information for its use with mercenary intentions. Every school that does not have some basic online crime prevention parameters in place is exposed to the possibility of hacking and data leakage with unpredictable results. Information stolen by criminals can be used to break into other information databases in order to withdraw money. Another way to use confidential data is blackmail, when representatives of an organization or students and their parents are blackmailed with sensitive information for financial gain.

Potentially, private fee-paying schools may contain the payment information of the parents of students, their bank account addresses. Also, access to information may imply the possibility of using it to manipulate data, the distortion of which also pursues a thirst for profit. Distortion of data can not only deprive the money of their real owners, but also wreak havoc in the school system by seriously sabotaging its work. That is why a cybersecurity specialist is needed in any institution, and they must give basic instructions for protecting themselves on the Internet to students, their parents, and school staff. At the same time, it is necessary to protect not only school general equipment, but also personal devices of students, especially considering that they must be integrated into school educational Web 2.0 resources.

Types of Cybercriminals

Cybercriminals who steal or otherwise exploit other peoples information can be from different demographic groups. Cyber intruders range from online criminals and scammers who aim to profit from any potential internet scam to expert hackers. They differ from ordinary online criminals in their knowledge of program codes that allow them to extract information without deceiving the user, but by hacking the computer system itself. A more local variant of information leakage is also possible, since a school, like any organization, may have a spy insider who steals and redirects confidential information into unscrupulous hands.

Undoubtedly installation of various spyware and unfair use of other peoples information can occur due to the assistance of unsuspecting users. Often, school employees or students themselves can be extremely careless in entering personal data on shared devices, for example, they can save passwords in browsers and personal accounts. This information is thus free to access, and the attacker gets the opportunity to take over the account, personal data, and access to the correspondence of the unlucky user. Finally, among the perpetrators of cyberattacks and data leaks, school students themselves often turn out to be motivated by testing their computer programming skills in extreme conditions. Cybercrime is the result of a combination of these factors, where cybersecurity breaches, employee negligence, and malicious hackers cause widespread disruption to the data systems of individual schools.

Risk Management

Risk management is probably the best way to test the robustness of defense systems against hacker attacks. Critical infrastructure, which includes school cybersecurity, is based on risk management with specific frameworks. Monitoring the changing situation in cyberspace is the basis of the observational process and allows you to identify new risks, for example, those associated with new ways of information regulation. The search for initial internal weaknesses in the existing information system is also very important. For example, the absence of a two-factor authentication parameter in the system can already be characterized as a serious assumption of a cyber threat. The cybersecurity professional must also keep track of all risks associated with software deliveries and software updates, as information technology vulnerabilities can be the most technically problematic to fix. As the most suitable manual for risk management, the publication of the National Institute of Standards, which provides regulatory information for government systems, is valuable (NIST, n.d.). These standards can be applied to the work of any organization, since they include the identification of risks, vulnerabilities and possible consequences with an assessment of damage.

Risk management is also an element of this framework, with the answer following for each individual issue. To mitigate risks, the most successful practices are considered to be the introduction of such restrictions as firewalls, special data encryptors, as well as the installation of special software that monitors the threat of viruses, Trojans, and phishing links. Do not underestimate the constant updating of software and the complete rejection of the use of pirated software. In order to further work on increasing the information awareness of school staff and students, it is recommended to use special training programs in a playful way that reinforce cybersecurity skills. Finally, a regular backup of all valuable data and their careful storage can help to avoid, if not leakage, then at least the loss of valuable information.

Assessment Frameworks and Monitoring

The identification of risks regarding users confidential information is also a concern in other security management frameworks. In particular, the ISO 27001 standard requires that risk management include evaluation with data that is both accurate and valuable and yet comparable (Naden, 2020). Risks should always be assessed within the chosen system and be owned by specific owners. Once a particular problem has been resolved, an assessment of the effectiveness of the chosen strategy is required to determine whether it meets the security requirements put forward by the organization. Then, authorization of the updated system is required, that is, its transfer for evaluation to a senior specialist in the instance, who will help approve its effectiveness. One should not forget about the last controlling stage, that is, monitoring, aimed at maintaining awareness of the previously existing problem and already approved strategies for solving it.

Cybersecurity monitoring after the implementation of a new technological solution is also important at the level of log monitoring, that is, searching for problematic encodings in databases. Thus, it becomes possible to track any anomalies in user functions and cut off potential external threats. Installing software that can handle large data sizes and turn it into interpretable information could make things easier for the IT professional and cybersecurity manager. Changes such as failed login attempts, password changes, logging in with an old login from a new device, and any external attacks like mallware spam or attacks on the server can be logged through the monitoring log. All of them can mean one or another danger for a student or any other user in the general network, because through this type of activity, one can probe the system and find out its principles of operation.

In turn, this probing may allow the attacking system to choose the most flexible strategies for bypassing locks and firewalls in order to deliver malware. These can be both fake applications with Trojans or viruses, and phishing links that collect personal or hidden information about the user, such as passwords. Unwittingly, the user may become a victim of fraud by accidentally installing an unverified pseudo-application that turned out to be a virus agent. Log monitoring is able to prevent all these dangers by exposing the entire computer system to visibility and automatically distributing this detected data. IT staff at the school, led by the chief of cybersecurity, can analyze this data and figure out ways to counter possible attempts to undermine the security of the schools computer systems.

Work with Scholars and Employees

The system being built should be prepared not only in the programming department, but also affect each employee of the organization, making them involved defenders of their own and corporate information security. Interaction with employees is important for the reason that it is their private responsibility that guarantees accuracy in the future use of databases. Each employee, for example, must learn how to choose complex passwords for their confidential information. The ability to create complex and hard-to-guess passwords is a way that does not require financial influence to store information with sufficient efficiency (NSCS, 2022). Employees and students should be strongly encouraged during briefings or workshops not only to create complex passwords, but also to use different passwords for each of their accounts on multiple Internet resources or social networks. Information leakage is likely on each of the resources used by a person, and therefore it is necessary to prevent the possibility of mass opening of personal accounts and large-scale data leakage on the domino principle.

Two-factor authentication, that is, an inseparable link-confirmation of a password through two devices, for example, through a computer and a mobile phone, also neutralizes the risk of stealing private information. Double identity verification can also increase its security by using a reliable legally purchased password manager, a special offer that organizes all passwords in quick access. It is necessary to write down passwords in order to avoid accidental loss of access to information, and all employees and students must be clearly warned about this. Saving personal data on a shared device is a potentially dangerous action, so it is necessary to convey to people that logging out of your account for any longest time of absence is necessary as a rule, requiring the development of automatism. Thus, employees and students themselves, with proper instruction from a cybersecurity specialist, may be able to independently protect their data from the threat of hacking and leakage. However, we should also mention other ways to protect information that are already being implemented by professionals in the technical security environment.

Another important measure that could seriously contribute to maintaining a high level of cybersecurity in the school is the use of USB media specially issued by the school. Removable data drives in the school should not be used outside of it so that the risk of introducing malware from outside is excluded. The USB host must also be password-protected so that no third-party agent can place virus programs or malware on the media. Finally, the school should be prohibited from using media other than those given by the administration. As for programs programmed to start automatically, they must be turned off in advance.

Conclusion

Thus, the students themselves learn cybersecurity not only at school but also at home, carefully handling information carriers, mastering the basics of privacy in working with computers. The job of a cybersecurity specialist is to create a working digital ecosystem that would be able to assess its own state for risks, dangers, outcomes and ways to prevent problems. At the same time, the tightness of the system is ensured by its constant monitoring and detailed interpretation of the information array passed through computers. However, computer users themselves must follow the basic rules of digital security, and the task of a cybersecurity specialist is also to instill this knowledge in students and school staff.

References

Naden, C. (2020). Keeping an eye on information security. ISO.

NIST. (n.d.) Risk management. NIST.

NCSC. (2022). Cyber security for schools. National Cyber Security Centre.

In the age of the Internet, many companies, banks, and government organizations migrate their financial and economic assets into the web in order to improve the speed, efficiency, and ease of operations. At the same time, the accessibility of the systems by users and customers also suggests increased security risks for the entire superstructure. With devastating hacking attacks happening since 2015, affecting both the financial and political landscape of the world, the standardization and security of systems and processes became the primary focus of IT specialists and organizations around the globe. Some of the approaches to improving the situation include blockchain as well as traditional computer and software protection against unauthorized access and theft.

Blockchain technology was initially developed with the simplification and improvements in packet sharing, modulation, and security in mind (Lin & Liao, 2017). The code is heavily encrypted and uses a combination of private and public protocols in order to operate. Its decentralized nature makes blockchains very hard to undermine and next to impossible for any individual government to control. Blockchain-related technologies are, therefore, innately safer for businesses. At the same time, small businesses do not benefit from technology as much as large-scale ones.

Traditional approaches to security include the standardization of security protocols for different software operators, better encryption, and continuous updating in accordance with the lists of known threats and viruses. As it stands, the discrepancy in security systems lies from user ignorance, a lack of unified standards for online security, and the inability to frequently upgrade and update the systems to respond to the newest challenges in the security system (Bugliesi, Calzavara, & Focardi, 2017). Both large and small businesses could benefit from keeping their hardware and software up to date and training their employees in the basics of managing and responding to online security challenges. In my opinion, both approaches to security have their innate strengths and weaknesses, and it will take decades before one would become preferable over the other.

References

Bugliesi, M., Calzavara, S., & Focardi, R. (2017). Formal methods for web security. Journal of Logical and Algebraic Methods in Programming, 87, 110-126.

Lin, I. C., & Liao, T. C. (2017). A Survey of blockchain security issues and challenges. IJ Network Security, 19(5), 653-659.

Introduction

In recent times, most organizations are adopting emerging technologies to match the high competition in the market. Information systems (IS) are a set of components, which are integrated and aimed at the collection, processing, and storing of data in providing information, digital products, and knowledge (Yaacoub & Salman, 2020). Cybersecurity is a technique that aims at maintaining and safeguarding data from malicious attacks. Drone technology uses pilotless aerial vehicles, which operate under combined technologies including artificially intelligent computers, object avoidance technology, and others. This paper will discuss drones technology cybersecurity and information systems.

IS and Cybersecurity Considerations for Use of Drones in an Organizational Supply/Value Chain

Drones use information systems components in their automation, understand supply chain management, and highly rely on the internet and network. First, drones raise security concerns about whether they can be used to perform criminal activities since they are small in size, affordable, and are easy to move. The second consideration is privacy, which can be physical, locational, and behavioral in supply chain management. Maintaining confidentiality is important; thus, drones open new threats to secrecy as they can be used to spy and collect videos and images that may be used against an organization.

The safety concern is an important factor to consider and arises due to malfunctioning. Drone technology has been an emerging technology that has not been well-developed, and sometimes, it may lose control and cause some damages and losses (Yaacoub & Salman, 2020). There are several factors as to why there is no guarantee of safety. One of them is the design of drones which lacks a safety feature; thus, full control is not guaranteed. Drones do not have standards on technology and operations that are related to crash avoidance mechanisms. Signal distortion is another factor; drones are prone to attacks like hacking. Finally, countries lack enough regulations in governing the commercial uses of drones.

Drone Usage in Public and Private Organizations

The application of drones ranges from private to public use. Some of the applications include the emergence of medicine in both legal and practical aspects of mining industries, agricultural sectors, and the military. According to Konert et al., 2019, drones are applied in medicine through rescue operations as they can function at low altitudes and save lives. For example, the application of thermal emerging cameras by a Canadian police officer identified a man in a car wreck, and the rescue team could reach him (Konert et al., 2019). Moreover, in Switzerland, two hospitals used drones in delivering blood samples and analysis materials (Konert et al., 2019). This operation marked the first application of drones in medical settings.

The Polish Air Force Institute of Technology has created a drone called AtraxM. This drone is said to send information to the rescue team to identify the place of the accident, the number of victims in the accident, and the scale of the accident even before the main rescue team arrives (Konert et al., 2019). More advancements are being made in drone technology and increasing automation in the field of medicine.

Moreover, the use of drones has gone as far as in the mining industry. Findings by Shahmoradi et al. (2020) show that the two main advantages of using drones in this field include the use of specialized ones fitted with sensors, which can inspect an area during an emergency or identify hazards. The second advantage is that they can be used in the inspection and unblocking of locked box-holes, and also in the ore passes process. In surface mining, drones can be applied in monitoring, mapping, and surveying. This method is preferred over the traditional one because it cost saving.

Also, in-ground mining challenges occur due to reasons such as reduced visibility and dust concentration. Still, drones can access the unreachable area in underground mines. Other drone applications in this sector include detection of gas in underground coal mines, rescue missions through a combination of technology, and unmanned ground vehicles. Lastly, drones are more applicable in abandoned mines in mapping and monitoring, making them more cost-effective than other methods.

In the military, drones have widely been used as they are unmanned, meaning there are pilotless. This feature makes them more advantageous over manned aerial vehicles. The military pioneered the use of drones where they operated them in spying on the enemy and were able to plan an attack (Kozera, 2018). Drones were also utilized in attacks and proved to be more efficient as they posed no risk to the lives of soldiers. Today, technology drones are more advanced and are being used to conduct sophisticated missions.

In earlier years drones were associated with the military, making it difficult for organizations to invest in the product. Today the application of drones is on the increase as the world gets autonomous; thus, the drone market is expanding each day. Business organizations like Amazon, Google, and others need to keep up with the changing technology (Atwater, 2015). The company is working on drone technology to deliver products to consumers. In countries such as Austria, drone technology has successfully been utilized in delivery in the past two years.

In the entertainment industry, drones have been greatly used to replace the old methods. Every day, the origination is analyzing the new options emerging to arrive at the best choice. Drone technology has become the better option in automation cost and accuracy (Atwater, 2015). In this industry, drone technology has substituted boom cameras on traveling vehicles, small planes used for small shots, and helicopters.

In organizations such as those dealing with firefighting, there have been great dangers to individuals who collect information on the area of the accident in the past. Today, organizations are investing in drone technology as it is more efficient and provides a secure way of gathering crisis and site information for analysis and sending the data to command centers and rescue teams. The use of drones in this area has not replaced humans but has improved the health safety of workers with fewer resources used.

How Organization Can Leverage its Investment in Drone Technology

Every day, organizations are investing in drone technology, which has competitive advantages, cost efficiencies, and is easy to use. The oil industry has experienced a positive impact from using this equipment. The industry has automatized its operations on oil inspection through drone technology (Thibault & Aoude, 2016). Previously, the result shows that the industry used weeks in inspection work. Now it is said the company is taking days to complete the job (Thibault & Aoude, 2016). The out level is increased making it more productive and efficient.

In transportation, capital has been invested in drone technology for improved infrastructure. An example is an American railroad, which is partnering with the Federal Aviation Federation Administration, to test drones to be applied for remote inspection of tracts and bridges and air quality monitoring. In the United Kingdom, drone technology is already in use and is part of the ORBIS project (Thibault & Aoude, 2016). The UK is automating its monitoring ways in the railway network in 3D to help them for a better way of planning on track maintenance and renewal.

Laws or Regulations Which Need to Be Considered

The increased use of drones globally makes countries try to incorporate them into regulations that guide the aviation framework. Although rules differ across the globe, the regulation elements remain the same in all countries. The standard examples of drone regulations include the pilots license, restricted zones, insurance, and aircraft registration. These requirements are not fixed but vary in terms of the mass of the drone, altitude, use, and pilot license. For small drones that are meant for recreational, license, insurance, and registration are not required. But for commercial drones sporting pilot license is standards in countries that lack defined rules.

Countries have six approaches to regulations governing the use of drones though they are not common to all countries. The first regulation approach is an outright ban, which completely bans the use of all commercial drones. Examples of these countries include Morocco, Slovenia, Cuba, and India. The second regulation approach is an effective ban. Countries using this kind of approach have a formal process for the commercial use of drone licensing, but they make the requirement impossible to meet, or the license seems to have no approval. An example of the countries includes Kenya, Chile, and Colombia; the third is the Visual Line of Sight (VLOS) constant requirement. The rules state that a drone operator must be within the pilots VLOS; thus, the potential range is limited. Examples of countries under the rule include Belgium and Mexico.

Moreover, the fourth approach involves the practice of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), which has some exemptions to the VLOS. Some of the countries under this rule include Austria and Japan (Jones, 2017). Fifth is the Permissive rule which has set guidelines and regulations on drones. Example of the countries includes Italy and Sweden. Last is the wait-and-see approach where they rely on the results seen from others countries since they have few or no rules governing the use of drones.

Cybersecurity Risks to Be Considered

Technology is susceptible to attacks, thus challenging cybersecurity in drone applications. Most drones that are in use are controlled through Wi-Fi under the IEEE 802.11 standards. Communication between the drones and the operator, situated on the ground, always applies Wi-Fi in the control of these aerial vehicles. Today, WIFIs are prone to many attacks as well as the use of chips that have no encryption. It is possible to perform a man-in-the-middle attack at a radius of 2 kilometers by using software like Skyjack.

However, in consideration of cybersecurity risks in drones, several attacks can be performed in the system. These attacks include a de-authentication attack, an attack that is performed by using technologies like air crack-ng. When a successful attack is done, the controllers no longer have control of the drone. This results in insecurity in the field of the supply chain. Another type of attack is GPS spoofing. This is possible because drone communication is based on signal sending and receiving. The use of GPS in drones helps navigation, and due to non-encryption to drone technology, the spoofing attack is possible. Lastly, in the discussion on attacks, the sniffing of signals is covered. Technology is making everything great and at the same time making vulnerability on data and risking individual and organization information. Sniffing is not possible when the drone is at a greater height, but the use of advanced technologies makes it more possible, such as the use of Wi-Fi pineapple.

Another consideration to be made involves the interdiction of unauthorized drones. In the system of drones, it is possible to launch them at any place, which requires laws that ban unlicensed equipment to safeguard people and property and avoid misuse (Vattapparamban et al., 2016). In supply chain management, if authorized personnel with a bad intention launch a drone in your organization, unauthorized surveillance and monitoring can happen. These acts threaten cybersecurity, and it is possible to perform an attack either in cyber or physical which can harm both property and civilians. This is made possible as the cost of the drone is lowering and anybody can be able to afford one.

Finally, concerns about the privacy of people and property are crucial. Drones have many advantages in supply chain management, but there is a greater concern connected to their use on privacy. In drones, it is possible to mount a camera or a capturing information device that gathers information inform of video records or pictures that may violate the privacy of people in organizations and cause defamation.

Conclusion

Drone technology has been applied in almost all industries, meaning its application is taking root. The application of drones is beneficial in different sectors including business, military, and agriculture. The main concern with drone technology is cybersecurity issues. Every organization aims to maintain data integrity, availability, and confidentiality, but drones are more prone to attack. Moreover, most countries have not defined clear rules on the use and licensing of commercial drones, which is vital for investors.

References

Atwater, D. M. (2015). The commercial global drone market: Emerging opportunities for social and environmental uses of UAVs. Graziadio Business Review, 18(2). Web.

Jones, T. (2017). International commercial drone regulation and drone delivery services. RAND Corporation. Web.

Konert, A., Smereka, J., & Szarpak, L. (2019). The use of drones in emergency medicine: practical and legal aspects. Emergency Medicine International, 2019, 3589792. Web.

Kozera, C. A. (2018). Military use of unmanned aerial vehiclesA historical study. Safety & Defense, 4(1), 17-21. Web.

Shahmoradi, J., Talebi, E., Roghanchi, P., & Hassanalian, M. (2020). A comprehensive review of applications of drone technology in the mining industry. Drones, 4(3), 34. Web.

Thibault, G., & Aoude, G. (2016). Companies are turning drones into a competitive advantage. Harvard Buisness Review, 1-6. Web.

Vattapparamban, E., Güvenç, 0., Yurekli, A. 0., Akkaya, K., & Uluaaç, S. (2016). Drones for smart cities: Issues in cybersecurity, privacy, and public safety. In 2016 International wireless communications and mobile computing conference (IWCMC) (pp. 216-221). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Yaacoub, J. P., & Salman, O. (2020). Security analysis of drones systems: Attacks, limitations, and recommendations. Internet of Things, 11, 100218. Web.

Introduction

The data around companies is increasing rapidly, and so are cyber-attacks. All activities that employees do online produces new data and create a digital footprint that cyberattacks can exploit. Whereas organizations utilize machine learning and data science to maintain their systems and data gathering security, hackers use more advanced techniques such as artificial intelligence to conduct cyberattacks. Thus, modern cybersecurity uses machine learning and data science to search for multiple vulnerabilities in organizations. Data science entails studying, extracting, and processing valuable insights from information (Sikos & Choo, 2020). It is critical to explore how data science helps in cybersecurity defense strategies and understand its importance.

Analysis

Cybersecurity data science is an emergent career that utilizes machine learning to mitigate, prevent, and detect cyberattacks. It is regarded as the process of utilizing data science to keep digital software, systems, services, and devices secure from cyber threats. Data science application in cybersecurity is widespread because it assists organizations in protecting their networks against attacks and enhances techniques for combating threats (Sikos & Choo, 2020). Exploring how data science impacts cybersecurity explains why its incorporation into a companys cybersecurity infrastructure is essential.

Data science helps enhance predicting abilities and improve intrusion detection. Hackers have numerous methods of intruding into systems, and their styles, methods, and tools constantly evolve. As a result, companies must detect intrusions early, which can be achieved with the adoption of data science. The implementation of data science gives organizations the chance to provide machine learning algorithms with historical and current information about intrusions or cyberthreats. Therefore, an organization will detect intrusions, manage systems securely, and predict future attacks (Sarker et al., 2020). Data science and machine learning help identify loopholes in information security environments that assist in improved data security.

Data science facilitates data protection and behavioral analytics, which ultimately improves an organizations cybersecurity. Although companies can identify and detect malware, understanding the attackers behavior can be difficult. Data science assists in analyzing numerous information through machine learning. Consequently, future behavior can be predicted by evaluating the relationships in network and system logs, which makes information processing more accessible and timelier. On the other hand, data science reinforces the protection of an organizations data. Tradition security strategies help organizations mitigate information probing from attackers (Tewari, 2021). Nevertheless, data science helps to reinforce the traditional measures, offering organizations the opportunity to create impenetrable protocols through machine learning algorithms.

Data science provides an opportunity for organizations to change from laboratory simulation to real-world practice. Thus, organizations will understand the landscape of their information security better. Through constant analysis, organizations have the opportunity to reduce errors in machine learning algorithms. Data science collects data quickly from multiple samples to facilitate deep training and learning to detect spam and malware (Yener & Gal, 2019). As a result, false positives are reduced after identifying malware and spam, helping to set up preventive measures against intrusions.

Data science in cybersecurity matters as it helps reduce the increased costs of cyber breaches. Additionally, the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT) necessitates an effective cybersecurity solution. Cyber breaches can cost an organization its reputation and vast amounts of money. Cybersecurity losses and costs are expected to rise since more devices are connected to the internet (Sarker et al., 2020). The increased internet connectivity highlights the need for data science in cybersecurity.

Conclusion

Understanding the importance of data science in cybersecurity helps companies and employees embrace technological changes. Most organizations store data in digital means, which increases the risk of breaches. Cyberattacks have increased in recent years as hackers reinvent new ways to intrude into systems and steal information. Therefore, adopting data science into cybersecurity infrastructure can help to reinforce and reduce cyber threats. Data science helps to improve intrusion detection, enhance predicting ability and data protection, and understand attackers behavior. The rising costs of cyber threats and the increased device connectivity highlight the significance of cybersecurity data science. Data science will help information technology professionals create more active, defensive, and operative strategies to avert cyber-attacks.

References

Sarker, I. H., Kayes, A. S. M., Badsha, S., Alqahtani, H., Watters, P., & Ng, A. (2020). Cybersecurity data science: An overview from machine learning perspective. Journal of Big Data, 7(1), 1-29. Web.

Sikos, L. F., & Choo, K. K. R. (Eds.). (2020). Data science in cybersecurity and cyberthreat intelligence. Springer.

Tewari, S. H. (2021). Necessity of data science for enhanced cybersecurity. International Journal of Data Science and Big Data Analytics, 1(1), 63-79. Web.

Yener, B., & Gal, T. (2019). Cybersecurity in the Era of Data Science: Examining New Adversarial Models. IEEE Security & Privacy, 17(6), 46-53. Web.

Introduction

Ensuring the safety of the collected data is a considerable priority for numerous corporations. Large companies aiming to preserve the integrity of their knowledge often incorporate additional protection methods against potential hacking, cautiously guarding the personal data received from the customers. As is shown in the case of the Equifax breach, these measures are necessary precautions that should be implemented by any enterprises focused on clientele services and possessing sensitive knowledge. This case study discusses the events of the Equifax breach, identifying security and control weaknesses, factors that contributed to the development issues, and the overall impact of the incident, suggesting preventative measures for the future.

The Necessity to Strengthen Security and Control Processes: The Example of Equifax

Identify and describe the security and control weaknesses discussed in this case

The attack on the Equifax credit bureau, one of the most well-recognized repositories of personal information, has caused tremendous loss of data for millions of individuals. The leak was exposed in September 2017, when the enterprise reported unauthorized access to their storage systems that contained sensitive knowledge regarding the organizations clients (Wang & Johnson, 2018). According to the official estimations, around 143 million US citizens were affected by the breach, as their names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, and addresses were revealed to the hackers (Wang & Johnson, 2018). This incident became significant proof of the weaknesses of the Equifax cybersecurity systems.

Technical errors and malfunctions in the protection processes established by Equifax were major issues that were not resolved in time, resulting in the breach event. Previously, hackers were able to acquire access to the companys systems in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Another problem occurred in 2016 and 2017 prior to the discussed incident, when the storage units were attacked again. The presence of numerous technical deficiencies and recurring complications within the software signifies that Equifax databases were substantially weakened before the September 2017 attack, demonstrating the abundance of security malfunctions.

A control issue can be observed in the condition of interactive online systems, namely websites, applications, and other web services accessed by the users. Any resources created and maintained via the Internet require constant updates and problem management in order to uphold the appropriate level of security for customer data transmitted (DiGrazia, 2018). Nevertheless, several reports highlighted the improper state of these online services, which became vulnerable due to the outdated technical approach used. For instance, certificates on Equifax websites were proven to be expired and error-infested. Such negligence towards the condition of systems handling personal information was a considerable control risk that might have prompted the success of the September 2017 breach. Another complication is evident in the absence of response towards the cybersecurity issues highlighted by professionals. Although numerous attacks occurred in the previous years, multiple reports on the web-protection weaknesses were available, and a hazardous malfunction was observed prior to the incident, the companys management heavily disregarded this information (Luszcz, 2018). The absence of cybersecurity standards and a failure to maintain necessary control over the online sources was a significant disadvantage for Equifax.

What management, organization, and technology factors contributed to these problems?

Even though the gaps in the areas of security and control have drastically increased the probability of a successful intrusion, particular elements of managerial, organizational, and technological strategies also promoted the possibility of unauthorized access. The management approach utilized by Equifax lacked sufficient planning and controlling, the factors that can improve the companys performance in the area of cybersecurity (Luszcz, 2018). Although the enterprises executives stated that extensive resources were transferred to online protection, in reality, as is shown by numerous breaches, Equifaxs methods were considerably outdated. It is possible that the endeavors related to guarding personal data and managing the web services were not included in the organizations management plans, contributing to the weak condition of the online systems.

Another remarkable complication refers to the topic of Equifaxs organizational structure, which might have lacked appropriate regulations regarding personal data handling. Any company is required to regulate its rules and responsibilities, including the principles of storing sensitive data and the duties related to customer information (Gao et al., 2021). Considering the firms lack of attention towards previous breaches, numerous cybersecurity reports, and the state of online protection, it could be proposed that the corporate regulations concerning the clientele data were exceptionally lenient. Furthermore, credit bureaus are not obligated to conduct system audits, technology checks, and security evaluations, which might influence the internal rules of data storage.

With the lack of external responsibility for the potential loss of information, Equifax faces minimal negative consequences and may thus neglect protection requirements and focus on other areas of development. This suggestion can be further corroborated by the companys fierce methods of accumulating growth, directed towards purchasing useful data and expanding (Wang & Johnson, 2018). Therefore, such organizational factors as disregarded responsibility for information leaks, lack of external control, and the focus on rapid development may have procured the emergence of security issues.

Enhancing the enterprises technological capabilities is a vital task for its executives in the current age. To avoid the adverse ramifications of systems vulnerability, it is essential to maintain an up-to-date condition of the web services and online databases that transfer sensitive data. Nevertheless, Equifax demonstrated remarkable negligence towards implementing these preventative procedures, contributing to the rise of technological complications that weakened the companys cyberspace. Such factors as focus on organizational expansion rather than technological improvements, absence of action regarding existent malfunctions, and ignorance of frequent information breaches established an environment suitable for unauthorized access to the enterprises database (Wang & Johnson, 2018). Furthermore, as the company used open-source materials to establish its cybersecurity measures, the risk of intrusion surged significantly (Luszcz, 2018). Although software derived from open source can yield exceptional benefits when applied and managed correctly, Equifax failed to adapt the software protection tools to avoid breach incidents.

The Effect Of Equifax Hack On Contemporary Cybersecurity

Discuss the impact of the Equifax hack

Given the scale of the Equifax corporation and the type of data leaked, the impact of the incident on the involved individuals lives and the sphere of information security is tremendous in size. First of all, it is necessary to consider the sensitive knowledge regarding the companys clients impacted by the event. The majority of the customers were explicitly outraged by the breach of information, which revealed their names, Social Security numbers, addresses, and birth dates to the hackers (Gao et al., 2021). Given that this knowledge allows an individual to apply for a credit card, a bank loan, or a mortgage, personal accounts are now at risk of unauthorized use. Possessing such information constitutes identity theft and may result in significant debt and financial loss for the people affected (DiGrazia, 2018). Therefore, it is possible that the hackers now obtain a possibility to receive monetary funds on behalf of 143 million US citizens without their knowledge, which is a substantial risk.

After that, another consequence of the leak concerns the reputation of Equifax and the necessity to reimburse the clientele whose data was stolen. As millions of victims suffered the adverse ramifications of identity theft, settlement claims and lawsuits were filed against the credit bureau (Wang & Johnson, 2018). According to the statistics, personal information breaches can result in an average financial loss of approximately $1343, in addition to personal distress and elevated anxiety (DiGrazia, 2018). Furthermore, the firms stock value has plummeted after the announcement of the breach, decreasing 14% in only one day (BBC News, 2017). Nevertheless, these results have majorly affected the clientele and their perception of Equifax rather than the enterprise itself, which according to the legislation, faces minimal negative outcomes from the legal perspective.

Finally, a prominent result of the cybersecurity attack on Equifax is the awareness of information technologies (IT), web services protection, and the organizations vulnerability. Multiple studies conducted after the incident reported that numerous corporations are inadequately ensured against potential hacking attempts, prompting the executives to implement additional strategies (Luszcz, 2018). Another prominent outcome is the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe, aimed at improving the regulations regarding the firms responsibilities for their clienteles information (Hedley & Jacobs, 2017). This act considers the weaknesses of the Equifax security approach and might increase the safety of sensitive knowledge in the future.

Considerations for Future Hack Protection

How can future data breaches like this one be prevented? Explain your answer

To avoid information leaks and unauthorized access to sensitive knowledge, it is essential to maintain an appropriate cybersecurity policy. First of all, such methods as IT innovations and consistent system updates have been proven to be highly prominent for both small and large-scale corporations (DiGrazia, 2018). After that, it is recommended to transfer additional resources into creating strong attack prevention systems, preferably with the help of cybersecurity professionals. However, as this strategy might be considerably costly, it is possible to enhance open-access sources, strengthening the applications used to achieve a lower possibility of a successful hack (Luszcz, 2018). Finally, incorporating numerous methods of protection is another crucial endeavor, especially beneficial for highly-developed corporations. Instead of implementing only one or two preventative strategies, it is necessary to include supplementary measures, such as double encryption or detecting suspicious internet traffic (Hedley & Jacobs, 2017). Although there still might be small weaknesses to be exploited, these techniques further decrease the probability of unauthorized access, gaining extra protection against hackers.

Conclusion

To conclude, the case of the Equifax breach in consideration of security and control deficits, factors contributing to the attack, and the events impact were discussed in detail in this paper. It is evident that the lack of an appropriate level of cybersecurity can become a remarkable issue for corporations handling their clients personal information. As the technology evolves, such security issues as breaches of information and cyberattacks become especially pertinent. Identifying possible weaknesses, such as inconsistent updates or invalid certificates, and eliminating them in a timely manner is a prominent strategy for maintaining a stable business. The Equifax leak of information demonstrates how crucial it is to identify managerial, organizational, and technological factors that might prompt future attacks, as the negative impact of a successful breach can be detrimental. Enterprises should uphold their cybersecurity measures and incorporate customer data safety into their corporate values, ensuring that numerous layers of protection are present.

References

Wang, P., & Johnson, C. (2018). Cybersecurity incident handling: A case study of the Equifax data breach. Issues In Information Systems, 19(3), 150-159. Web.

DiGrazia, K. (2018). Cyber insurance, data security, and blockchain in the wake of the Equifax breach. Journal of Business, 13(2), 255-277.

BBC News. (2017, September 8). Equifax slammed after major data breach. Web.

Gao, Y. (Lisa), Zhang, L., & Wei, W. (2021). The effect of perceived error stability, brand perception, and relationship norms on consumer reaction to data breaches. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 94. Web.

Hedley, D., & Jacobs, M. (2017). The shape of things to come: The Equifax breach, the GDPR and open-source security. Computer Fraud & Security, 2017(11), 57. Web.

Luszcz, J. (2018). Apache Struts 2: How technical and development gaps caused the Equifax Breach. Network Security, 2018(1), 58. Web.

Cybersecurity risks are some of the most prominent risks to emerge in the 21st century. With the ongoing digitalization of all medical records, hospitals become one of the primary targets for phishing, information theft, and cyber terrorism (Kim, 2018). Since all modern hospitals operate technology that has specialized software and program interfaces, the matters of cybersecurity are more important than ever. At the same time, the national healthcare system remains woefully lagging in ensuring the privacy and security of their patients medical records.

The Coalfire Penetration Risk report states that the healthcare industry has the worst protection ever, below tech, retail, and financial services (Donovan, 2018). The report included most of the major hospitals, which indicates deep-seated security issues in the field. Mayo clinic is one of the most prominent healthcare providers in the USA, serving hundreds of thousands of patients on a yearly basis. The purpose of this paper is to analyze internal and external threats to Mayo Clinics Personal Healthcare Information (PHI), analyze their risk assessment processes, and make conclusions about the adequacy of their cyber defenses.

External Risks to Hospital Security

While there is a multitude of security risks to hospitals such as Mayo Clinic, the primary external risk to its cybernetic systems are phishing attacks, malware, and encryption blind spots (Wager, Lee, & Glaser, 2017). Phishing attacks are the most common in that they require the least amount of preparation to send out, and can be very effective in luring employees into forfeiting personal data. With doctors and nurses having access to shared healthcare records, this type of external threat became more effective at getting results. Mayo Clinic is a frequent target to such attacks.

The second threat to hospital cybersecurity is malware and ransomware. They can be downloaded through various means, such as through phishing letters or through encryption traffic blindspots (Wager et al., 2017). These programs can shut down access and potentially paralyze the workstation, or even the entire network. Hospitals such as the Mayo clinic are optimal targets for malware and ransomware, due to their need for quick access to patient information. In addition to locking out data, malware can steal or corrupt data, to be later used in blackmailing.

The last issue is associated with the increased usage of cloud servers. These are outside data storage services, which are vulnerable to outside hacking attempts (Wager et al., 2017). The hospital has little to no control over these servers, or their providers.

Nevertheless, many hospitals have the outdated on-premise equipment, which does not allow for storing great amounts of data. Small hospitals that do not receive additional funding, cloud services are a forced measure, which comes with its own set of external security risks. Although Mayo clinic utilizes encrypted cloud services sparingly and in accordance with HIPAA provisions, the risk of outside intervention still exists.

Internal Risks to Hospital Security

Internal threats to Mayo Clinics hospital security are largely associated with employees and equipment. Security leaks may be the result of employees negligent use of data or, in rare cases, malicious intent. Successes of phishing attempts, for the most part, depend on the inability of employees to recognize legitimate security risks. Employee training and awareness campaigns help mitigate negligence, whereas agency and accountability procedures help prevent malicious intent (Wager et al., 2017).

The second internal threat is associated with outdated equipment and software. Many hospitals utilize old computers and unsupported applications, which do not have the level of security and encryption to withstand hacking attempts (Wager et al., 2017).

In addition, these applications are more prone to malfunction, which could result in misinterpretation or corruption of data. Although Mayo hospital is one of the most financially sustainable, it still has some problems in regards to equipment and software security. Lastly, there are issues with the physical security of server equipment. In the event of a flood or a fire, if the servers are damaged, all physical data may be gone forever. Mayo clinic adheres to strict regulations for flood and fire security and has backup systems in the event of such an occurrence.

Security Risk Assessments at Mayo Clinic

Cybersecurity risks assessments in Mayo Clinic are conducted on a yearly basis. They are handled individually by responsible IT officers of the company, which are over 100 in number (Mayo Clinic, 2018). These individuals are tasked with ensuring that all IT-related equipment has antiviruses, firewalls and that the information utilized in daily operations is properly encrypted (Mayo Clinic, 2018). They are also tasked to educate and debrief all personnel on the latest news on cybersecurity and cybernetic threats. Overall, these assessments are made to ensure the status quo and making sure no breaches were detected.

Outside security companies are involved in making large-scale reforms and upgrades to the existing security system. This approach is useful at neutralizing any major security discrepancies but does not address the speed at which cyber threats are evolving. They can mitigate phishing threats and internal cybersecurity issues but are not enough to make up for aging equipment and evolving malware and decryption software.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Although the state of cybersecurity in Mayo Clinic is better than in other healthcare facilities in the region, its overall quality remains subpar. Aging equipment, as well as the reactive approach to external threats, make it vulnerable to deliberate attacks. Mayo Clinic should adopt a proactive approach, which involves bi-yearly monitoring by specialized cybersecurity firms, as well as significant updates on the existing software and hardware. All personnel should undergo yearly training and reminder sessions in order to recognize the newest phishing and malware practices. HIPAA standards for personal data protection are to be enforced with increased frequency.

References

Donovan, F. (2018). Healthcare IT security worst of any sector with external threats. 

Kim, L. (2018). Through the looking glass: Whats happening now and in the future with cybersecurity. Web.

Mayo Clinic. (2018). Innovate, create, and invent. 

Wager, K. A., Lee, F. W., & Glaser, J. P. (2017). Health care information systems: A practical approach for health care management (4th ed.). New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.

Mandiant Cyber Security Company, renowned for forensic expertise and computer security programs, was founded in America by Kevin Mandia in early 2004. Its formation was based on the computer insecurity that was predicted to take place in the future (Harms, 2006). Currently, Mandiant Cyber Security Companys headquarter is located in Virginia. It has over 300 staff members. Mandiant came up with machines that aid greatly in curbing systems threats that many organizations face (Fleddermann, 2013). Some of its customers include private companies and high-ranked individuals. Government organizations also rely greatly on its services. Its involvement in curbing cyber insecurity that took place in China early this year contributed immensely to its popularization.

However, the success of Mandiant is based on its leadership and ethics styles. This paper outlines and details on leadership and ethics styles implemented by Mandiant in driving its innovation.

To drive its innovation, Mandiant puts into practice innovation theories like institutional theory and diffusion theory. Additionally, Mandiant uses evolutionary theory in developing their products and services. For instance, Mandiant Company employs institutional theory in safeguarding their profits for future innovation.

Leadership styles

Aydogan (2008) examine that leadership has a great effect on innovation and further reveals that when organization lacks potential leaders, their innovation capabilities considerably decreases. As per the views of Aydogan, it is evident that leadership styles have great effects on innovativeness. Scholars such as O Regan have also associated leadership styles with high achievements in innovation. According to Aydogan and scholars, leadership styles influence innovation via impinging on people and institutions affinities to innovation. The success of organizations such as Mandiant Cyber Security Company is based on the leadership styles portrayed in the firm.

Mandiant employ effective leadership styles in not only securing clients from hackers, but also running the company roles effectively. As evidenced by some of top executive members of Mandiant, Mandiant Company prefer transformational leadership style to transactional leadership style (Kippenberger, 2012). The executives inoculation of dynamic leadership also plays a significant role in enabling Mandiant adopt changes experienced in cyber world.

Mandiant use transformational leadership in attracting diverse organizations as consumers of its services. In addition to encouraging creativity among its clients, Mandiant Company also offers support to individual followers. Additionally, Mandiant Company transformational leaders not only portray their vicious acts, but also serve as role models for its clients (Burns, 1978). For instance, it has been evidenced that many consumers appreciate the services offered by it. With transformational leadership quality, diverse individuals find it easy to share their views concerning computer security thus boosting Mandiant innovation programs.

Mandiant also employs transactional leadership styles. In most occasions, Mandiant leaders use rewards as motivational tools. Use of rewards plays a great role in the advancement of its innovation because it proves effective to employees who work under fixed programs. For instance, Mandiant Company has been found to delegate distressing roles such as monitoring to customers network for long durations, an act that proves effective in driving innovation. In general, use of motivational elements and integration of modern technology plays a significant role in driving Mandiant innovation.

Most firms also portray situational leadership. This type of leadership assists the firm in identifying both the potentials and enthusiasms of its employees. Usually, situational leadership also assists many organizations in dealing with technological changes. Through this type of leadership, Mandiant Cyber Security Company has managed to supervise technological changes that assist in driving its innovation.

Ethic styles

Although leadership styles influences the success of many organizations, many leaders experience hard times in gaining trust and obligations of its members and clients. Occasionally, leaders who are observed as truthful are perceived as moral stewards (Bass and Riggio, 2008). Ethics styles enable individuals not only to understand visions and values of a given firm, but also challenges facing it in meeting the set objectives. It is also crucial for organizations to observe moral integrity (Ferrell et al, 2011).

Firms such as Mandiant Cyber Security Company have proved effective in implementing ethic styles. In 2012, Mandiant Company positively contributed to the success of over 500 companies in America, an act that contributes significantly to driving its innovation. Although Mandiant Company is the leading company in terms of advancement in cyber risks management, it rarely involves itself in exposing its clients information. In general, the observance of ethical values by Mandiant Company contributes immensely to its success in driving its innovation (Rao and Upadhyaya, 2013).

Recommendations

I do believe in Mandiant Company advancing greatly if it adapts single leadership style. To my opinion, single leadership style is more efficient compared to other types of leadership styles because it is suitable for many changes that are encountered in firms such as Mandiant Company. In order for Mandiant Company to employ single leadership style efficiently, it is crucial for it to take into consideration the wills of its employees. Involvement of employees will not only lead to quick adoption of the new leadership style, but also boost the morale of its employees. It is also crucial for organizations to protect the information of their clients. Organizations such as Mandiant Company do come into contact with diverse customers information, which needs to be kept safe from any form of intrusion.

Though Mandiant firm is very successful in running its daily activities, Mandiant firm also need to put into practice democratic leadership. With democratic leadership, Mandiant firm will not only manage to come up with innovations, but also meet the objective of many of its clients. It is also true that innovation requires good atmosphere for its advancement. Thus, leaders for organizations such as Mandiant firm need to inoculate other persons views pertaining innovation.

References

Aydogan, N. (2008). Innovation Policies, Business Creation and Economic Development: A Comparative Approach. New York: Springer.

Bass, B. M. & Riggio, R. E. (2008). Transformational Leadership. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. N.Y: Harper and Raw.

Ferrell, L et al. (2011). Business Ethics, (9th ed). New York: Cengage Learning.

Fleddermann, E. (2013). Cybersecurity in the Media Industry: The Growing Threat of Cybercrime and the Strategic Options to Defend Against it. New York: Nerd Press.

Harms, K. (2006). Forensic analysis of system restore points in microsoft windows XP. Digital investigation, 3(3), 151-158.

Kippenberger, T. (2012). Leadership styles. Oxford, U.K.: Capstone Pub.

Rao, H. R., & Upadhyaya, S. (2013). Information assurance, security and privacy services. Bingley, UK: Emerald.

Chechnya 1994: Propaganda

Advance in technology and easy access to the internet has resulted in increased cyber crime and terrorism. Hackers are on a daily basis getting access to information that belongs to organizations and government agencies without prior consent. This jeopardizes the security of information and data since the data is either made available to everyone or it is used for malicious purposes.

The attackers of websites and other sites on the internet use the internet as a tool to spread propaganda (Denning 2001; Bednarz, 2004). The major aim of cyber attacks other than the spread of propaganda is to sabotage organizations, political reasons, alterations of data and information, economic espionage, monetary gains, revenge, and black mail (Henry, 2010; Denning 2001)

The report is based on the 1999 hacking of the Kosovo military that affected NATO’s websites and computer servers, as well as the websites of both the US and the UK governments. The paper addresses the motivation behind the attacks, the methods of attack, and the responses of the defenders to these attacks.

The motivation of the attacker(s)

The 1999 Kosovo military hacking by the Serbian Groups (Geers, 2008) was aimed at deleting information and data stored in the NATO database. Although this was not the major motivation of the attack, it is believed that the hackers’ “goal was to disrupt the NATO’s military operations” (Geers, 2008).

The kind of motivation where information is destructed through unauthorized entry into organizational systems has been supported by Henry (2010). With the information on logistics of the NATO’s operation under siege, the organization could not undertake its military operations conclusively as they were compromised. Database information was lost upon the attack and pictures and anti NATO messages posted on NATO’s website (Nuttall, 1999).

Basically, the attack was a form of propaganda that was being used to dent the public relations of NATO and the Yugoslavia military. Sabotage was another motivator to the attacks. This has been acknowledged by Nuttall (1999) who reports that the Serbia based Black Hand group attack of the NATO’s website was to sabotage the organizations military operations.

The attack methods used

The attackers infiltrated NATO’s database and website by the use of a virus. According to the case study report, the UK, the US, and NATO computers were invaded through “email-of-service and virus-infected email (Geers, 2008). The attacks were reported to have defaced the White House website.

It was also reported that NATO’s websites at its headquarters in Belgium were inoperable. The virus that was used on the email had twenty five virus strains. From a single email infected with the virus, it had multiplied within a very short period of time. The email server of NATO’s become chocked as a result of multiple emails streaming in (Nuttall, 1999; Geers, 2008).

Following these attacks, NATO was forced to upgrading its system in a bid to ensure that its computer servers and network remain secure. Unfortunately, the network attacks started to spread to other parts of the globe thus affecting international network systems. Based on the Nuttall (1999) as presented on the BBC News, the `ping’ bombardment strategy was applied by the hackers.

Ping storm has been defined as a process that entails the use of a program to “send a flood of packets to server to test its ability to handle a high amount of traffic” (Nuttall 1999). It is also used with the intention of making a server inoperable. Based on these two definitions and the case study, applications were made. Database information and data were invaded by the viruses and deleted (Nuttall, 1999).

The response of the defenders

The US responded by stating that its websites were affected but nothing had been lost. However, the UK reported having lost multiple databases that had vital information to the organization. The spokesman of NATO reported of having experienced line saturations which were blamed on the Belgrade based hackers.

The Yugoslavian Foreign Secretary was reported saying that they would step up efforts to win the propaganda war started b the hackers (Nutall 1999). The NATO spokesman later apologized on a briefing on the eventful attack on its websites and the information it provided to people.

Conclusions

Based on the case study analysis, the hackers used virus and ping storm to attack the computer servers belonging to NATO. They also used the same methods to attack the UK and U.S Whitehouse websites.

The intentions of the attacks were malicious and intentional, with the aim of spreading propaganda and deleting important files that contained military operations. In essence, the main aim was to cripple down NATO’s military operations as its websites and servers were rendered inoperable. By sending affected email that multiplied and streamed itself to the NATO’s email server, the systems and network become inoperable.

The attacks were spread over to other destinations within a short period of time. The defenders of the attacks claimed that it was used to spread propaganda and the NATO was ready to fight it back. Although the US claimed the attacks had done little harm, NATO claimed to have lost data and so was the UK. Lastly, the attackers were used to sabotage the military operations and dement the public relations of the parties involved.

Reference List

Bednarz, A. (2004). Profiling cybercriminals: A promising but immature science. Network World. Web.

Denning, D.E. (2001). Is cyber terror next? Web.

Geers, K. (2008). Cyberspace and the changing nature of warfare. Web.

Henry, J. (2010). Reducing the Threat of State-to-State Cyber attack against critical infrastructure through international norms and agreements. Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland, School of Public Policy. University of Maryland.

Nuttall, C. (1999). Sci/Tech Kosovo info warfare spreads. BBC News. Web.