Implications of Misuse and Cyber Security.pdf

Implications of
Misuse &
Cyber Security

Computer Misuse
This topic includes misuse of
stolen or fictional credit card
numbers to obtain goods or
services on the internet, and
use of computers in financial
frauds. Cybersecurity
Cyber security is the application of
technologies, processes and controls to protect
systems, networks, programs, devices and data
from cyber attacks. It aims to reduce the risk of
cyber attacks and protect against the
unauthorised exploitation of systems, networks
and technologies.

Computer Vulnerability
A computer system has several points of vulnerability; these include its hardware, software, data
communications, and personnel. Computer security refers to the protection of hardware and software
resources against their accidental or deliberate damage, theft, or corruption(in the case of software).
Data security is the protection of data against intentional or accidental damage
The importance of the security of computer systems and their data cannot be overstated.
Organizations spend very considerable amounts of time and money trying to make sure that their
information systems are secure against various hazards, both natural and man-made.
Vulnerability is a cyber-security term that refers to a flaw in a system that can leave it open to attack.
A vulnerability may also refer to any type of weakness in a computer system itself, in a set of
procedures, or in anything that leaves information security exposed to a threat.
Computer users and network personnels can protect computer systems from vulnerabilities by
keeping software security patches up to date. These patches can remedy flaws or security holes that
were found in the initial release. Computer and network personnel should also stay informed about
current vulnerabilities in the software they use and seek out ways to protect against them.

Threats
What are Threats?
In computer security, a threat is a potential negative
action or event facilitated by a vulnerability that results
in an unwanted impact to a computer system or
application. In simpler terms, a computer threat refers
to a term that speaks to or speaks about a computer
system being compromised. These threats can lead to
lost or edited data being stolen or even cyber-attacks.

Type of Threats
Spyware
A spyware threat is any program that monitors
your online activities or installs programs
without your consent or knowledge to capture
personalised information. This personalised
information can be downloaded from email
messages, instant messages and web sites.
Spyware, as the word suggests, “spy”, is aimed
so that it remains entirely discreet to the user. It
is actively hidden away or is simply not
recognisable by the user.

Hackers
Hackers are programmers who exploit
others for their own selfish and malicious
intents by breaking into computer systems
to steal, destroy or change information as a
form of cyber-terrorism. They can
compromise your credit card information,
steal your identity and lock you out of your
data.

Viruses
A computer virus is a written program
that alters the way a computer operates
without the permission or knowledge of
the user. The virus replicates and
executes itself, usually doing damage to
your computer in the process like
corrupting files and stealing
passwords.

★ Anti-Spyware
★ Firewalls
★ Strong Passwords
★ Anti-Virus
★ Plug Information
Leaks
How to Prevent/ Avoid These Threats

Anti-spyware
Anti-spyware software detects and prevents any unwanted spyware program installations that are
in your computer system. It can act much like an antivirus program by providing real-time
protection and preventing spyware from being downloaded in the first place.
Firewalls
Firewalls enforce rules about what data packets will be allowed to enter or leave a network.
Firewalls are incorporated into a wide variety of networked devices to filter traffic and lower the
security risks from malicious packets travelling over the public internet.
Strong Passwords
Password cracking technology is quite advanced, and passwords that are easy to guess are
potential security risks. Simply making sure employees are using passwords that are sufficient
length and a mix of character types and numbers can be a huge detractor for hackers.

Anti-Virus
Antivirus software was originally designed to detect and remove viruses from computers, but also
protect against other types of malicious software, such as keyloggers, browser hijackers, Trojan
horses, worms, rootkits spyware, adware and botnets.
Plug Information Leaks
Sensitive information can flow out of your organisation through emails, printed copies, instant
messaging or by people simply talking about things they should keep to themselves, but
technology can help. Starting with the intrusion detection system (IDS). Scan your business plan
for unique phrases that you wouldn't expect to find anywhere else and configure your IDS to alert
you whenever it sees these telltale snippets on the network. Installing email firewalls can scan the
full text of all outgoing emails and alert the user if anything suspicious is found.

What is an attack?
An attack or cyber attack is any attempt to gain unauthorized access to a computer, computing
system or computer network with the intent to cause damage. Cyber attacks aim to disable,
disrupt, destroy or control computer systems or to alter, block, delete, manipulate or steal the
data held within these systems. These attacks can be launched from anywhere by any
individual or group using one or more various attack strategies. People who carry out cyber
attacks are generally regarded as cybercriminals or who are also popularly known as hackers,
they include individuals who act alone, drawing on their computer skills to design and
execute malicious attacks. They can also belong to a criminal syndicate, working with other
threat actors to find weaknesses or problems in the computer systems called vulnerabilities
that can be exploited for criminal gain. Government-sponsored groups of computer experts
also launch cyber attacks. They're identified as nation-state attackers, and they have been
accused of attacking the information technology (IT) infrastructure of other governments, as
well as non government entities, such as businesses, nonprofits and utilities.
Attack

Why do cyber attacks happen?
Cyber attacks are designed to cause damage. They can have
various objectives, including the following:
➢ Financial gain
Most cyber attacks today, especially those against
commercial entities, are launched by cybercriminals
for financial gain. These attacks often aim to steal
sensitive data, such as customer credit card numbers or
employee personal information, which the
cybercriminals then use to access money or goods
using the victims' identities. Still other attacks aim to
gain valuable corporate data, such as proprietary
information; these types of cyber attacks are a modern,
computerized form of corporate espionage.

➢ Disruption and revenge
Some hackers also launch attacks specifically to sow chaos, confusion, discontent, frustration
or mistrust. They could be taking such action as a way to get revenge for acts taken against
them. They could be aiming to publicly embarrass the attacked entities or to damage the
organizations' reputation. These attacks are often directed at government entities but can also
hit commercial entities or nonprofit organizations.
➢ Cyberwarfare
Governments around the world are also involved in cyber attacks, with many national
governments acknowledging or suspected of designing and executing attacks against other
countries as part of ongoing political, economic and social disputes. These types of attacks
are classified as cyberwarfare.

How can you prevent a cyber attack?
There is no guaranteed way for any organization to prevent
a cyber attack, but there are numerous cybersecurity best
practices that organizations can follow to reduce the risk.
Reducing the risk of a cyber attack relies on using a
combination of skilled security professionals, processes and
technology.
Reducing risk also involves three broad categories of
defensive action:
1. preventing attempted attacks from actually entering
the organization's IT systems;
2. detecting intrusions; and
3. disrupting attacks already in motion -- ideally, at the
earliest possible time.

Best practices include the following:
● implementing perimeter defenses, such as firewalls, to help block attack
attempts and to block access to known malicious domains;
● using software to protect against malware, namely antivirus software,
thereby adding another layer of protection against cyber attacks;
● having a patch management program to address known software
vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers;
● setting appropriate security configurations, password policies and user
access controls;
● maintaining a monitoring and detection program to identify and alert to
suspicious activity;
● creating incident response plans to guide reaction to a breach; and
● training and educating individual users about attack scenarios and how
they as individuals have a role to play in protecting the organization.

Countermeasure
What is
Countermeasure?
In computer and cyber security a
countermeasure can be defined as an
action, device or technique that reduces a
threat, vulnerability, or an attack by
eliminating it or by minimizing the
damage it may cause.

Why do we need Countermeasures?
A countermeasure is an action, process, device, or system that can prevent, or mitigate the effects
of, threats to a computer, server or network. In this context, a threat is a potential or actual adverse
event that may be malicious or incidental, and that can compromise the assets of an enterprise or
the integrity of a computer or network.
Countermeasures can take the form of software, hardware and modes of behavior. Software
countermeasures include:
● personal firewalls
● application firewalls
● anti-virus software
● pop-up blockers
● spyware detection/removal programs.

The most common hardware
countermeasure is a router that can prevent
the IP address of an individual computer
from being directly visible on the Internet.
Other hardware countermeasures include:
● biometric authentication systems
● physical restriction of access to
computers and peripherals
● intrusion detectors
● alarms

What are the Categories of a Countermeasure?
These countermeasures can be classified into three groups. These are:
❖ Cryptography methods- (Cryptography is associated with the process of converting ordinary
plain text into unintelligible text and vice-versa. It is a method of storing and transmitting
data in a particular form so that only those for whom it is intended can read and process it.)
❖ Human factors- (The 'human factor' has been recognized as the weakest link in creating safe
and secure digital environments though, human intuition may also be the solution to
thwarting many cyber threats. Every software or security monitoring system requires human
interpretation of alerts.)
❖ Detection Methods- (Threat detection is the practice of analyzing the entirety of a security
ecosystem to identify any malicious activity that could compromise the network. If a threat is
detected, then mitigation efforts must be enacted to properly neutralize the threat before it
can exploit any present vulnerabilities.)

External Computer Vulnerability Sources
★ Password Attack
What are Password Attacks? A password attack
refers to any of the various methods used to
maliciously authenticate into
password-protected accounts. These attacks
are typically facilitated through the use of
software that expedites cracking or guessing
passwords.

➢ Brute Force Attack. A brute force
attack is a hacking method that uses
trial and error to crack passwords,
login credentials, and encryption keys.
It is a simple yet reliable tactic for
gaining unauthorized access to
individual accounts and organizations'
systems and networks.
Different types of Password attacks
➢ Dictionary Attack. A dictionary attack is a
method of breaking into a
password-protected computer, network or
other IT resource by systematically entering
every word in a dictionary as a password. A
dictionary attack can also be used in an
attempt to find the key necessary to decrypt
an encrypted message or document.

➢ Keyloggers
Keyloggers are activity-monitoring software
programs that give hackers access to your
personal data. The passwords and credit
card numbers you type, the web pages you
visit – all by logging your keyboard strokes.
The software is installed on your computer,
and records everything you type.
➢ Man- In-The-Middle Attack.
A man in the middle (MITM) attack is a
general term for when a perpetrator positions
himself in a conversation between a user and
an application—either to eavesdrop or to
impersonate one of the parties, making it
appear as if a normal exchange of information
is underway.

A DDoS attack happens when a network or system becomes overwhelmed
and it cannot respond to service requests. A DDoS attack happens when a
massive number of machines are directed to bombard the target with traffic.
These machines are typically infected with viruses controlled by one over all
attacker.
While DDoS offer a less complicated attack mode than other forms of cyber
attacks, they are growing stronger and more sophisticated. There are three
basic categories of attack:
● Volume-based attacks, which use high traffic to inundate the
network bandwidth
● Protocol attacks, which focus on exploiting server resources
● Application attacks, which focus on web applications and are
considered the most sophisticated and serious type of attacks
★ (DDoS)
Distributed
denial-of-s
ervice
attacks

How DDos perform?
A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack occurs when multiple
machines are operating together to attack one target. DDoS attackers often
leverage the use of a botnet, a group of hijacked internet-connected devices to
carry out large scale attacks.
Most popular types of DDoS attacks:
● SYN Flood
● Smurf Attack
● Fraggle Attack
● Slowloris
● Application Level Attack

★ File protocol
The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard communication protocol used for the
transfer of computer files from a server to a client on a computer network. FTP is built on a
client–server model architecture using separate control and data connections between the
client and the server. FTP users may authenticate themselves with a clear-text sign-in
protocol, normally in the form of a username and password, but can connect anonymously
if the server is configured to allow it. For secure transmission that protects the username
and password, and encrypts the content, FTP is often secured with SSL/TLS (FTPS) or
replaced with SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).

Internal Vulnerability Source
★ Access Control Issues/Information Leakage
What is Access Control Issues? Access control enforces policy such that users cannot act outside of their
intended permissions. Failures typically lead to unauthorized information disclosure, modification or destruction
of all data, or performing a business function outside of the limits of the user.
What are some causes? The majority of access control problems stem from outdated equipment, keycards
falling into the wrong hands, and a lack of integration with other building systems. To some degree, all
three issues might be causing problems.
How can this problem be improved?
1. Evaluate Your Access Control System Features.
2. Determine Your Access Levels.
3. Audit Who Has Access.
4. Update Your Technology.
5. Perform Periodic Access Control Systems Testing.
6. No Tailgating Allowed.

★ Malware/Malicious cyber attacks
Malware, or malicious software is any program or file that is intentionally designed to cause
disruption to a computer, server, client, computer network, leak private information, gain
unauthorized access to information or systems, deprive users access to information or which
unknowingly interferes with the user's computer security and privacy.
Types of malware includes:
● Computer Viruses
● Worms
● Trojan Horses
● Ransomware
● Spyware
These malicious programs steal, encrypt and delete sensitive data; alter or hijack core computing
functions and monitor end users computer activity.

★ Scan
An internal vulnerability scan is performed
typically with access to the internal network,
with the main benefit of identifying at-risk
systems while providing insight for patch
management processes. An external scan is
performed outside of a network and targets
specific IP addresses to identify vulnerabilities.
An external scan can also detect open ports and
protocols, similar to an external penetration test.
Both application and network scans not only
detect vulnerabilities but may check for
compliance against several different baselines.

What does malware do?
Malware can infect networks and devices and is designed to harm those devices,
networks and/or their users in some way.
Depending on the type of malware and its goal, this harm may present itself
differently to the user or endpoint. In some cases, the effect malware has is
relatively mild and benign, and in others, it can be disastrous.
No matter the method, all types of malware are designed to exploit devices at the
expense of the user and to the benefit of the hacker, the person who has designed
and/or deployed the malware.

The Impact of computer misuse relating to cyber
bullying on an individual
Cyberbullying, also known as online bullying, is a form of bullying or harassment using
electronic means which also is computer abuse. Cyber-bullying, hacking, identity theft, and even
using a work PC for personal business are all examples of computer abuse. An incident that many
people might not think of as computer abuse is creating a fake social media account. If the social
media service’s terms and conditions require users to provide accurate information about their
identities when creating an account, they could be prosecuted under the CFAA. This outcome is
unlikely unless an individual uses a fake account for malicious purposes, such as cyberbullying,
but it is a possibility—and that possibility of being prosecuted for something as minor as the mere
creation of a fake account is a major problem with the CFAA. Attorneys have been able to exploit
the law’s weaknesses to defend clients who should perhaps have been punished, and prosecutors
have been able to exploit the law to obtain convictions for minor incidents. Cyberbullying can
impact an individual as it may bring about psychological problems. Some of these problems may
include depression, self harm, low self esteem, school phobias and social anxiety.

The Impact of computer misuse relating to
cyberbullying in an organisation
Most people consider cyberbullying a teenage issue. Regretfully, the workplace is not immune to
cyberbullying as the problem has expanded to adults. Cyberbullying at work, just like ordinary workplace
bullying, can cause worker anxiety, stress and reduced productivity. Cyberbullying is like traditional
workplace bullying and harassment, but involving electronic devices and online communications. Examples
include, but are not limited to, text messages, tweets, malicious or threatening emails or social media posts.
Workplace Bullying refers to repeated, unreasonable actions of individuals (or a group) directed towards an
employee (or a group of employees), intended to intimidate, degrade, humiliate, undermine or create a risk to
the health or safety of the employee(s) including physical and emotional stress. Bullying behavior creates
feelings of defenselessness and discomfort in the target. Workplace Bullying may involve abuse or misuse of
power. Bullying is different from aggression. Aggression may involve a single act, but bullying involves an
ongoing pattern of behavior against the target. “Demanding” bosses are not necessarily bullies if they are
respectful, fair and their primary motivation is better employee performance through setting
high-yet-reasonable workplace expectations.Usually, it involves offensive emails or text messages containing
jokes or inappropriate wording towards a specific individual race, gender, nationality, or sexual preference.
The words have a direct effect on the bullying target. Another example is an intended personal email response
forwarded without permission for the whole office to see.

Mitigate Cyber-bullying
Why is Prevention Important?
Cyberbullying is deliberately and repeatedly inflicting harm using electronic devices, gaming apps, and online
social media platforms. It often starts as hate accounts, hurtful posts, rumors and gossip, and may even
manifest because of mean comments said when gaming. The purpose of cyberbullying is to embarrass, hurt,
humiliate and threaten the victim. This may cause the victim to feel depressed, lonely, social anxiety and even
make the feel suicidal. However, there are some ways to combat the effects of cyberbullying.
Don’t Engage
A survey conducted in 2018 of children’s online behavior shows that 60% of children that are on social media
have witnessed some form of bullying, and for various reasons, most children ignored the behavior altogether.
In order to fight against this common occurrence, a mix of acknowledgement and avoidance is recommended.
Those observing the attacks must be willing to report problems to friends, family members or teachers. While
those being bullied are often better off ignoring the attacks rather than responding. The goal of the perpetrator
is to goad the victim into anger, which in effect may ‘get to’ the target and make them acknowledge the
malicious claims. The best option for the victim is to block the perpetrator(s) social media and email accounts
altogether.

Mitigate
Cyber-bullying
Teach students it’s okay to report abuse
Students need to know that they should report abuse.
Every student should be encouraged to report instances
or evidence of cyberbullying to a teacher, counselor, or
any other staff member. Set up an anonymous reporting
system so that youth can inform school officials of a
problem without fear of repercussion. Organizations
such as Safe2Tell, allow students to report incidents
anonymously. Knowing there is a way to report cases
may also stop students from engaging in the behavior

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