Cyber Security Vulnerabilities and Associated Threats - Term Paper Example

? Cyber Security Vulnerabilities and Associated Threats Insert Insert Grade Insert Insert Introduction The modern worldentirely depends on cyberspace or internet for almost all its operations, without which virtually all the areas that govern human life would come to a stand still. Cyberspace has dominated human life and man has proved that he cannot do without it. Among the areas that man has widely continued to show great interest by using internet services has been in the economic sector. Cyberspace has been an important gadget in the economic arena. It has by and large bridged the gap between willing buyers and sellers hence distance has proved to be no longer a challenge in transaction because it has enhanced communication between parties involved. Besides, the internet has proved to be man’s greatest innovative achievement and a popular instrument used in the performance of numeric functions and to enhance communication in the banking sector. Far from this, the internet which is synonymous to cyberspace has even dominated the health sector. It facilitates the distribution of power, enforcement of law and even delivers or retains very confidential information. However, since it is a public utility, the internet has caused much havoc to mankind because sometimes it has not been used for purposes for which it was intended. Some cyberspace users have abused the internet and have thus rendered it a vulnerable social, political and economic tool. Cyber threat has remained a top concern in most nations because of security concerns. Research and study have found out that cyber security has continued to increase in intensity and sophistication with time. Its gravity has been witnessed everywhere hence this calls for great security concern in the entire world. As we can see, the ever-growing need to use internet services in our everyday life places individual users and even the government and organizations into a task of combating risk factors associated with fraud and sabotage of important information and sometimes the security threat to a person (Yar, 2006). Cyber space hackers have more than often hacked and tampered with confidential government and corporate information, which they use to cause security threats targeting not only government officials but also the common man. Cases of terrorism have continued to increase with time. This is alarming since massive loss of people and properties have been witnessed. The terrorists have routinely targeted business hubs and top government institutions. Victims of cyber attacks have reported that they have also lost massive investments in the process of cyber attacks. This is a matter of concern since no measures placed have proved reliable to curb this scam. According to a report by the National Academy of Sciences (2010), it has been noted that not even the renowned tech-savvy individuals and organizations have managed to stay immune to cyber attacks. Victims of cyber attacks have included important service providers like telecommunication companies, Google, travelling industries, defense and even the banking sectors. This shows that nobody is immune to threats caused by cyber attacks. However, some of the experts causing cyber threats have tried to justify their actions as not being in any way related to threat in the cyber. Some of the terms used to refer to these techs savvy that have sometimes used the internet for purposes other than what is intended have tried to create a distinction between themselves and real criminals. For instance, terms which have always confused computer users are hackers and crackers. As far as computer security is concerned, programmers have tried to bring out their argument that someone who tries to break into other computers is better termed as cracker because they use it for ill intentions. According to such experts, computer crackers are like criminals because they use the internet to cause security concerns to other internet users hence are sometimes called black hats. They cause security concern for other internet users because they sometimes try to get accessed to a computer or other computer systems in order to tamper with information or get access to sites that eventually cause cyber threats. This is different from the term computer hacking which basically entails taking advantage of the weakness in a computer system for personal gratitude. This is sometimes done in order to gain profit or to protest over a given subject of concern. Hackers have sometimes been called white hats, a term preferably used to refer to wizards dealing in computer security (Walden, 2007). The processes of hacking by crackers After determining the networks of their targets, the computer cracker initiates a process through which he is able to scan a network in order to determine whether it is vulnerable for attack or not. In most occasions, the crackers are sometimes motivated by their personal interests or sometimes they are always driven by some forces behind them. Usually, the forces are political or social driven depending on the circumstances. At times there are people behind them who fund the whole process and without any tenderness, they go about their activities without considering whether they cause harm to other internet users or not. Hackers meet their target by using a hacking technique gathered from their long time experience and exposure to computer known as dumpster diving. This is a technique that involves going through documents that have been placed a side or dumped in order to get accessed to vital information that can help in getting access to networks. The final process involves invading the main target which the cracker intends to damage or steal from. Some crackers have formed a tendency of creating virus which interferes with people’s programs. It remains unfortunate that the real cyber crime has not been addressed. Those who are adept at tracking cyber crime have only concentrated on tracking those who create and watch pornographic sites while the real issue still remains unresolved. Security threat has been even much rampant in the social networks than any where else. Such places have acted as breeding grounds for crimes which have continued to be prevalent despite efforts made by various governmental and non governmental agencies to curb such cases (Zittrain, 2008). Ways of Launching a Cyber Attack There are numerous ways through which cyber attacks can be launched just as there are several effects of cyber attacks. Examining the ways through which cyber attack can be launched is essential for any cyberspace user and even general computer users. One of the ways through which cyber attacks occur is through malware generated from the internet. Such malware include viruses which had been mentioned before and worms. Viruses and worms have the ability to replicate themselves from one source to the other. Such worms and viruses have their origin from compromised websites like pornographic sites. Others are known to appear from attached emails and sometimes it is difficult to notice when they appear. One only gets to realize it with time, for instance, when there is slow system. Other known sources are wireless break-ins from an attacker. This can take place when an attacker is able to monitor signals from wireless networks usually for a longer duration of time. Yet, other cyber attacks come from very trusted sources. Such trusted sources include commercial software and upgrading packages. USB mass storage devices are also dangerous sources of cyber attacks. The only preventive way of reducing the threats associated with these kinds of risks is to encourage techno friendly cyberspace use and improved innovation in technology sector so that individual get it is easy to detect any threat impending. While people may think that cyber security threats and vulnerabilities are only influenced by hackers or crackers, there are other real-time causes of cyber security threats and vulnerability which organization are less aware of. Some of them are the competitors. A competitor may create a disguised malware which one may think has come from a trusted source but in actual sense is dangerous to system information. This is particularly done by a competitor in order to destroy an organization’s or ones information system hence leading to loss of vital information; consequently, hampers usual business operations (Wall, 2007). Another common threat associated with internet services is using cyber security threat in order to make money. This is usually done through manipulating commodity markets, organized theft and extortion. A practical example is the South American electrical power disruption and power cut in most of the major cities. This is a crime which had been organized by crime syndicates from Europe. How to curb cyber security threat arising from manipulating commodity markets This threat can be curbed by employing experts who are capable of detecting threats before the hackers engage in such criminal activities. This will not only help in ensuring that cyber criminals do not succeed in their plan, but it help track such criminals and ensuring that they are charged. Besides commodity manipulations, terrorists may cause a threat to a system by interfering with important and sensitive infrastructure and organizing raids and attacks. Another example is the Al Qaeda attacks which shocked the entire world by launching series of attacks leading to massive loss of human lives. This problem can be dealt with when private and public sectors are incorporated in coming up with innovative ways through which cyber crime can be reduced. Cyber threat can also arise from within an organization or without. Some of the major people associated with cyber security in an organization could be former employees or dissatisfied employees who in someway would want to prove their dissatisfaction through manipulating computer software and hardware and launching productivity errors. The above cases could be categorized under low cost, medium or high depending on the repercussions they have on individuals, organizations or a nation as a whole. It can categorically be said that some threats have proved to be high cost through the impact they produce. For instance, in a case where cyber security threat is being organized by terrorists to destroy properties and human life, the cost as well as the impact is usually high (Williams, 2006) The modern world has proved beyond any reasonable doubt that cyberspace has a major role to play in everyday life. Many nations are worming up for what would be best described as a new dawn for cyber war fare capabilities. More than one hundred nations are now preparing while others are actively involved in this. Iran, for instance, has been a victim of the malware raid on its nuclear software and equipment. A good example of this is the Stuxnet which destroyed plant infrastructure in Iran causing her to shut down her nuclear equipments and arsenal. According to Iran, this occurrence was not a product of an individual but rather a target by other nations manufacturing nuclear to entire weaken Iranian nuclear production strength. This simply shows the way nations have been currently aggressive to prove their technological and innovative prowess. Conclusion Going by the rising number of cyber threats in social, business and administrative cyber space domain, the world has proved that it is still far from reducing high number of cyber security threat associated with the rising number of cyberspace users currently. However, this menace is not impossible to combat. Necessary mechanisms are the only instruments that can help in reducing such crimes. This is very simple to perform. Simply put, nations should put some agreements to restrict offensive capabilities in cyberspace that could escalate crime, war or anything that in one way or the other infringes on other peoples rights so that anyone who violates such measures must face the law. There are, however, some threats that can be controlled by an individual. For example, one should ensure that his personal computer is unilaterally maintained through updating anti virus so that cases of malware attack are minimized. References National Academy of Sciences (2010).Committee on Deterring Cyber attacks: Informing Strategies and Developing Options, National Research Council. Proceedings of a Workshop on Deterring Cyber attacks: Informing Strategies and Developing Options for U.S. Policy. Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Walden, I. (2007). Computer Crimes and Digital Investigations. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Wall, D.S. (2007). Cybercrimes: The transformation of crime in the information age. Malden: Polity Press. Williams, M. (2006). Virtually Criminal: Crime, Deviance and Regulation Online. London: Routledge. Yar, M. (2006). Cybercrime and Society. London: Sage Zittrain, J. (2008). The Future of the Internet--And How to Stop It. New Haven & London: Yale University Press Read More