security and data managment

• Data security


  Protecting the security of data including access levels, suitable passwords for access and encryption techniques

  
• Dangers to data stored on computers


  • Loss/theft/corruption by hacking
  • Loss to viruses
  • Technical breakdown
  • Interception
  • Physical theft
  • Data theft from discarded components
• What can you do to minimise/prevent these dangers


  1. Access levels permitting user access to designated functions/areas

  2. Password design - Upper/Lower case, Random punctuation characters, No names/dictionary words

  3. Encryption techniques (e.g. XOR encryption)

  
• XOR encryption


  The logical operator XOR is performed on the original data and a key. The key is a secure binary number, known only to the sender and the recipient.

  
• Backup is a DUPLICATE COPY to protect against data loss, potentially by natural disasters, accidental deletion, viruses
• Archiving


  Storing files which are no longer in regular use, typically in a "slow recall" format such as tape, kept "just in case" it may be needed for legal, security or historical reasons
• Grandfather, Father, Son backup (backup rotation)


  Previous generations of backup are kept so that data can be restored to different previous points in time
• Lossy compression


  Involves removing some data from the file in order to reduce its size, quality is lost
• Lossless compression


  Compresses the file without losing any information, enough information about the file is stored so that it can be recreated later exactly as it was
• Compression ratio calculations


  Compression ratio = Original file size / Compressed file size

  2. Compressed file size = Original file size / Compression ratio

  3. Compression ratio = Original file size / Desired compressed file size
• Dangers that can arise from the use of networks


  • Hacking
  • Viruses
  • Technical breakdown
  • Interception
• Antivirus software


  Programs to check files for viruses and quarantine affected files

  
• Firewall


  A network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules

  
• Two factor authentication


  In addition to a username/password, you also need a time limited number produced by either an App on a smartphone or a widget or a text to a phone
• Access levels


  Read/Write/Edit/Delete permissions applied to folders/files to limit user access
• Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)


  Gives clarity to what is expected from computer users, sets out rules/guidance and penalties
• Typical contents of an AUP


  • Access rules

  Internet usage rules

  Storage rules

  Behaviour rules

  Equipment usage rules
• Disaster Recovery Policy


  Provides a structured approach for responding to unplanned incidents that threaten an IT infrastructure, to minimize negative impacts to company operations
• The average cost of losing critical applications is estimated to be £5,000 a minute
• Disaster recovery plan


  Provides step-by-step procedures to recover disrupted systems and networks, and help organisations resume normal operations
• Disaster recovery plan


  • Identifies critical IT systems and networks
  • Prioritizes their recovery time objectives
  • Delineates the steps needed to restart, reconfigure and recover them
• Organisations can't afford to be non-operational because of regional power outages, cyberattacks or hardware failures
• Every minute applications and systems are down translates into lost revenue
• Disaster recovery policy


  Outlines what to do to get the business up and running as soon as possible
• What is in a disaster recovery policy

  • Who to contact and in what order
  • What is the backup strategy (what and when)?
  • An assessment of key risks (volcano nearby?) and how to reduce the impact
  • What events would trigger the DRP?
  • How to establish basic business operations in 2 hours?
  • How to have most business operations in 24 hours?
  • What are your relocation/work from home opportunities?
  • What to tell the Press (tv/newspapers, etc.)
  • Details of hardware used by the company to enable replacements to be sourced and suppliers
• Click LINK NEEDED here for a full DRP template!
• Malware


  Malicious software designed to disrupt normal operations, such as adware, ransomware, etc.
• Virus


  A computer program which is able to replicate itself onto other programs, usually with the intent to damage data
• Worm


  Similar to a virus, it doesn't need another program to copy itself onto, it simply replicates itself
• Keylogger


  Covert programs that capture keyboard input and transmit this data to a 3rd party
• Software threats


  • Malware
  • Viruses
  • Worms
  • Keyloggers
• Precautions against software threats


  • Firewalls
  • Antivirus programs
  • Patching out-dated software
  • Security tools
  • Personnel to monitor threats and shut down the system
• Technical weaknesses


  • Infection by viruses, worms, etc.
  • Keyboard loggers
  • SQL injection
  • DoS attack
  • Password-based attack
  • IP address spoofing
• User behaviour


  • Social engineering
  • Phishing
• Penetration testing


  Authorized simulated attack on a computer system, performed to evaluate the security of the system
• Footprinting


  Technique used for gathering information about computer systems and the entities they belong to, often without the organisation's knowledge
• Buffer overflow


  A program overruns the buffer's boundary and overwrites adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing malicious code to be executed
• Too many permissions


  Excessive access rights given to users, which can be exploited by hackers
• Scripting permissions


  Allowing users to modify scripts (programs, typically on websites) which can lead to security breaches
• Accepting parameters without validation


  Changing parameters in a web page form field data without the user's authorisation/validation, which can be used to obtain personal or business information