As discussed in Part 1, maintaining strong IT security requires an organization to stay current regarding the latest cybersecurity threats. As both network infrastructure and cyber threats grow in complexity, organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to cope without expert IT support.  Part 2 will discuss Data Center and Cloud Attacks, Fileless Malware, and IoT Device Attacks.
 

Direct attacks on cloud and data centers have gradually increased the past year. Rather than launching spear phishing campaigns to gain access, hackers are simply using vulnerabilities in applications that can be accessed directly. These attacks are difficult to detect and are often facilitated in cases where a company does not use dual-factor authentication or strong passwords. Upon gaining access, hackers can often easily move inside the company’s data centers because of improper segmentation.

A kind of malware attack usually found as a component of Advanced Persistent Threat (APT), fileless malware works by never creating a file, rendering conventional antivirus solutions based on file detection unusable. They are network threats, pivoting frequently from memory exploits to unsuspected system tools and then eventually accessing the remainder of a network. Fileless malware attacks typically focus on remote logins and are Microsoft Office or PowerShell based. Micro-segmentation is now being used to protect mission-critical applications safe.

The advent of cyber criminals hijacking important IoT devices is perhaps the most alarming development of 2018. As they are frequently unpatched and installed in flat networks that lack segmentation, medical devices are becoming increasingly targeted. In addition, the threat to point-of-sale systems is growing because they are vulnerable to physical and remote attacks because of insufficient patching and weak security.

Alpha Engineering Business Support

Choosing an expert computer technology-support provider is an important decision for your business. Alpha Engineering Associates has been a trusted partner of many companies in the Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis areas since 1990 and offer:

• 24/7 Managed Services for Business Computing Systems

• Network and Mobile Computing Support

• Disaster Recovery Planning

• Software Development

For affordable client-focused network consulting services and solutions, please call Alpha Engineering Associates today at (410) 295-9500.