HP report reveals nearly half of cyber-attacks are already known about

In its 2015 report published by the enterprise security division of HP, nearly 50% of all cyber-attacks are down to system vulnerabilities that have been known about for up to four years.

The data breaches that were analysed to collate the findings for the report during 2014 found that as much as 44 percent of the attacks were caused by problems that were flagged up anywhere between two and four years, but were not fixed.

Protecting business data

The report states that "Businesses should employ a comprehensive patching strategy to ensure systems are up to date with the latest security protections to reduce the likelihood of these attacks succeeding.

"While newer exploits may have garnered more attention in the press, attacks from years gone by still pose a significant threat to enterprise security.”

General manager and senior vice president and for enterprise security products at HP, Art Gilliland, said;

 "Our researchers saw that despite new technologies and fresh investments from both adversaries and defenders alike, the security realm is still encumbered by the same problems - even in some cases by the very same bugs - that the industry has been battling for years.

"Well-known attacks were still distressingly effective, and misconfiguration of core technologies continued to plague systems that should have been far more stable and secure than they in fact proved to be.

"We are, in other words, still in the middle of old problems and known issues even as the pace of the security world quickens around us.

"We can't lose sight of defending against these known vulnerabilities by entrusting security to the next silver bullet technology; rather, organizations must employ fundamental security tactics to address known vulnerabilities and in turn, eliminate significant amounts of risk.”

Be vigilant with company security protocols

The conclusion was that businesses and organisations must be vigilant when it comes to following basic security protocols, and be aware of the risks that could expose them by devices like smartphones and wearables.

The report stated:

“As physical devices become connected through the Internet of Things (IoT), the diverse nature of these technologies gives rise to concerns regarding security, and privacy in particular.

"To help protect against new avenues of attack, enterprises should understand and know how to mitigate the risk being introduced to a network prior to the adoption of new technologies.”

Does your business take enough notice of cyber-security? If not, perhaps now is the time to consider taking action – that is where ACE Computer Support can help provide advice and guidance to help stop any data breaches that could put your systems in jeopardy.

Call us today for an initial consultation on 01902 375304 or contact us by clicking here. 

How safe is official computer data from hacker threats?

Professor Richard Benham, visiting professor in cyber security management at Coventry University, has warned that governments and banks could be "brought to their knees" by computer hackers due to a "weak link" when it comes to staff who aren't trained proficiently in cyber security.

Government computer hacking activity

Coventry University has recently launched a National MBA in Cyber Security and these comments have been made after a well-reported series of cyber-attacks against high-profile targets. Some of the hacking activity included CyberCaliphate, the pro-ISIS hacking group, seizing the reigns (albeit temporarily) of the US Central Command’s Twitter and YouTube accounts.

Although it may be seen as inconvenient for businesses to train staff on cyber vandalism, Professor Benham has highlighted the importance that the threat is not ignored – the cost of good training is small compared to what could happen potentially.

Protect your business from cyber-attacks

Professor Richard Benham warned;

"Hacking social media channels is one thing, but it's only a matter of time before a major institution such as a large bank or government service is brought to its knees by an online onslaught.

"A major breach in any one part of a bank's critical network infrastructure could cause it to fail, setting in motion a potentially devastating ripple effect throughout the markets

.

"When the Associated Press had its Twitter feed hijacked with a fake tweet reporting the bombing of the White House, within minutes the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 143 points," he continued, adding: "Imagine the economic effects of a genuine strike."

Professor Benham warned that many organisations still remain highly vulnerable to cyber-attack and social media hackers, despite recent efforts to bolster cyber security.

He continued;

"Despite a recent push to flag up the importance of cyber security matters at board level, banks are still not especially well prepared for even this sort of attack at the periphery - never mind one that goes for the jugular," he said, before going on to suggest the lack of cyber security training for employees in these firms is dangerous.

"Most employees, without proper training of the necessary 'cyber-hygiene' required at work, are a significant weak link.

"In most cases only a small number of people in the organisation are sufficiently expert in cyber security issues - a problem that doesn't just affect banks.”

For more information on how to protect your company from cyber-attacks, contact AVC Computer Support on 01902 375304 or contact us via the website.