Unit 5 –Security

LO1. Assess risks to IT security.

2. IT Security Risks.

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Vulnerability

 A weakness which can be exploited by a cyber attack to

gain unauthorized access to or perform unauthorized
actions on a computer system.
 Vulnerabilities can allow attackers to run code, access a
system's memory, install malware, and steal, destroy or
modify sensitive data.

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Threats
 Security Threat is defined as a risk that which can potentially
harm computer systems and organization.
 There are three main types of threats:
 Natural threats, such as floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes
 Unintentional threats, like an employee mistakenly accessing the
wrong information
 Intentional threats, such as spyware, malware, adware
companies, or the actions of a disgruntled employee

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Risk

 This is the probability that a particular threat would

exploit a particular vulnerability.

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Countermeasure

 An action or method that is applied to prevent, reduce

potential threats to computers, servers, networks,
operating systems (OS) or information systems (IS).
 Countermeasure tools include anti-virus software and
firewalls.

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Threats
 Virus – A computer virus is a malicious software
program loaded onto a user’s computer without the
user’s knowledge and performs malicious actions.

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Virus
A computer virus works in much the same way:
 A computer virus requires a host program.
 A computer virus requires user action to transmit from
one system to another.
 A computer virus attaches bits of its own malicious code
to other files or replaces files outright with copies of
itself.

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How do computer viruses spread?

 In a constantly connected world, you can contract a

computer virus in many ways, some more obvious than
others.
 Viruses can be spread through email and text message
attachments, Internet file downloads, and social media
scam links.

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How do computer viruses spread?

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Threats

 Worms – A computer worm is a type of malware that

spreads copies of itself from computer to computer.
 A worm can replicate itself without any human
interaction, and it does not need to attach itself to a
software program in order to cause damage.

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Types of computer worms
 A computer virus or worm hybrid is a piece of
malware that spreads like a worm, but that also
modifies program code like a virus -- or else carries
some sort of malicious payload, such as a virus,
ransomware or some other type of malware.

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Types of computer worms

 Instant messaging, or IM worms propagate through

instant messaging services and exploit access to
contact lists on victim computers.
 Email worms are usually spread as
malicious executable files attached to what appear to be
ordinary email messages.

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A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is a type of malicious code or
software that looks legitimate but can take control of your
computer.
A Trojan is designed to damage, disrupt, steal, or in
general inflict some other harmful action on your data or
network.

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 Denial of Service- The main aim of this attack is to
bring down the targeted network and make it to deny
the service for legitimate users.
DoS attacks typically fall in 2 categories:
 Buffer overflow attacks
 Flood attacks

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 Zero-day attacks, also called zero-hour attacks - an
attack that occurs on the first day that a vulnerability
becomes known.
 Identity theft - an attack to steal the login credentials of
a user in order to access private data. Types of identity
theft include criminal, medical, financial and child
identity theft.

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Risk Management and Risk Assessment
 Risk management is the ongoing process of
discovering, correcting, and preventing security
problems.
 Risk assessment is an integral part of an organization’s
risk management process, designed to provide
appropriate levels of security for its information systems
and data.

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Risk Management - Five Principles
I. Assess risk and determine needs.

II. Establish a central management focus.

III. Implement appropriate policies and related controls.

IV. Promote awareness.

V. Monitor and evaluate policy and control effectiveness.

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Risk Analysis

 A tool for risk management

 It is a method of identifying vulnerabilities and threats
and assessing the possible damage to determine where
to implement security safeguards.
 Risk analysis helps companies priorities their risks and
shows management the amount of money that should
be applied to protecting against those risks in a sensible
manner.

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Lesson Summary

 Common terms(Threats, Vulnerabilities, Risks,

and Counter-measures)
 Threats
 Risks
Risk Management and Risk assessment
Risk Management - Five Principles
Risk Analysis

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