-
Meet Hollywood Rainmaker Kevin Allyn - July 17, 2019
-
From Humble Beginnings to Great Success - February 21, 2019
-
Spotlight on Tolga Katas - February 15, 2019
-
Freedom Downtime – The Story of Legendary Hacker Kevin Mitnick - August 25, 2018
-
Steve Wozniak Corrects Inaccuracies About Jobs Movie - August 25, 2014
-
Kevin Mitnick Interview on Steven Colbert - August 25, 2014
-
Legendary Psychoanalyst Adam Phillips on Why the Capacity for Boredom Is Essential for a Full Life - July 19, 2014
-
The Psychology of Your Future Self and How Your Present Illusions Hinder Your Future Happiness - July 18, 2014
-
Media Mistake: Brian Mulligan on Bath Salts – A Story Mistold - June 20, 2014
-
Anna Deavere Smith on Discipline and How We Can Learn to Stop Letting Others Define Us - June 16, 2014
Network Security – The Real Vulnerabilities
You have done, what most people think, are the major steps towards a secure network. This is partially correct. What about the other factors?
Scenario: You work in a corporate environment in which you are, at least partially, responsible for network security. You have implemented a firewall, virus and spyware protection, and your computers are all up to date with patches and security fixes. You sit there and think about the lovely job you have done to make sure that you will not be hacked.
You have done, what most people think, are the major steps towards a secure network. This is partially correct. What about the other factors?
Have you thought about a social engineering attack? What about the users who use your network on a daily basis? Are you prepared in dealing with attacks by these people?
Believe it or not, the weakest link in your security plan is the people who use your network. For the most part, users are uneducated on the procedures to identify and neutralize a social engineering attack. What’s going to stop a user from finding a CD or DVD in the lunch room and taking it to their workstation and opening the files? This disk could contain a spreadsheet or word processor document that has a malicious macro embedded in it. The next thing you know, your network is compromised.
This problem exists particularly in an environment where a help desk staff reset passwords over the phone. There is nothing to stop a person intent on breaking into your network from calling the help desk, pretending to be an employee, and asking to have a password reset. Most organizations use a system to generate usernames, so it is not very difficult to figure them out.
Your organization should have strict policies in place to verify the identity of a user before a password reset can be done. One simple thing to do is to have the user go to the help desk in person. The other method, which works well if your offices are geographically far away, is to designate one contact in the office who can phone for a password reset. This way everyone who works on the help desk can recognize the voice of this person and know that he or she is who they say they are.
Why would an attacker go to your office or make a phone call to the help desk? Simple, it is usually the path of least resistance. There is no need to spend hours trying to break into an electronic system when the physical system is easier to exploit. The next time you see someone walk through the door behind you, and do not recognize them, stop and ask who they are and what they are there for. If you do this, and it happens to be someone who is not supposed to be there, most of the time he will get out as fast as possible. If the person is supposed to be there then he will most likely be able to produce the name of the person he is there to see.
I know you are saying that I am crazy, right? Well think of Kevin Mitnick. He is one of the most decorated hackers of all time. The US government thought he could whistle tones into a telephone and launch a nuclear attack. Most of his hacking was done through social engineering. Whether he did it through physical visits to offices or by making a phone call, he accomplished some of the greatest hacks to date. If you want to know more about him Google his name or read the two books he has written.
It’s beyond me why people try and dismiss these types of attacks. I guess some network engineers are just too proud of their network to admit that they could be breached so easily. Or is it the fact that people don’t feel they should be responsible for educating their employees? Most organizations don’t give their IT departments the jurisdiction to promote physical security. This is usually a problem for the building manager or facilities management. None the less, if you can educate your employees the slightest bit; you may be able to prevent a network breach from a physical or social engineering attack.
Dennis d’Entremont is the operator of SaveLoad Video Game Directory and Computers-Made-Easy.com
Author: Dennis DEntremont
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: PCB Prototype & Manufacturing
6,651 Comments on this Post
ankara bina yönetim firması
Toplu Yaşam Alanlarınızın tümünde ortaya çıkacak; yönetim ve danışmanlık hizmetlerini güven duygusunu temel alarak sunmakta, toplu yaşam alanlarınızdaki her türlü ihtiyaçlarınızı karşılamaktayız. ankara site yönetimi
en yakın veteriner
Good post! We will be linking to this particularly great post on our site. Keep up the great writing.
One More Bant
Güzel ve bilgilendirici makaleniz için çok teşekkür ederim.
escort adana
Adana Escort olarak anal, oral, masaj, ucuz vb gibi hizmet için resmi ve güvenilir web site olan adanaescort.com siz ziyaretçilere fotoğraflı ve açıklamalı olarak bayan portföyü sunar.
bursa escort bayan
Bursa Escort olarak anal, oral, masaj, ucuz vb gibi hizmet için resmi ve güvenilir web site olan bursaescort.com siz ziyaretçilere fotoğraflı ve açıklamalı olarak bayan portföyü sunar.
Onwin
Hi, just required you to know I he added your site to my Google bookmarks due to your layout. But seriously, I believe your internet site has 1 in the freshest theme I??ve came across. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. RoyalBet
Onwin
After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link – bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Deneme Bonusu
Onwin
I really love to read such an excellent article. Helpful article. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. deneme bonusu
Herabet
Nice article inspiring thanks. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Rulet
Onwin
Thank you for great content. Hello Administ.Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Canlı Casino Siteleri
Onwin
Thank you great post. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. onwin
Onwin
Thank you for content. Area rugs and online home decor store. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. tipobet
Onwin
Everything is very open and very clear explanation of issues. was truly information. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Wonodd
Cepbahis Giriş
Thank you for content. Area rugs and online home decor store. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. tipobet
Herabet
Thank you for content. Area rugs and online home decor store. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. tipobet
Onwin
Everything is very open and very clear explanation of issues. was truly information. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Wonodd
Onwin
Everything is very open and very clear explanation of issues. was truly information. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Wonodd
Onwin
Thank you for great article. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Bahis siteleri
Herabet
Everything is very open and very clear explanation of issues. was truly information. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Wonodd
Herabet
Thank you great posting about essential oil. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. tipobet
Royalbet
Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Cepbahis
wonodd
Thank you for great content. Hello Administ.Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Canlı Casino Siteleri
PUBG UC Satın Al
Wouw Good Content, bravoo
burdur haber
burdur haber
Deneme Bonusu
Thank you great post. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. onwin
Herabet
Thank you for great article. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Bahis siteleri
Cepbahis
Everything is very open and very clear explanation of issues. was truly information. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Wonodd
instagram takipçi satın al
thanks a lot
cheap followers
cheap followers
Dr Ausaf
Thanks for the good article, I hope you continue to work as well.
seo kitabı
seo kitabı satın almak için caglarbodrumlu.com ziyaret edebilirsiniz.
Cepbahis Giriş
Thank you great post. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. onwin
Deneme Bonusu
After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link – bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Deneme Bonusu
Herabet
Thank you for great content. Hello Administ.Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Canl� Casino Siteleri
epin satın al
Yes.. Nice
Cepbahis Giriş
Thank you for great information. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Bahsegel
limited şirket kurmak
Kuzey Kıbrıs Türk Cumhuriyeti gittikçe gelişmekte olan ekonomik yapısı içerisinde YMD Muhasebe aracılığı ile yeni yatırımlar için imkanlar sunmaktadır. ymd muhasebe – şirket kurma Bu yatırımların gerçekleşmesi için KKTC nde kurumsal bir yapı oluşturmak hem yerli hem de yabancı yatırımcıların öncelikleri arasında yer almaktadır. Oluşturulacak olan kurumsal yapının ymd muhasebe ile faaliyet göstereceği sektör şirketin hangi yasa altında kurulacağını da belirlemektedir. KKTC nde tescil edilen şirketlerin tabi olduğu temel yasa KKTC Şirketler Yasası Fasıl 113. Bu Yasa temel olarak şirketlerin kuruluş ve çalışma koşulları ile organlarını ve bu organların yetki ve sorumluluklarını belirlemektedir.
erzincan çekici
erzincan çekici firmaları listesi erzincan oto kurtarma firmaları
pendik escort
Hey very nice blog I love
Herabet
I really love to read such an excellent article. Helpful article. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. deneme bonusu
air springs
air springs
Deneme Bonusu
Thank you great posting about essential oil. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. tipobet
Deneme Bonusu
Thank you for great content. Hello Administ.Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Canlı Casino Siteleri
honda civic b1 service
Get Reliable Honda Service and Maintenance at B1 Service Honda – Your Authorized Honda Dealer
Deneme Bonusu
Thank you for great information. Hello Administ .Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Bahsegel
erzincan çekici
Erzincan çekici ve erzincan oto kurtarma firmalarının listesi 7 gün 24 saat oto kurtarma
pendik escort
Hey very nice blog I love
Cepbahis
After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link – bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader. Click on the Keyword to Enter the Website. Deneme Bonusu
Helal UC Satın Al
Nice post admin, keep it!
Pimapen Tamiri
nice content thanks