Virus Threats, Malware and Data Security
Virus infections and Malware remain to be the number one cause of security incident. Most firms which have suffered some degree of security breach have reported viruses and Trojans as the number one source of their data security breach. It also accounts for being the worst type of incident suffered in security breaches
The second worse data security breach involved Spyware. This software is downloaded without the knowledge of the user and monitors the activity of the infected computer as well as transmits data on its activities. Recovery of affected systems is usually costly and time consuming. More often than not, recurrent infections of viruses usually entail the services of a very expensive specialist.
As if their problems are not enough, emerging technologies compound to the woes of business. Mobile phones and PDAs are now also vulnerable to viruses as well as RFID tags. Malware code attacks cost businesses billions of dollars each year. Deadlines are missed, vital support fall into disarray and organizational momentum can be seriously affected.
We are in the dawning of a new era in cyberspace history. Information warfare is the newest kind of conflict as critical infrastructures are being attacked by enemies of the State. Cyberwars are being fought by soldiers in the form of viruses, malware and Trojans.
Malicious software or malware code attacks are launched by criminal groups for substantial economic gain, foreign intelligence services for espionage activities and hackers for bragging rights of the challenge. Immediate impacts of malicious code attacks are usually limited to operations disruption. However the long term impact can result in brand name destruction and reduced company value.
Email viruses are the most common types of malicious codes. It is self replicating, spreading from one computer to another. Some infect the boot sector of a hard drive, enabling it to control the infected computer. File deleting viruses delete specific files including documents, spreadsheets and graphic files.
Trojan horses are another type of malicious code that is specifically designated to allow hackers access to other computers. Once infected, the hacker can download files or delete files in the affected computer, steal passwords and log keystrokes as well as shut down the computer in its entirety.
Malware can be countered through a series of basic steps to reduce their impact. Organizations need to have a better grasp of the risks involved when dealing with malware. Security policies need to be set s well as update systems. Computer incident response teams needs to be established within the organization with well trained IT technicians.