Part 1: Security Threats
- Provide an example of at least one security threat. This can be an actual threat to an organization. It can be an example of a “what-if” scenario. Discuss at least one way that this threat could have been minimized or prevented.
One major security threat that the world is dealing with on a daily basis is phishing. Phishing is where scammers send emails that appear to be legitimate but the link actually takes you to a malicious website. Using the fake website, the scammers trick you into giving sensitive information (TestOut LabSim, n.d.). Based on the Federal Bureau of Investigation internet crime report for 2021, page 22, Phishing claimed the most victims, reporting 323,972 victims, than any other crime type (Internet Crime Complaint Center(IC3) | Annual Reports, n.d.). Protecting yourself from phishing comes down to educating yourself and analyzing your emails. Make sure that the emails are legitimate by reading carefully and verifying the web address. “Hold your mouse over the link and it will show you the website it’s linked to” (TestOut LabSim, n.d.). Before putting in any sensitive information make sure the website is legitimate. If you have any doubts contact the company to verify.
Part 2: Mobile devices
- Compare desktops to laptops, tablets, and smartphones using best practices related to security. Discuss the best practices that you use or plan to implement on your mobile device(s).
Computers and cell phones have come a long way in just a few short years. You can now perform the same task on your smartphones as you can on your computer. It’s no longer just calling people but the ability to send and receive emails, surf the web, use apps and work from anywhere has only grown. With the increase of abilities comes the increase of vulnerabilities. It has been embedded into us to keep antivirus software or firewalls on our computers. Though most don’t think the same way with our mobile devices. A lot of people never update their phones or apps until they are forced to. They don’t think about them the same way they do with computers (Platsis, 2019). What makes that worse is that people keep more sensitive information on their phones for convenience. From storing credit card information to saving all of their passwords right there on your phone, the personal information vulnerable to attackers are huge. With mobile devices being just that, mobile, we are taking these devices filled with this information everywhere with us. Exposing and increasing possibilities of attacks, especially when we have settings set to connect to any available WIFI connections. Add to the fact, unlike most computers, our smartphones are almost always on, sending and receiving data constantly (Platsis, 2019). Our desire to increase convenience and speed have decreased our thoughts on security and privacy. Even “many companies have not implemented basic best practices for mobile security” (Platsis, 2019). This leaves a gap for attackers to use, bypassing their other security measures (Platsis, 2019). Some security methods that mobile devices offer that most desktops do not are multifactor authentication measures, having face or fingerprint recognition as well as a password. With these measures and being proactive, we can decrease the vulnerabilities mobile devices present. Examples of being proactive include using strong passwords (including upper and lower case letters, numbers and words not found in the dictionary), rotating those passwords, distrusting the web and viewing every email with suspicion (TestOut LabSim, n.d.).
Resources
Internet Crime Complaint Center(IC3) | Annual Reports. (n.d.). Www.ic3.Gov. https://www.ic3.gov/Home/AnnualReports (Links to an external site.)
Platsis, G. (2019, April 19). Mobile Security Versus Desktop and Laptop Security: Is There Even a Difference Anymore? Security Intelligence; Security Intelligence. https://securityintelligence.com/mobile-security-versus-desktop-and-laptop-security-is-there-even-a-difference-anymore/ (Links to an external site.)
TestOut LabSim. (n.d.). Labsimapp.testout.com. Retrieved July 10, 2022, from https://labsimapp.testout.com/v6_0_503/index.html/productviewer/242/13.13.1/c0c5d48b-b9d9-4933-a9c9-9003f41e62f7 (Links to an external site.)