Skip to main content

Human Factor in Protecting Information Systems

Many a times we talk about vulnerabilities, exploitations and other specific issues that cause an would be attacker to be successful in breaking into systems. But looking at the different varieties of attacks and other specific payloads used for the break in at the end of the day, it has always been a brute force or a social engineering attack that benefits the maximum, at least from the attackers point of view.
All the recent XSS attacks like the one against Apache, JIRA are all because of the fundamental weakness - Humans - As long as we have people handling certain activities and ways of doing things, these kind of  breaks would continue and go on for a long time. Many say two factor solves the issue, but have in my experience found so many two factor fobs having their  primary username password scribbled or hanging on the fob. How useful that is.

The purpose of the two factor can be easily defeated and again it is the indefatigable (wow where does that word come from - may be it exists) user.  Many a times, it is desirable for the builds to be automated with a set of scripts to ensure there is consistency and human errors do not creep in. The other important aspect to be taught to the administrators is use a different set of passwords and usernames for your application (web app or any other app) and the operating system. We have also seen many a times, that a
easily crackable user name and password combination exists in the web application and has a corresponding account in the operating system with sometime sudo permissions. The simple idea is to separate the OS from the overlying application layer. Segregation of users may not be possible but at least an option to segregate the different components with its own set of passwords may mitigate the issue to a certain extent. A simple paradigm would be to ensure that we have consistent roll outs with minimal human interventions, though this may not be possible when it comes to a small set up where the cost of automation is not warranted. Even in such instances, it is always recommended to go in for a standard build. Build a maker checker functionality, the human fallibility when it comes to checking your own work is phenomenal. It is as good as absurd and always would be gaping holes when it comes to checking what you have done. Self audit is fine, but humans have a tendency to go about and ignoring something, because of the fact, that they are confident about what they did and the fact that it was completed by them, gives them that false sense of security. Always have another person to run through the builds, use a tool to scan and provide you with basic inputs. A tool is only as good as how well it is configured. Ensure that you use the tool properly. And presto many a problem may vanish.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Malware Damage - It is real and you need to be ready ...

  Malware, short for "malicious software," is any software intentionally designed to cause harm to computer systems, networks, or devices. Malware can take many forms, including viruses, trojan horses, worms, ransomware, spyware, and adware, among others. The dangers of malware are numerous, and it is crucial to protect yourself from malware to avoid serious consequences, such as: Data theft: Malware can be designed to steal personal information, such as bank account details, social security numbers, and login credentials. Once this information is stolen, it can be used for identity theft, financial fraud, and other malicious activities. System damage: Some malware can damage your computer system, causing it to crash or malfunction. This can result in lost data, system downtime, and costly repairs. Financial loss: Malware can also be used to extort money from victims. For example, ransomware can lock down a victim's computer and demand payment in exchange for the decrypti...
Post a Comment
Read more

HIPAA - What is that we need to know .... Cyberawareness for a Health Care Organization

  Here is a detailed cyber awareness training for HIPAA candidates: Introduction to HIPAA: Provide an overview of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the importance of protecting patient information. Understanding HIPAA regulations: Explain the different regulations under HIPAA, such as the Privacy Rule, Security Rule, and Breach Notification Rule. Identifying and reporting breaches: Teach employees how to identify a potential breach of patient information and the proper procedures for reporting it. Phishing and social engineering: Provide training on how to identify and avoid phishing emails and other social engineering tactics. Passwords and authentication: Teach employees about the importance of strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Mobile device security: Discuss the risks of using mobile devices to access patient information and the measures employees can take to keep the information secure. Remote access security: Explain the risks ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Where are you on your Cybersecurity > Part 1 Evaluate your strenghts and weaknesses..

  here's a checklist to identify strengths and weaknesses in cybersecurity in a team. The user can score themselves against each item to identify gaps in their cybersecurity posture: Cybersecurity Policies and Procedures: Does your team have documented cybersecurity policies and procedures? Are they up-to-date and reviewed regularly? Are they communicated effectively to all team members? Access Controls: Do you have strong password policies in place? Do you enforce multi-factor authentication for sensitive accounts? Do you restrict access to sensitive information and systems on a need-to-know basis? Network Security: Do you have a secure network architecture that includes firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention, and security monitoring? Are your network devices, such as routers and switches, configured securely? Do you monitor and log network activity for potential security threats? Endpoint Security: Do you have antivirus and anti-malware software installed on all endpoints?...
Post a Comment
Read more