Fullsoft, Inc. is a software developmnt comp. based in New York City. Fullsoft\'

Question

Fullsoft, Inc. is a software developmnt comp. based in New York City. Fullsoft's sftw product devlpmnt code is kept confidential in an effort to safeguard the comp's competitive advantage in the marketplace. Fullsoft recently experienced a malware attack: as a result, proprietary info was leaked. The comp is now in the process of recovering from this breach. You are a security profssnl who reports into Fullsoft's infrastructure operations team. The chief tech officer(CTO) asks you & your colleagues to participate in a team meeting to discuss the incident & its potential impact on the comp. Tasks 1. Prepare for the meeting by deliberating on the following questions: What circumstances may have allowed this incident to occur, or could allow a similar incident to occur in the future? What insights about risks, threats, and/or vulnerabilities can you glean from reports of similar incidents that have occurred in other organizations? What potential outcomes should the company anticipate as a result of the malware attack and possible exposure of intellectual property? Which countermeasures would you recommend the company implement to detect current vulnerabilities, respond to the effects of this and other successful attacks, and prevent future incidents?

Explanation / Answer

Hi,

Below is the answer-

Ans 1 -
Below circumstances can cause such kind of incidents-
a) Downloadable Programs - One of the possible sources of virus attacks is downloadable programs from the web. Unreliable sources and internet newsgroups are one of the main sources of computer virus attacks. Downloadable files are one of the best possible sources of virus. Any type of executable program including games, freeware, screen savers as well as executable files are one of the major sources of computer virus attacks.
b) Cracked Software - Cracked Software proves to be yet another source of virus attacks. Most people who download cracked and illegal versions of software online are unaware about the reality that they may contain virus sources as well. Such cracked forms of illegal files contain viruses and bugs that are difficult to detect as well as to remove. Hence, it is always a preferable option to download software from the appropriate source.
c) Email Attachments - Email attachments are one of the other popular sources of computer virus attacks. Hence, you must handle email attachments with extreme care, especially if the email comes from an unknown sender. Installation of a good antivirus assumes prime necessity if one desires to eliminate the possibility of virus attacks. It is necessary to scan the email even if it comes from a friend.
d) Internet-Best Possible Source of Viruses - There can be no denying the fact that internet is one of the common sources of virus infection. This fact is not a real surprise and there is no point to stop accessing internet henceforth. Majority of all computer users are unaware as when viruses attack computer systems.

Ans 2 - Some insights are-
1. The email includes an attachment created specifically to be appealing for the intended recipients. In this case, the content in the attachment is a decoy created to distract and misdirect recipients from the true purpose of the document – to run malicious code on the target’s system.
2. Claiming the information to be restricted (in the top right-hand corner of the attachment) completely justifies why it’s hidden, and why people need to enable macros to get the information.
3. Attackers using spear-phishing emails have specific targets in mind, which makes it easy for them to create content tailored for the recipients’ interests, work, or anything else that will make the content more appealing for their targets

Ans 3-
1. Company will have to pay very heavy penalty if they loose confidential information of customers.
2. It will be heavy loss to their business
3. Customer will loose trust on the company as it will turn out into reputational loss.

Ans 4. Countermeasures-
1. Ensure that operating system and key system components such as the web browser is updated one.
2. install a personal firewall along with anti-virus tools with the latest virus
signatures that can detect malware such as keyloggers,;
3. employ different sets of login and password combinations for different web
applications and services you use;
4. regularly change your passwords in critical web applications if a one-time
password system is not supported; and
5. turn off all JavaScript or ActiveX support in your web browser before you visit
any unfamiliar websites.

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