Check Point Firewall-1- and NG-specific countermeasures: Filter access to TCP ports 256 and 264 if they aren't required for remote access through SecuRemote, SecureClient, or similar VPN
Virtual private network
A virtual private network extends a private network across a public network, and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network. Applications running on a computing device, e.g. …
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What are security countermeasures?
Countermeasures Found in Each Layer Security countermeasures are the controls used to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and information systems. There is a wide array of security controls available at every layer of the stack.
What are the traditional countermeasures of industrial networks?
Traditional countermeasures such as firewalls strengthen the perimeter defense of industrial networks. These provide effective vertical protection to prevent people who do not have permission to access the network.
Is remote access to information a security risk?
Although remote access presents a host of security risks, mitigating these risks is both possible and necessary. To begin with, remote access is a privilege, not a right. Only those employees who need remote access for their job should be able to use it, and they should only have access to the systems and information that they require.
What is remote access and how does it work?
Remote access is implemented through different methodologies. Adversaries take the benefit of the situation, having easy access to the personal computers as well as to companies’ servers. Eavesdropping, traffic analysis, and data mining are common attacks. This is still an open issue to be considered. 5.2. Authorization and Access Control
How do you protect remote access?
Basic Security Tips for Remote DesktopUse strong passwords. ... Use Two-factor authentication. ... Update your software. ... Restrict access using firewalls. ... Enable Network Level Authentication. ... Limit users who can log in using Remote Desktop. ... Set an account lockout policy.
What are the vulnerabilities of remote access?
Many remote access security risks abound, but below is a list of the ones that jump out.Lack of information. ... Password sharing. ... Software. ... Personal devices. ... Patching. ... Vulnerable backups. ... Device hygiene. ... Phishing attacks.
What can we do in order to limit or prevent remote access?
Firewalls can be your first line of defense in network security by limiting those who have remote access. You should set up firewalls to restrict access using software or hardware or both. Update your software regularly. Make sure your software updates automatically so you're working with the latest security fixes.
What is a preferred security measure for remote access?
Virtual Private Networking (VPN) is often considered the best approach in securing trans-network communication.
What are security considerations for remote users examples?
Five Remote Access Security Risks And How To Protect Against ThemWeak remote access policies. ... A deluge of new devices to protect. ... Lack of visibility into remote user activity. ... Users mixing home and business passwords. ... Opportunistic phishing attempts.
What is the risk of unauthorized access?
What are the risks of unauthorized data access? Once an individual has gained unauthorized access to data or computer networks, they can cause damage to an organization in a number of ways. They may directly steal files, data, or other information. They may leverage unauthorized access to further compromise accounts.
What are some of the security vulnerabilities with network sharing?
7 Most Common Network Vulnerabilities for BusinessesThere are several types of malware, including: ... Outdated or Unpatched Software Applications. ... Weak Passwords. ... Single Factor Authentication. ... Poor Firewall Configuration. ... Mobile Device Vulnerabilities. ... Lack of Data Backup. ... Unsecure Email.
What are the types of remote access?
The primary remote access protocols in use today are the Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP), Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE), Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), Remote Access Services (RAS), and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).
What remote access methods could an attacker exploit?
Common remote access attacks An attacker could breach a system via remote access by: Scanning the Internet for vulnerable IP addresses. Running a password-cracking tool. Simulating a remote access session with cracked username and password information.
What is remote exploit?
A remote exploit works over a network and exploits the security vulnerability without any prior access to the vulnerable system. A local exploit requires prior access to the vulnerable system and usually increases the privileges of the person running the exploit past those granted by the system administrator.
What is security countermeasure?
Security countermeasures are the controls used to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and information systems. There is a wide array of security controls available at every layer of the stack. Overall security can be greatly enhanced by adding additional security measures, removing unneeded services, hardening systems, ...
How to use redundancy?
First, use systems that have internal redundancy such as using equipment with redundant power supplies, redundant Ethernet connections, and redundant processing. Secondly, use the layered security approach so that if one component fails, detection occurs through another component. Remember the earlier umbrella intrusion example? A second motion detector facing the rear door inside the back room would have caught the intrusion the second the umbrella was inserted. A video camera on that area and on the outside of the back door might have helped identify the offender. This shop owner actually turned off his digital recorder after hours to preserve memory. He was using it to record activities in his customer area during open hours only, which was a very foolish procedure.
What is public key cryptography?
The Public Key Cryptographic Standard is used to provide encryption, and can work in one of two modes: signed and enveloped. Signing provides integrity and authentication. Enveloped provides confidentiality, authentication, and integrity. ■.
How is security detection processed?
In most cases involving sophisticated electronic security systems (including all enterprise security systems), the detection is processed locally before it is transmitted. Processing may involve simple decisions such as whether the detection is occurring during an appropriate time period (no volumetric alarms in an office building lobby during normal working hours). The processing may be more extensive, such as checking to determine if a group of conditions are right to trigger the alarm. The processing typically occurs in an alarm and access control system controller. Usually, the processor will also perform a check to ensure that the detection was received OK.
What should remote employees use to protect their network?
In addition, remote employees should use Virtual Private Network (VPN) software that deploys point-to-point encryption to connect to the company network in order to protect the exchange of sensitive information.
What devices do employees use to work remotely?
Many employees who work remotely use their personal computers, smartphones and tablets to connect to their enterprise network. However, employees might not maintain the same security standards on their personal devices that they are required to maintain at work.
What are some examples of security issues that come with teleworking?
The convenience of telecommuting also brings with it vulnerabilities and security issues. For example, the massive 2013 breach of the retailer Target, which resulted in the theft of 70 million credit and debit card numbers, occurred after hackers gained access to the Target network using the remote access credentials of a third-party HVAC vendor.
Can you work remotely?
Employees working remotely still need access to enterprise systems and technology in order to do their job while they're away from the office. However, with the rise in telecommuting also comes a rise in the security risks that employees and businesses may face. Although these issues aren't serious enough to put an end to telecommuting, companies that allow employees to work remotely should be aware of these risks and how they can take steps to mitigate them.
Is remote access a right?
To begin with, remote access is a privilege, not a right. Only those employees who need remote access for their job should be able to use it, and they should only have access to the systems and information that they require.
Is telecommuting on the rise?
Telecommuting is on the rise, and there's little sign that this trend will change any time soon. According to Gallup's State of the American Workplace report, 43 percent of employees worked remotely in some capacity in 2016, up from 39 percent in 2012. What's more, people who telecommute are now spending more time away from the office: 31 percent of telecommuters spent most of their time working remotely in 2016, a rise of 7 percent over four years.
The Industrial Cybersecurity Journey
As the number of cybersecurity incidents happening in industrial control systems (ICS) continues to increase, many organizations have started to develop their own cybersecurity strategies in order to protect assets they regard as critical to successful operations.
Cybersecurity Needs to Be Holistic
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, every industrial cybersecurity journey includes different phases with relevant countermeasures. As there is no single solution that can cover all aspects, we recommend considering cybersecurity from a holistic perspective.
Network Management
Industrial networks have often been pieced together over years or even decades. Therefore, gaining visibility of the network and its various components and architecture can be a challenging first step.
Network Protection
Network segmentation is a fundamental precaution that can ensure only certain traffic can flow within designated areas. There are several methods to achieve network segmentation.
Device Security
As organizations start to take cybersecurity more seriously, the two biggest challenges include developing and implementing practical and appropriate security policies around authentication and network segmentation. Standards such as IEC 62443 can be very helpful in identifying policies that will make sense for their industrial networks.
Horizontal Protection – Deploy Industrial Cybersecurity to Proactively Monitor and Respond
As organizations start implementing cybersecurity measures into their industrial networks, the first step that is often taken to protect network traffic that travels vertically is a defense mechanism such as network segmentation. Is this sufficient? The answer, unfortunately, is no.
Industrial IPS Safeguards Critical Assets
Since PLCs and HMIs are designed to control production processes, if the communication between PLCs and the control center is compromised or HMIs malfunction, it could cause damage to assets or even personnel. Therefore, it is important to prevent any unauthorized protocols or functions going through PLCs and HMIs.
How are countermeasures classified?
Countermeasures can be classified in a manner that mostly reflects the classification ofattacks. Whether at the network device level, OS level, or application level, many attacks basedon software exploits or bugs can be solved with simple patches and upgrades. In addition,routers can be used to filter out packets in order to hinder IP spoofing as well as a few specificDoS attacks. At the OS level, different protocol implementation features may be added orchanged to deter attacks. Intrusion detection software can be used to detect certain knownhacking activities based on fingerprints. System scanning applications that operate like anti-virus software may be used in hopes of detecting malware installed on a breached system thatcould be used to launch attacks. In addition, new security features may be added to protocols, ora protocol layer may be used to verify the legitimacy of users before allowing execution ofprotocols susceptible to DoS.
What is a DoS countermeasure?
One DoS countermeasure is to replicate a potentially targeted service. To some extent,this is essentially a brute force countermeasure that does nothing to actually prevent attacks.However, replication and load balancing hinder attacks from bringing down the whole service.For instance, companies such as Akamai and Digital Island provide content distribution servicesto numerous companies with heavily trafficked websites. Though primarily intended to speed upaccess to services by distributing them and placing content closer to end users, distributingcontent can improve the robustness of services to denial of service attacks. If the targetedcontent is more widely distributed than the attack network, the chances of success of thedistributed attack are greatly reduced.
How does an intrusion detection system work?
Numerous vendors offer intrusion detection systems (IDS) to help detect and deter illicitnetwork activity . Such systems often keep statistics of file activity, user logins, disk activity, etc.Alarms are set off when significant deviation from normal activity occurs. Most intrusiondetection systems also try to match network traffic with known attack fingerprints. For example,the system may look for teardrop-fragmented packets or Ping of Death packets. Some possible“alarms” set off when a potential attack is detected include logging the event, notifying thesystem administrator via e-mail or a pager, and launching programs designed to defend from theparticular attack detected. It should be noted that an intrusion detection system can run either onan end host or on a dedicated machine on the network. Some switches incorporate IDS featuresas well [15]. Systems may also be scanned for configuration weaknesses (such as + + in .rhosts)and for the presence of DoS attack programs that an intruder may have installed.
What ransomware was used to attack Hammersmith?
In London, cyberattackers using Maze Ransomware attacked the business Hammersmith Medicines Study (HMR), which leaked thousands of patients’ personal details. The company involved is reported to have carried out testing to develop the Ebola vaccine as well as medication that could cure the disease of Alzheimer’s and had been on hold until they were targeted with Maze malware to carry out research on possible coronavirus vaccines. The HMR reported that their IT department discovered the attack on 14th March 2020, but they were able to restore both services effectively by the day’s end [ 43#N#L. Freedman, “COVID-19 vaccine test lab hit by maze ransomware, Jdsupra,” 2020, https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/covid-19-vaccine-test-lab-hit-by-maze-88329/. View at: Google Scholar#N#See in References#N#].
What is ransomware attack?
Ransomware is a type of malicious money-extorting attack. In general, the malware operates by disabling the whole operating network or by encrypting a user’s data, which allows the user to compensate for it. Attacks by ransomware are primarily aimed at large organizations because they have a large volume and are ready to pay for them.
What are the threats to work from home?
The attackers continue to attempt to access the system without any authorization. The following threats may apply: (i) Penetration of Employee Accounts. Many organizations had rapidly deployed new infrastructures not used before and created new employee accounts to get access. Most employees choose simple passwords, which might lead to privacy breach or system vulnerability. The most common passwords revealed how repetitive and ignorant of potential security threats are. The UK’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) breach analysis showed that, worldwide, 123456 is used as a password by 23.2 million victims’ accounts. (ii) Penetration of Corporate Systems. Due to the pandemic, many of the organizations deployed new network infrastructure rapidly to cope with work from home environment. Malicious cyber actors are leveraging a number of established vulnerabilities on VPNs and other remote work devices and applications to take advantage of this transfer to work from home. Due to the rising number of organizations and people using online communication tools, such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, malicious cyber actors hijack online meetings, teleconferences, and online courses, which have been established without security controls (e.g., password).
How is authorization implemented?
Authorization is typically implemented through access controls. Both have to be implemented by establishing a secure connection between the end user and the server. With work from home, IT administration is not that effective. Therefore, certain other methodologies need to be implemented for certain situations.
