Question

Fullsoft, Inc. is a software development company based in New York City. Fullsoft’s software product development code is kept confidential in an effort to safeguard the company’s competitive advantage in the marketplace. Fullsoft recently experienced a malware attack; as a result, proprietary information was leaked. The company is now in the process of recovering from this breach.

You are a security professional who reports into Fullsoft’s infrastructure operations team. The chief technology officer (CTO) asks you and your colleagues to participate in a team meeting to discuss the incident and its potential impact on the company.

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?

2. Write an outline of key points related to the questions above that the team should discuss at the meeting.

Self-Assessment Checklist

I created an outline that describes key points the team should discuss at the meeting. My outline describes:

Circumstances that may have allowed the malware infection to occur, or could allow a similar incident to occur in the future

Insights about risks, threats, and/or vulnerabilities from reports of similar incidents that have occurred in other organizations

Potential outcomes of a malware attack and exposure of confidential information

Countermeasures the company should implement

Answer 1

Answer:

1. This event can occur because:

• exchanging file folders utilizing
• USB transmission of false ant viruses fake codec emails through your app browsing infected websites
• installing infected software etc.

2.

The worst that will happen with such an event is:

• key-logger: program capable of capturing and recording keystrokes from users.
• Backdoor: Tool secret to circumvent desktop workstation encryption programs.
• Zombie: internet-connected device which has been hacked.
• Denial-of-service attack (DOS attack): effort to unavail a computer resource

3.  

• It robs private information including email accounts, phone numbers, credit card numbers, etc.
• This removes the files, or changes them.
• Tries to steal the identification numbers for the device and uses our machines as relays.

4.

• Use up-to-date antivirus that constantly analyzes your system's actions.
• Create a great malware scanner to evaluate the actions of the software to detect changes through using sandbox testing hash algorithm methods.
• Change your passwords often.
• Should not open any unwanted attachments to e-mail. Watch out for pop-up windows which ask you to download something (such as anti-virus software) when you just browse the internet.
• Maintain up-to-date program. Newer systems auto-update.
• Firewall: program that inspects transiting network traffic and refuses or permits transit based on a set of guidelines.

5.

Key points outline:

• malware circumstances.
• Insights on risks and/or vulnerabilities.
• Possible consequences, and possible intellectual property publicity.
• Anti-vulnerability countermeasure