Emerging Threats and Countermeasures

Emerging Threats and Countermeasures:Information security has become a crucial issue since technological advances have led to an increase in sophisticated attacks targeting personal and organizational data. Cyberattacks have significantly increased in the twenty-first century, indicating that cybercriminals are increasingly becoming advanced as technologies advance. Saravanan & Bama (2019) asserts that a 2015 survey of web applications found that 95% of web applications have vulnerabilities. Most organizations are vulnerable to cyber-attacks because they have not evolved as technologies advance. To overcome the cyberattacks, organizations have to be knowledgeable of the threats they are facing and the methods they can apply to protect themselves from the attacks. The following are the Emerging Threats and probable countermeasures.

Emerging Threats

One emerging threat is social engineering. Social engineering attacks are used by hackers to gain confidential information by manipulating the users of the system. The hackers trick people into sharing their passwords, sharing their bank information, and even allowing them to use their computers where they can install malicious software that gives them access to details of the user like passwords and bank information. Social engineering is a relatively easy way that hackers’ users to access confidential information since, unlike hacking, the actors only manipulate the trust of a person. One common form of social engineering is sending emails that appear to be from trusted sources. Financial institutions are the organizations that are mostly impersonated in the emails, and in the mails, customers of the organizations are encouraged to share their bank information.

Secondly is a denial of services (DOS) attacks. An attacker makes the DOS attacks with the aim of rendering services unavailable by disrupting the normal functioning of devices. The attacks function by flooding the machine with requests to the extent that it cannot process them and hence results in the denial of service to legitimate users. An advanced form of the DOS attacks is the Distributed Denial of Services (DDOS). Unlike DOS, DDOS attacks target several machines in a network. According to Zlomislić, Fertalj & Sruk (2017), says that DOS attacks aim at resource exhaustion through the generation of excess traffic. The resources that are abused connection limits, network resources, critical node capacity, disk, and memory space.

Malware is another security threat that is affecting organizations today. Malware refers to malicious software that damages systems and data as it gains access to networks. Malware is delivered as links through emails or files such that when users click the links, the file is executed, and the malware takes control of the computer. The files that attackers gain from using malware are used to demand ransom, especially is the data in their possession is sensitive. Even though malware has existed since the 1970s, it has evolved to match technological changes and security upgrades. According to Jang-Jaccard & Nepal (2014), malware evolves to exploit new flaws in emerging technologies and avoid detection. Some examples of malware are viruses’ worms, spyware, trojan, and ransomware, among other malicious software. All these malware operate uniquely, but they are all dependent on user actions. The common ways of propagating malware are emails, executable files, social media, and instant messaging.

A botnet is also a threat to information security. Botnets are interconnected devices that have been infected by malware and are controlled remotely. Most of the time, users are unaware that their devices are infected. Cybercriminals control the devices and often instruct them to perform specific functions, often malicious but hidden from the user. Botnets are used by criminals to send email spams, DDOS, and click fraud campaigns. Criminals that create botnets target vulnerabilities, and they aim to use computer resources to perform automated tasks but remain hidden. Babate, Musa, Kida & Saidu (2015) says that botnets are currently a critical security threat as it is designed to affect computers in varying ways deliberately. After devices are infected with a botnet, the attackers can control the devices using the client-server approach or the peer-to-peer botnet. In the client-server approach, the attacker creates a server for sending automated commands using internet relay chat. In the peer-to-peer botnet, the attacker programs the infected devices to scan and communicate with other botnet devices and share the latest versions of malware for controlling the botnets.

Countermeasures

People can protect their devices from social engineering by using various strategies. One method is desisting from sharing personal information with emails that request username, credit numbers, and passwords. Genuine organizations cannot ask users to share their information, and besides, genuine organizations use digitally signed emails. Another method is using official sites when communicating with financial organizations (Abass, 2018). Legitimate organizations use the https protocol, and therefore communicating with organizations that use the protocol limits cases of phishing attacks. For organizations, educating users about the need to secure systems is crucial in preventing social engineering attacks. The success of the attacks is dependent on the ability to manipulate users into trusting the links they receive. Educating users on the need to avoid clicking random links is crucial in preventing social engineering attacks.

There are various ways of defending against DOS. One method is border filtering, and this is achieved by deploying specialized protection devices that guard against malicious traffic entering the network. Then devices process traffic and prevent malicious data from reaching the internal network. Another method is infrastructure improvements. DOS and DDOS attacks are aimed at overwhelming servers and denying legitimate users services. Increasing server spaces and bandwidth can enable an organization to withstand the attacks. Another method is real-time monitoring. By monitoring a system, unusual behavior can be identified early, and hence the administrator can act accordingly.

There are various countermeasures for malware, and the use of antivirus is one strategy. Antivirus refers to software designed to detect and combat computer viruses. Even though the strategy is not always effective when dealing with targeted attacks, it can aid in preventing the malware from affecting the computer files. Another method is regularly updating software. The latest versions of the software are often advanced from previous ones, and updating aids sealing loopholes that previous versions had. Installing firewalls is another strategy. Firewalls protect against malware by blocking unauthorized access.

For botnets, protection can be achieved by focusing on the protection of the system when creating it. Intrusion prevention systems (IPS) are one way of preventing botnet attacks. The IPS protects devices by monitoring network activity and detects undesirable activities as it prevents them from affecting the device. When IPS detects an unwanted package, it isolates it and allows other traffic to flow. Amoroso (2012) says that early detection of malicious activities is vital in preventing attacks and planning on how to respond to the incidents. Another method is the correct coding of applications. When creating applications, the programmers have to make it resistant to botnet attacks.

Conclusion

Organizations have to be aware of the threats they are facing and strategies they can adopt to protect themselves against the threats. Some of the emerging threats that organizations currently face are malware, social engineering, botnets, and denial of service attacks. In all these attacks, the aim is to steal data, but the approaches are different. For social engineering, the attackers capitalize on the trust of the user to gain their personal information. There are various countermeasures for protecting organizations from the attacks. The methods include using antivirus software, avoiding clicking links from suspicious sources, installing firewalls, and intrusion prevention systems in addition to educating employees on the need to avoid clicking links they receive.

References

Abass, I. A. M. (2018). Social Engineering Threat and Defense: A Literature Survey. Journal of Information Security, 09(04), 257–264. https://doi.org/10.4236/jis.2018.94018

Amoroso, E. G. (2012). Cyber-attacks: protecting national infrastructure. Elsevier.

Babate, A., Musa, M., Kida, A., & Saidu, M. (2015). State of Cyber Security: Emerging Threats Landscape. International Journal of Advanced Research in Computer Science & Technology (IJARCST 2015), 3(1), 113-119. Retrieved 20 August 2020, from http://ijarcst.com/doc/vol3issue1/ver2/alhaji.pdf.

Jang-Jaccard, J., & Nepal, S. (2014). A survey of emerging threats in cybersecurity. Journal of Computer and System Sciences, 80(5), 973-993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcss.2014.02.005

Saravanan, A., & Bama, S. S. (2019). A Review on Cyber Security and the Fifth Generation Cyberattacks. Oriental Journal of Computer Science and Technology, 12(2), 50–56. https://doi.org/10.13005/ojcst12.02.04

Zlomislić, V., Fertalj, K., & Sruk, V. (2017). Denial of service attacks, defenses, and research challenges. Cluster Computing, 20(1), 661–671. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10586-017-0730-x

Microsoft Security Response Center

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The Value of a Strategic Plan

Prof. Millie June

The Value of a Strategic Plan

An increasing number of nonprofit organizations are seeking accreditation from an outside source to demonstrate best practices to their stakeholders. This 300 words post seek to identify one key organization providing accreditation services to nonprofits and evaluate whether or not its accreditation matters in terms of demonstrating best practices.

Strategic planning is an essential process in for-profit or nonprofit organizations. By focusing on nonprofit organizations, many leaders understand the need for strategic planning since it influences capacity building and strategic performance (Worth, 2017). These leaders have a mandate of formulating strategies and identify tools or resources that can help the organization meet its goals. Careful planning, collaboration, and communication are crucial factors that stakeholders are expected to demonstrate during the formulation of a strategic plan. A strategic plan is of significant value, considering that it enables leaders to plan appropriately through critical decision-making. Still, through the plan, the management outlines ways of enhancing marketing and fundraising initiatives.

The value of a strategic plan cannot be overlooked, taking into account that leaders come together in making crucial decisions on how to meet the mission and vision of an organization (Worth, 2017). Without having a consensus, it can be challenging to create a strategic plan. This also helps reduce stress among the leaders since the plan clearly outlines the roles every stakeholder should play. Further, it points out the organization’s strengths, weaknesses, and frameworks that establish the direction an organization should follow to be successful. This increases operational efficiencies since the management discussions assist in aligning the agency’s functional activities.

Moreover, with a strategic plan, leaders in nonprofit organizations can enhance marketing and fundraising efforts. As illustrated by Worth (2017), the SWOT analysis helps the leaders identify the agency’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. For instance, the evaluation of the opportunities influences the development of marketing fundraising strategies for boosting the agency’s mission. These strategies allow the agency to attract new supporters and even deepen the relationship with existing partisans. Once the marketing and fundraising strategies are formulated, the leaders can always refer or make amendments if they encounter challenges in the implementation phase.

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Relationship Analysis

Kennedy Mwangi

Relationship Analysis

How does attraction happen and how do relationships form? Attraction and relationships are complex in that they are influenced by numerous factors, including, but not limited to, age and gender of the partners, stage of the relationship, and culture.

For this Assignment, you explore the elements of a relationship and the rules and expectations associated with them. You also examine what influences these elements and rules/expectations.

To prepare:

Review Chapter 10 of your course text, Social Psychology, focusing on attachments in childhood and adulthood. Also focus on the factors involved in attraction, romantic love, relationship satisfaction, and romantic breakups.
Review at least two of the journal articles in this week’s Learning Resources to explore aspects of attraction and romantic relationships in different cultures. (You do not have to read all of the articles.) Think about how people in a different culture might view and behave in relationships. Notice the similarities and differences between that culture and your own.

The Assignment (4-5 pages):

In a 4 to 5-page paper, analyze a personal relationship you have or have had (or a relationship of someone you know well). This relationship may be a romantic relationship or a friendship. Address the following:

Briefly identify the type of relationship you are using as your example and describe each person’s attachment style.
Select at least four concepts or theories from your readings that describe in more depth the relationship and/or how this relationship developed, was maintained, or ended. Analyze how these four concepts or theories relate to the relationship you have chosen to assess.
Finally, select a culture presented in one of the articles listed and consider how that cultural context could impact your relationship. If one or both of the individuals in your relationship was from this other culture, would your four selected concepts or theories still apply in the same way? If not, what would differ? Would another concept or theory be more applicable, and why? Use information from, and cite, your selected article.

Probable Answer

Introduction
The issue concerning attraction and relationships is influenced by factors such as culture, gender and the age of partners as well as the level of the relationship. Healthy attachments begin in childhood whereby the baby develops an innate connection with a caregiver or parent who reliably meets the needs of the baby. However, when caregivers and parents do not meet the needs of the infants, this affects their future relationships. There are different types of relationships such as peer group relationships, intimate, professional, household relationships such as family, spouse, child, siblings and extended family relationships (Aronson, et al., 2016). The people in these relationships may develop different attachment styles such as secure, anxious, or avoidant attachments.
Analyzing my relationship
I have a close relationship with Moh, and our friendship began during our first year in college. We share similar likes in sports and crafts activities, and the same values on religion, priorities, and grades. What strengthens our relationship is love whereby based on the Hierarchy of Needs by Maslow, love is an essential aspect of any relationship. Still, we relate through empathy by understanding what each one of us goes through and the better part of it is that communication helps us to share our sad and happy moments. The companionship from our friendship has enhanced how we interact with one another and with other people.
From the description of my relationship, this confirms that the type of relationship that I have with Moh is the friendship relationship. Friendship is a strong interpersonal bond which provides emotional support, companionship and also promotes positive mental well-being as well as physical health. Based on the bond that strengthens our relationship, each one of us has the secure attachment style. People with secure connections are supportive, honest, comfortable and loyal to one another. Depending on how we relate with Moh, she feels satisfied with our friendship, and that is the reason why she goes out of the way into finding activities we could do together such as taking part in charity work.
The concepts or theories that describe our friendship relationship
Attachment theory
A significant theory that explains my relationship with Moh is the attachment theory which illustrates how people create strong bonds in their social life. People with a secure attachment bond do not have issues of trust or closeness (Aronson, et al., 2016). Instead, they develop long lasting and satisfying relationships, and this is evident in my relationship. The attachment security has increased our multiplexity meaning that we can engage in several social activities together. Such an aspect has widened our social network by developing new friendships with people we share the same values.
Maslow’s theory of motivation
Maslow’s theory of motivation proposes that people achieve specific needs through the motivation of their actions. Maslow came up with the hierarchy of needs suggesting that the individuals strive to achieve happiness by doing things that make them realize that goal. In this theory, self-actualization comes first in the hierarchy, however; before an individual reaches that, he/she must meet the physiological needs, safety, love, and esteem needs. In our friendship, both of us manage to meet the physiological needs. Such needs are the primary life’s requirements like food, shelter, and clothing as well as the next level of need which is safety and security. Our friendship has been maintained as a result of love which is in the third level from the bottom of the hierarchy. As human beings, we all need love and the sense of belonging which Moh and I have achieved. According to Maslow love is a psychological and social need which contributes to the achievement of the other levels of need which are self-esteem and self-actualization.
iii. Equity theory
Another concept that describes our relationship is the equity theory which posits that people value fair and impartial treatment. An issue that stands out in this theory is how equitable or fair is the connection (Aronson, et al., 2016). People who are comfortable in their relationships get what they deserve. In my case, we ensure that both fairness and impartiality are a foundation for our friendship. For instance, I prefer studying alone, and Moh is more of a group work person, so we alternate our studying techniques whereby if we study in group work this weekend, the next weekend we read individually. Striking a fair balance in our likes has helped in maintaining our friendship.
The concept of interpersonal attraction
The fourth concept is interpersonal attraction whereby people become attracted to each other based on the level of mutual familiarity which increases the comfort levels. Interpersonal attraction arises when people become friends due to the shared similarities (Aronson, et al., 2016). Once two people become friends, they usually start to influence each other’s values and attitudes. Depending on my friendship with Moh, behavior and shared likes have motivated our interpersonal attraction. Our friendship has deepened since we understand each other’s opinions, emotions, and personalities. Considering that personality type is also an element that influences interpersonal attraction, some of the personal traits we share are sociability, modesty, and kindness.
How cultural context could impact my relationship
Culture impacts relationships in many different ways due to the varying values in the diverse cultures. Based on the article, “Relationship standards and satisfaction in Chinese, Western, and Intercultural Chinese-Western couples in Australia” it is evident that the Chinese and western cultures have diverse cultural differences (Hiew, et al., 2015). However, through bonding, partners from the two cultures begin to identify their shared similarities, and this contributes to the reduction of the cultural differences among the intercultural couples. Generally, the Chinese value collectivism since extended family relations and teamwork are the norms, but on the other hand, the western culture values individualism.
In my relationship, if Moh were from the Chinese culture, not all of the four concepts would apply the same such as the equity theory. For instance, due to the strongly related relations of the extended family in the Chinese culture, it would be difficult to strike a balance on the time we spent together on certain celebrations. Moh would opt to stay with the family concerning their traditions. Still, it would be difficult to ensure there is fairness when trying to understand her emotions. The Chinese do not express their feeling openly even when enduring pain (Hiew, et al., 2015). Therefore, failing to understand Moh’s emotions would not be fair in the friendship. Thus, another theory that could be more applicable in this case is the relational theory. This theory would be suitable since it would help the two of us to identify communication patterns that would help us understand each other’s emotions. The theory proposes that critical factors that lead to a long-term relationship are communication, co-operation, and shared norms. Therefore, despite the cultural differences in my friendship, we would be triggered to identify communication strategies to help us maintain our friendship.
Conclusion
Generally, from the relationship analysis, it is essential for an individual always to evaluate whether cultural differences in any established relations would be a conflict in the relationship. Sometimes, the barriers of communication, cultural stereotyping or the different norms could contribute to unhealthy relationships that eventually end up breaking (Miller, et al., 2012). Overall, cultural sensitivity is an essential element which helps people to create beneficial intercultural relations.
Reference
Aronson, E., Wilson, T. D., & Sommers, S. (2016). Social psychology (9th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
Chapter 10, “Interpersonal Attraction: From First Impressions to Close Relationships”
Chapter 13, “Prejudice: Causes, Consequences, and Cures”
Hiew, D. N., Kim Halford, W., van de Vijver, F. J. R., & Liu, S. (2015). Relationship standards and satisfaction in Chinese, Western, and Intercultural Chinese-Western couples in Australia. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 46(5), 684–701.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
Miller, S. L., Zielaskowski, K., & Plant, E. A. (2012). The basis of shooter biases beyond cultural stereotypes. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38(10), 1358–1366

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Is Education a Waste of Time and Money?

Prof. Richie Edward

All around the world, more education equates to more opportunities. A lot of knowledge means that an individual can handle more responsibilities. However, is this always the case?

“The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.” Albert Einstein

Einstein was quite skeptical about our current education system. He, most of the times classified it as a waste of time as the only right learning process to him focused on the experience process.

In our current world, especially economy-wise, education levels and economic levels simultaneously follow one another. The levels of education in the First worlds as compared to those in the Under-developed world portray that the education system plays a significant role in contributing to the economy.

Talent Management

Education is important. As a matter of fact, its importance might not just vanish from existence in the world today. However, experience and real-life situations seem to carry more massive significance in the current times.

Who clearly remembers the first day of college?

A lecturer walked into my first lecture hall and proudly said, “Congratulations! All of you have made the right decision to join college. You will not regret

South African students hold placard, gesture and chant slogans while they take part in a protest march towards the Union Buildings during a demonstration to call for free higher education on October 20, 2016 in Pretoria.

this decision. College will shape and nurture you while equipping you to meet the real world!” We clapped and gave a standing ovation to the lecturer: only to later find out that the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates dropped out of college!

Education is quite important. If one considers the literate and numeric perspective presented by school, then its importance cannot be undervalued. It is vital that such traits surrounding education remain relevant. Training teaches more on civilization and the existence of different people in one spherical atmosphere.

However, aspects like geometry confuse the essence of education. Geometry is an important subject, even in higher levels of education. However, how is it applicable in the real world? Or solving problems like hunger or a depression? Languages learned in the education system like French are only relevant in France. What if the person never gets to go to France?

“The only source of knowledge is experience.” Albert Einstein

Imagine going through an education system for over ten years as preparation for the world only to realize that at the very end, everyone begins at zero when venturing to the real-world. The experience that the education system so claims to possess is unachievable any other way than gaining experience itself.

Education is not a waste of time and money at all. At the same time, it actually is! People all around the world are different. There exist those focused on maintaining employment. For them, going through the education system provides an opportunity for great employment opportunities. However, at the same time, different people focus on contributing more to society. To them, education is a waste of time and money!

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How to succeed in your final exams

Dr. Minai

The following article is written by Jess Holsman, Deakin psychology graduate and founder of YouTube’s ‘Study With Jess’, where she gives advice to thousands of students around the world on effective study.

You’ve no doubt spent weeks revising for your upcoming exams and now that they are finally here, there are a few important things to remember and do to help you perform at your best. Here are five things to remember when taking your exams to ensure the best outcome!

1. Create a plan of attack

Make sure to enter into the exam venue with a plan of attack. Before commencing, budget your time wisely and consider how you plan to spend the next few hours. Divide your exam time according to how long you anticipate you will need to answer each of the sections of your exam and do your best to adhere to a strict schedule to ensure you complete each section in time.

2. A multiple-choice tip

When reading a multiple-choice question, use your hand or your answer sheet to cover all of the potential answers. Brainstorm what you know about the topic first, before looking at the potential answers to avoid getting confused. Even though some answers may seem like a viable choice, allowing yourself to recall the relevant information first, before glancing over potential answers will help you to differentiate between what appears to be a logical option and what is in fact correct!

3. A tip for gaining extra time

Even though you can’t fill in the answers during reading time, gain extra time on an exam by using this time to answer multiple-choice questions in your head. On average, you are expected to be able to solve one question per minute. That means you could answer up to 10 multiple-choice questions in the first minute of writing time and gain yourself an additional 10 minutes on your exam!

4. Adapt your responses

Students often make the mistake of rote learning essays for exams. Often, questions in the exam will be similar to those that your teacher had provided you in class, however it is likely that the essay question will be an adaptation of the practice questions you were given in class. As a result, your polished and prelearned responses will likely fail to address the question effectively and could cost you significant marks in the exam! Instead, spend time learning the main points of each of your previously written paragraphs so that you can adapt your responses to the exam’s essay question.

5. Show your workings

Subjects that typically require you to show your workings in an exam include maths, chemistry and biology. While you may not feel the need to work out questions in your exam booklet and are able to solve them in your head, showing your workings as well as providing the answer in your exam booklet can prove to be highly advantageous! In the unfortunate event that you answer a question incorrectly but your workings were still correct, you may still be eligible to earn some marks.

Good luck for your exams!

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