The number and scope of data security threats has risen tremendously over the last few years. So much so, that it becomes important to stay informed of the various security threats if you are going to secure your data.
These new threats are also evolving at an alarming rate, prompting businesses such as yours to take measures to ensure they keep their data safe. One of these measures, although it is not nearly enough is to use UK Dedicated Servers to host your website and data.
Dedicated serves offer a level of protection some of the other data and web hosting solutions do not have. And while this is a good place to start, it is not nearly enough to combat the data threats that may be on the horizon.
In the spirit of “know thy enemy” you must first begin by understanding some of the most common threats. They include the following;
1] Viruses
This is perhaps the most common data threat, so much so that everyone is aware of the availability of computer viruses and what they can do. In fact the term “computer virus” has been used to describe every data security threat.
Just like medical viruses, a computer virus has the ability to replicate and infect our whole system. They are often transmitted over networks or using portable media like USB drives.
2] Privilege Escalation
Another really common type of data threat that you should watch out for is in bugs that come in software programs.
When you install a software program with this type of bug on your system, the bug can infiltrate some of the data to gain higher privileges and bypass your security controls. This is potentially very dangerous since eventually the bug could gain access to a lot of sensitive data.
3] Worm
A worm is a type of virus whose main aim is not to alter the system files but to replicate the files so many times that the system fails. This happens because the files end up consuming so much disk memory that the computers crash. It can be one of the most debilitating attacks since it means that you are unable to access the computers to fix the problem.
But a worm attack can be easy to detect especially if your system has been running at top speed successfully. If you can determine the presence of the worm before the system crashes, you can easily remove it.
4] Trojan
A Trojan is a program that may appear safe and normal, but is actually a gateway for a hacker to gain remote access to your computer. If the infected computer is attached to a network of computers, the hacker can then very easily access the entire system.
This is one of the most difficult threats to detects since the Trojan will actually disguise itself as a program you actually need. One of the most dangerous Trojans is a keystroke logger that is often used to capture sensitive information like passwords and credit card numbers.
5] Spyware
Spyware is another data security threat that will find its way to your system through software installation. Free software is particularly to blame for the growth and infiltration of spyware. Like Trojans spyware can also be used to access sensitive information and even alter some of the data on your system.
It is therefore very important that you come up with a policy that limits that number and type of software that can be installed on the device. You may also want to stay away from freeware and shareware programs.
