Cyber-attacks range from great efforts against huge targets to those that affect just a few thousand. IT support experts in LA have had to deal with incidences in which business data or accounts have been compromised. Hackers take advantage of vulnerabilities and exploits to launch these devastating attacks on companies. Here are critical things to note about your cyber security.

Exploit vs. Vulnerability 

A vulnerability is an opening that hackers can use to gain access to a website, a system that connects to a website, an operating system, a web app, software, or any other IT system. In this case, outdated or legacy software or systems that you have not yet updated may be the target of a hacker.

An exploit is a specific code or attack technique that lets the attacker gain unauthorized access to a computer system by exploiting a vulnerability. Hackers exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to systems. 

Vulnerabilities in network security

There are three kinds of network vulnerabilities: hardware-related, software-related, and human-related.

Hardware Issues

A poorly managed device on a network could pose a security risk. Security appliances and routers need periodic firmware upgrades, and if patches are no longer available, they should be replaced.

• Physical Device Security – Unsupervised physical access to devices is one of the best ways to break into a network. Malware can be installed on it in a matter of minutes. Intruders can download code from prearranged locations or copy it off USB drives.

• Firewall Issues – Firewalls are the first line of protection for the network. It can be an entirely separate device, a component of the router, or a virtual one. Ports should only be made available to incoming traffic when they’re needed. In default configurations, services may be installed that are unnecessary.

• Wireless Access – With Wi-Fi, you can easily connect devices without any wiring. Its convenience is also its weakness. A weakly protected Wi-Fi network allows neighboring devices to connect, bypassing the firewall. 

• IoT Devices – A large number of IoT devices are made cheaply and lack adequate security. As a result, they are vulnerable points in a network. They can rarely be configured or updated. IT support professionals in LA advise that you should only buy from reputable vendors is the best way to avoid insecure devices. 

• Unauthorized Devices – To be more efficient, employees sometimes connect their computers to the network. IT does not know about them, which makes network management difficult. 

Vulnerabilities in software

We now turn our attention to network security software. Every network has a variety of operating systems and applications. Any flaw in any of them will allow an intruder to gain access to the whole network. Allowing anyone to use an application without restriction makes it easy for vulnerabilities to be exploited.

• Software that is Outdated and Insecure – Using outdated software with known vulnerabilities is a typical application security issue. If it’s not up to date, it’s just a target waiting to be hit. Proper network vulnerability scanning can detect these issues, allowing IT administrators to apply the latest security updates.

• Unmanaged Software – Shadow IT is an issue with both software and hardware. Employees who install software on their workstations without obtaining IT clearance are likely to pose a security risk. The program may be unsafe by nature, and no security patches are most likely being applied. 

User Issues

Engineers can deal with technology and software problems, but dealing with people may be difficult. People make errors, and it is not easy to comprehend and follow a security policy.

• Authorization and Authentication – People aren’t very adept at creating secure passwords. They make ones that are simple to guess and reuse ones they’ve already made. 

In a Nutshell

The job of protecting networks from vulnerabilities and exploits can be difficult and time-consuming. At Advanced Networks, we have a team of IT support experts in LA to take care of all the nuts and bolts. We have the knowledge and experience to identify the flaws in your network so that you may address them before anybody else can. Contact us now for consultation.