Threats associated with cyber security

There numerous examples of the damage caused by breaches in cyber security, and some strategic actions that should be included in an organisational IT strategy.

We have seen numerous press articles highlighting cyber security incidents at high street banks, loss of public records and personal data held by government agencies, and attempts of IP theft at many leading UK research companies.

In July 2013, GCHQ and MI5 backed a letter sent by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) to the UK’s FTSE Top 350 companies, advising them not to underestimate nor be complacent about the commercial threats to their business arising from an IT security breach.

Many of the security issues often come from within the company itself. These days it is relatively straight forward to protect your IT systems and data from external cyber attack. However, many of the precautions taken often do not safeguard you from ‘attacks’ from within your own security walls. Worryingly, these may go un-noticed until something serious occurs to your business.

Some recent cases of breaches in cyber security:

• Loss of investment and IP to a competitor through unrestricted access and copying of market leading software designs and source code by a disgruntled employee
• Irreparable supply chain damage caused by an employee electronically copying vital supplier information and passing it to a competitor
• Unknown ‘backdoor’ access by an ex-employee into the company’s complete online MS Sharepoint document library
• Employee copying of market leading leisure company’s complete CRM database to take to a rival organisation
• Access to all emails of the members of the company’s board of directors by an employee of an external IT service provider
• Unauthorised access by a small group of employees to an organisation’s payroll information

It is clear that a comprehensive business IT strategy needs to deal with information security management systems. We recommend that all companies undertake, as a minimum, a review of their cyber security systems against the requirements of ISO27001 to identify any shortcomings in their IT security arrangements.

Elements of an IT Strategy to Deal with Cyber Security:

• Ensure you have adequate protection policies in place
• Improve your organisation’s ability to respond to threats quickly
• Identify potential areas of weakness in your security infrastructure and look to address them before an incident occurs
• It is important that information about who has access to what is readily available, and that a procedure to revoke access is in place to allow immediate response should it be required
• You should be aware of the volume of information that you hold as an organisation

For more information on CCL’s IT consultancy activities, computer investigations, digital forensics, or CCL’s other products and services, check out http://www.cclgroupltd.com/consultancy, call us on 01789 261200, email info@cclgroupltd.com.

Author:

Maria is an specialist IT Consultant at CCL Group - the UK’s leading supplier of digital forensics and IT consultancy, including: information security, department transformation, computer forensics, mobile phone forensics and

Nathan is an e-disclosure specialist at Ccl Group, including: computer forensics, mobile phone forensics and digital investigation services.