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4 Computer Security Vulnerabilities You Need to Know About

Peerless Tech Solutions
July 22, 2019

A computer security vulnerability is any computer system defect that can leave your computer open to attacks. Statistics show that cyber attacks have significantly increased through the years, with approximately 1.76 billion user records being leaked in January 2019. What’s more shocking is the fact that the U.S is expected to account for half of all data breached by 2023.

Computer Security Vulnerabilities to Watch Out For

If you are network personnel or a computer user, you can protect yourself and your organization against these vulnerabilities by regularly installing software updates which include critical patches.

The four the most serious computer security vulnerabilities to watch out for include:

1. Superuser/Admin Privileges

Each operating system has a superuser account, whereby the administrator has the superuser privileges. In Windows, such a user can allow or deny other users to install or uninstall programs. In Linux and Unix operating system, the superuser has access to all resources in the computer and the power to authorize access by other users. Mac OS X is similar to Linux and Unix with the only exception being that the superuser account can’t be used as a server.

Dangers Posed by Superuser Accounts

Misuse of superuser privileges, intentionally or unintentionally, can expose your business to a catastrophic security breach. One good example is of Edward Snowden, a rogue IT contract employee of the NSA who accessed, copied, and leaked over 1 million classified NSA files.

You can prevent such a misfortune in your organization by:

  • Segmenting your business systems and networks based on levels of trust and needs
  • Separating superuser privileges depending on responsibilities and job description
  • Limiting the number of people with superuser privileges
  • Regularly updating admin account passwords

2. Running Scripts Automatically Without Malware Checks

There are several different ways that hackers can attack your computers using scripts if you run them without scanning. These include:

  • Mailing scripts- hackers create these with the intent of spamming a mailing list with phishing emails or Trojans attached in the emails
  • Spyware- these scripts intercept legitimate scripts and gather sensitive information such as your login and credit card details and send them to the hacker
  • Dropper- type of script used to transfer a malicious file to a web server or uploads as a folder on a website

Protect your business from harmful scripts by regularly scanning your computer using an antivirus. Also, make sure you scan your website using an antivirus program designed explicitly for scanning websites.

3. Hidden Backdoor Programs

A backdoor program is an undocumented portal that allows an administrator to access the system remotely and carry out some troubleshooting or maintenance. However, this program can be misused by hackers if they use a secret portal to access your system illegally. Hackers can also install their own backdoors in your system, allowing them to access it as they wish.

In 1993, NSA developed a computer and phone encryption chip contained a built-in backdoor designed to keep sensitive data encrypted. But in the real sense, law enforcement and government agencies could later decrypt the information.

To avoid hidden backdoor installs, make sure you have a firewall in place to block any attempts to enter into the system by unauthorized users. Also, make sure you perform robust network monitoring to all open-source programs before installing them into your computers.

4. Zero-day/ Unknown Security Bugs in Software

A zero-day computer security vulnerability is a security flaw known by the software vendor but has no patch in place to fix it. It’s known as zero-day since the developer has just learned about it and hasn’t developed any patch to fix it yet. Hackers use these vulnerabilities as a security weakness and can attack your entire system.

To keep your organization protected from zero-day security risks by ensuring you have comprehensive security software as your first line of defense. Also, ensure your software updates are always up-to-date.

Best Way to Keep Yourself Safe from Computer Security Vulnerabilities

As long as you access any computer network, you are vulnerable to computer security risks. However, you can minimize the risks of the above security vulnerabilities by partnering with professional tech support. Peerless Tech Solutions provides the services needed to minimize these risks, leaving you enough time to worry about other tech unrelated business tasks.

Learn more about IT support and compliance services offered by Peerless here.

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