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Unauthorized access describes someone using a network, data, endpoint, application, or device without the proper authorization. In this post, we’ll discuss the most frequent reasons for unauthorized access as well as the traits of a data security or data breach. Additionally, we’ll show you five best practices that your company may implement to stop illegal access, such as a strong password policy and physical security procedures.
Continue reading to learn more about how your company may safeguard itself from illegal access.
What is Unauthorized Access?
A successful attempt by an attacker to obtain unauthorised access to organisational systems is known as a security breach or data breach. There were 1,244 publicly disclosed data breaches in the USA alone in 2018, resulting in the loss of 446 million records.
One of the most important steps in preventing data breaches is blocking unauthorised access. A strong security programme, however, employs “defence in depth”—multiple levels of security barriers—in an effort to reduce attacks before they reach a critical system. Network protection, endpoint protection, and data protection are additional levels of security.
What does a security or data breach mean?
A successful attempt by an attacker to obtain unauthorised access to organisational systems is known as a security breach or data breach. There were 1,244 publicly disclosed data breaches in the USA alone in 2018, resulting in the loss of 446 million records.
One of the most important steps in preventing data breaches is blocking unauthorised access. A strong security programme, however, employs “defence in depth”—multiple levels of security barriers—in an effort to reduce attacks before they reach a critical system. Network protection, endpoint protection, and data protection are additional levels of security.
Security breaches often occur in three stages:
Research: Attacker researches organisational systems, personnel, or process weaknesses or vulnerabilities.
Network/Social attack: The attacker tries to get past network defences or use social engineering to coerce others into giving up access, information, or login credentials.
Exfiltration: Once an attacker has gained access, they can destroy the system where they entered, damage important assets nearby, and move laterally to access other, more valuable systems.
Unauthorized access poses immediate security implications
- By getting illegal access to user accounts or organizational systems
- Steal or delete private data by accessing accounts.
- Commit theft or deception to obtain money or items
- Identity theft of users
5. Infiltrate networks and use them for unauthorized or illegal conduct
- Deface websites or organizational systems
- Inflict bodily harm by gaining access to linked devices
Consequences over the long term of a successful data leak
1.Harm to trust and reputation
2.Disruption to ongoing business operations
3.Decreased share price or valuation
4.Damage control and breach investigation expenses
5.Governmental penalties or security requirements
6.Damages are paid to those who were harmed.
7.PR and communication expenses
5 Tips for Preventing Unauthorized Access
Here are a few strategies your business may use to strengthen its authentication processes and guard against both internal and external unwanted access.
1. A strict policy for passwords
Encourage users to choose lengthy passwords that contain letters, numbers, and special characters, and to change their passwords periodically. Users should be instructed not to use phrases that can be guessed by a brute force attack, to regularly update their passwords, and not to share their passwords between other systems.
Creating a password policy alone might not be sufficient. To centrally manage user credentials and make sure they adhere to security best practices, take into consideration employing systems like corporate password management or Identity and Access Management (IAM).
2. Multifactor Authentication (MFA) and Two Factor Authentication (2FA)
Knowledge-based security factors, as they are more commonly referred to, are credentials that depend on user names, passwords, answers to security questions, etc. Although knowledge-based factors are a crucial form of authentication, they are fundamentally unreliable and vulnerable to attack.
One of the greatest ways to stop illegal access in your business is to use additional authentication techniques in addition to knowledge-based ones:
Possession factors: user authentication by items in their possession. a cell phone, a security token, or a physical card are a few examples.
Inherence factors: user identification through something they are or possess. This includes speech recognition, iris scanning, and biometric authentication utilising fingerprints.
3. Techniques for Physical Security
Don’t overlook physical security despite how crucial cybersecurity is. Teach users to avoid writing down passwords or leaving private documents out in the open, and to always lock devices when leaving their workplaces. Make sure only authorised individuals can enter important areas of your physical facility by having a clear policy for locking office doors.
4. User Activity Tracking
Monitoring user account activity is essential in order to spot strange behaviour like repeated login attempts, logins made at odd times, or logins by users to data or systems they don’t typically access. There are various methods for keeping an eye on users and accounts, including:
Log analysis – Security analysts can view the logs of sensitive company systems and find suspect activities using log analysis.
Rule-based alerts – Security technologies can notify security personnel of questionable behaviour patterns, such as repeated login attempts or improper logon to sensitive systems, using rule-based alerts.
Behavioral analytics– User and Event Behavioral Analytics (UEBA) is a type of behavioural analytics that keeps track of people and systems, creates a baseline of typical activity, and looks for any unusual or potentially harmful behaviour.
5. Endpoint Protection
Historically, breaching the network boundary was the main cause of security breaches. Today, a lot of assaults directly target endpoints like employee workstations, servers, and cloud instances to get through network defences. The most fundamental security measure is to install antivirus on every endpoint.
Also Read: How Do Voice Changers Work?
Making Use of Cynet to Prevent Unauthorized Access
Network security, endpoint security, and behavioural analytics are three crucial parts of unauthorised aspects that Cynet 360 can help with.
1.Network analytics
In order to identify and stop illegal access to your network, network analytics are crucial.
The difficulty is that knowledgeable attackers hunt for a company’s weak spots. The attacker seeks to increase their influence after gaining access to one endpoint and your environment’s other resources. Their ultimate goal is to obtain your private information and take it to their location. Only created anomalous network traffic can be used to identify the critical components of various attack vectors.
The remedy is Cynet Network Analytics, which continuously watches network traffic to detect and stop unwanted activity that would otherwise go undetected, such credential theft.
2. EDR AND ENDPOINT PROTECTION
Data breaches frequently result from endpoint access that is not allowed.
The difficulty is that attackers with good means and high drive will eventually succeed in getting around the put in place defences. They will employ a number of tools to operate covertly and discreetly until they achieve their goal.
Defenders can identify an active malicious presence and quickly and accurately decide on its impact and extent thanks to Cynet EDR’s continuous endpoint monitoring.
3. USERNALYTICS OF USER AND EVENT BEHAVIOR
Using behavioural analytics, you can identify unusual activity on user accounts or organisational systems that could be an attempt at unwanted entry. The ability to recognise insider threats, which entail the unauthorised use of valid user accounts, is also crucial.
The problem: Because user identities are essential to accessing resources across the whole company, they are a top target for attackers. Attackers with specific goals in mind may avoid detection, be successful in stealing user account credentials, and then utilise those credentials for data access and sidestepping security measures.
The answer is Cynet User Conduct Analysis, which continuously monitors and profiles user activity to provide a baseline for acceptable behaviour and identify unusual activity that might indicate user accounts have been compromised.
