Management Information System

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Worms and Trojans can be combated by the use of an updated antivirus software that constantly scans the system.

Hacking - involves the unauthorized access and use of networked computer systems. Illegal hackers frequently assault the Internet and other networks to steal or damage data and programs. Hackers can monitor e-mail, web server access, or file transfers to extract passwords or steal network files, or to plant data that will cause a system to welcome intruders. Use remote services that allow one computer on a network to execute programs on another computer to gain privileged access within a network. Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) and firewalls are used to combat hackers. A firewall screens all network traffic for proper passwords and other security only allows authorized transmissions in and out of the network. Firewalls have become an essential component of organizations connecting to the Internet. Firewalls can deter, but not completely prevent hacking into computer networks.

Identity Theft

Identity theft is a crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of personal information, such as social security identification numbers, driver's license numbers, or credit card numbers, to impersonate someone else. The information may be used to obtain credit, merchandise, or service in the name of the victim or provide the thief with false credentials. The Internet has made it easy for identity thieves to use stolen information because goods can be purchased online without any personal interaction. Credit card files are a major target. Moreover, e-commerce sites are wonderful sources of costumers’ personal information-name, address, and phone numbers. Armed with this information, criminals can assume a new identity and establish new credit for their own purposes. A serious problem related to identity theft is spam. Spam electronic junk mail or junk newsgroup postings, usually for the purpose advertising for some product and / or service. Spammers commonly use computers to send out millions of e-mail messages, unbeknown to the computer users. Awareness campains can help the users not to fall prey to such attacks

Physical theft

As the term implies, involves the theft of hardware and software. It is worth nothing than physical theft is not restricted to computer systems alone, components are often targeted by criminals because of their small size and relatively high value. Physical theft results in the loss of confidentially and availability and make the integrity of the data stored on the disk suspect. This can be countered by putting security personnel in place, installing asset tags in order to identify and recover the property. Security systems such as alarms can also help in lowering physical theft.

Denial of Service Attacks (DOS)

The main aim of this attack is to bring down the targeted network and make it to deny the service for legitimate users .Hackers flood a network server or Web server with many thousands of false communications or requests for services to crash the network .They will install a small program called zombies on some computers those are in intermediate level in the networks, whenever they want to attack ,they will run those programs remotely and will make the intermediate computers to launch the attacks simultaneously. A firewall can be installed to monitor traffic on the network and block rogue packets which

Data theft –

Normally involves making copies of important files without causing any harm to the originals. This can involve stealing sensitive information and confidential data or making unauthorized changes to computer records. Such data can include passwords activation keys to software, sensitive correspondence, and any other information that is stored on a victim's computer. However, if the original files are destroyed or damaged, then the value of the copied data is automatically increased. Service organizations are particularly vulnerable to data theft since their activities tend to rely heavily upon access to corporate databases. The impact is if a competitor gaining access to a customer list belonging to a sales organization cannot be imagined. The immediate effect of such an event would be to place both organizations on an essentially even footing. However, in the long term the first organization would no longer enjoy a competitive edge and might ultimately cease to exist. Files can be stored in an encrypted format so that even if stolen, the info cannot be useful.

Individual Sabotage

Individual sabotage is typically carried out by a disgruntled employee who wishes to exact some form of revenge upon their employer. The logic bomb, is a destructive computer program that activates at a certain or in reaction to a specific event, which is a well-known example of how an employee may cause deliberate damage to the organization's information systems. In most cases, the logic bomb is activated some months after the employee has left the organization. This tends to have the effect of drawing suspicion away from the employee. Another well-known example is known as a back door which is a section of program code that allows a user to circumvent security procedures in order to gain full access to an information system. Although back doors have legitimate uses, such as for program testing, they can also be used as an instrument of sabotage.

Vandalism

In a small network system, for example, damage to server or share storage device might effectively halt the work of all those connected to the network. In larger systems, a reduced flow of work through one part of the organization can create bottlenecks, reducing the overall productivity of the entire organization. Damage or loss of data can have more severe effects since the organization cannot make use of the data until they have been replaced. The expense involved in replacing damaged or lost data can far exceed any losses arising from damage to hardware or software. As an example, the delays caused by the need to replace hardware or data might result in an organization's being unable to compete for new business, harming the overall profitability of the company. Companies

Fire – A fire can destroy the entire system and it is recommended to use detection systems and extinguishers that do not use water as water could damage the system component.

IT professionals must encourage their users to follow several security practices to minimize virus, spyware, and malware exposure. But many computer techs are too busy