Cyber Attacks and Data Security Threats

This assignment delves into the critical issue of cyberattacks by analyzing two prominent case studies: the Verizon data breach and the global WannaCry ransomware outbreak. Students are tasked with examining the consequences of these attacks, evaluating existing prevention strategies, and emphasizing the importance of strong cybersecurity measures to mitigate future threats.

Running head: INFORMATION SECURITY
Information Security
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Executive Summary
This report depicts two cases of the cyber-attacks in the world. The causes of the attacks has
been described in the report. The prevention technique from the cyber-attacks has been focused
in this report. Both the case study has been properly described and proper solution to the
problems has been explained.

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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Part A...............................................................................................................................................3
Part B...............................................................................................................................................5
A Brief Overview on the Ransom ware...........................................................................................5
Method of the Attack.......................................................................................................................6
The Affected....................................................................................................................................6
Steps Taken to Fight the Crisis........................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
The cyber-attacks on the business organization has been an alarming situation in the
market. There is an increase in the rate of the cyber-attacks in the business organization in the
market.
This report depicts the cyber-attacks occurred in the Verizon accounts and the Ransom
ware attacks. The severity of the attacks has been discussed in the report.
This report outlines the strategies for prevention from these cyber-attacks over the
internet. The affected party and impact of the attack has been described in the report.
Part A
The cyber world has always been in light due to the dangerous cyber-attacks by the
hackers over the internet. There has been increase in the rate of the cyber-attacks all over the
world due ti the increase in the technology. On July 13 2017, a data breach occurred in the
Verizon causing loss of 14 million Verizon subscribers. The data and information of the 14
million subscriber and users have been lost due to the cyber-attacks in the database of the
company (Siciliano, 2017).
There are was misconfigured operation in the cloud server of the company over the
Internet. The records of the users was controlled by the Israel based Nice System. The data
breach was recognized by Chris Vickrey who was the security firm, Up Guard. He immediately
informed Verizon about the data breach on the systems. The database information was recovered
after six weeks of the incident. There was a phishing generated by the hackers that was accessed
by the Verizon. This causes data breach in the company and from the database. In the last 10

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reports, it was noticed that most of the attacks were initiated with the help of phishing mails by
the hackers (Siciliano, 2017).
Verizon saves the information if the users and verify them at regular time for improving
their customer service. The personal information of the customers including name, phone
number, address and PIN associated to the account are saved in the account. Therefore, all these
personal information have been lost due to the attacks on the server of the Verizon. The NICE
system has not a good security protocols that overcomes the high security of the Verizon. The
company then took several steps for controlling the cyber-attacks in the company. The company
started upgrading their security protocols in the cloud server. The personal information of the
customers including name, phone number, address and PIN associated to the account are saved
in the account. This information was enough to
use the account of the users of the Verizon. In this situation, user is not able to perform any type
of operation on the computer. The user is able to view a dialogue box, which is displayed on the
monitor of computer through which the hackers are able to demand ransom of bit-coin crypto
currency for providing the decryption key of the encrypted files (Siciliano, 2017). The Hackers
can use the emails and phone hijacking using this information of the users. The hacking of the
social media and bank accounts can be done by the use of the information stored in the Verizon
account. Therefore, the hackers found a loophole in the security protocol of the nice system that
cause d the data breach in the database system.
There were different files accessed during January to June 2017, containing the log files
of different regions across the country. This information was enough to use the account of the
users of the Verizon. The users of the Verizon were frustrated with this incident (Siciliano,
2017). The company discovered the breach, it alerts the higher authority to begin contacting their

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clients to inform them of the issue (Andress & Winterfeld, 2013). Therefore, the cyber security
of the company have been hacked and breached by the hackers to manipulate the data and
information of the users of the Verizon systems. The organisation facilitate their clients with the
details of mobile line, which is dedicated to carer for affected customers. The company started
upgrading their security protocols in the cloud server. The personal information of the customers
including name, phone number, address and PIN associated to the account are saved in the
account. This information was enough to use the account of the users of the Verizon. In this
situation, user is not able to perform any type of operation on the computer. The user is able to
view a dialogue box, which is displayed on the monitor of computer through which the hackers
are able to demand ransom of bit-coin crypto currency for providing the decryption key of the
encrypted files.
The company then took several steps for controlling the cyber-attacks in the company. The
company started upgrading their security protocols in the cloud server. The personal information
of the customers including name, phone number, address and PIN associated to the account are
saved in the account.This helps in maintaining the security of the data and info ration of the users
in the world (Jamieson, 2017). The company started installing upgraded firewall for their cloud
server that helps in restricting the outsiders and unauthorised users form entering into the cloud
server of the company. The installation of the antiviruses helps in maintaining the scanning
process in the server and system. This helps in detecting the malwares and viruses in the server
and system. The antivirus also helps in killing those harmful viruses and malwares that damages
the system ad causes cyber-attacks. These services has helped in mitigating the challenges that
are faced by the Verizon systems in the cyber world. The use of the recovery process of the data
and information helps in ensuring security in the Verizon systems.

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Part B
A Brief Overview on the Ransom ware
The cyber security breaches is an alarming issue in the world. The cyber world have
proved failure in every moment of a system in an organisation is compromised. The word
between the hackers and cyber security providers has been going on for many years and hackers
outrun the protectors every time (Sales, 2012)
The ransom ware named as WANNACRY is a Windows’ Server Message Block (SMB)
protocol that goes name of Eternal Blue. The United States National Security Agency (NSA)
first detected the issue. However, instead of informing Microsoft Corporation regarding incident,
the agency retained incident and modified in their labs by using their offensive operations against
their enemies. Hackers are claiming themselves by name Shadow Brokers managed to liberate
the glitch from NSA and unleashed it on the world on May 12, 2017 (Mohurle & Patil, 2017).
Method of the Attack
The ransom ware has affected those systems that are running with the help of
unsupported or supported version of Windows operating system. The ransom ware has entered
the targeted system by exploiting SMB protocol’s glitch and has encrypted all the essential file
systems inside the device. The computer becomes useless when files are decrypted (Shackelford,
2017). In this situation, user is not able to perform any type of operation on the computer. The
user is able to view box, which is displayed on monitor of computer through which the hackers
are able to demand ransom of bit-coin crypto currency for providing the decryption key of the
encrypted files (Siciliano, 2017). The use can either ignore the message in which case, the

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computer is permanently useless or can pay up desired ransom, however, there is no guarantee
that even after payment is done the hackers will keep their bargain (Shackelford, 2017).
The Affected
Wanna Cry has affected approximately 230,000 computers spread over 150 separate
countries in one day. The most affected organizations were the National Health Service (NHS) of
United Kingdom, FedEx, Telefonica and Deutsche Bahn of Spain. Many personal computers
were also affected throughout the world (Collier, 2017).
Steps Taken to Fight the Crisis
The Microsoft Corporation has responded by almost immediately by releasing patch
updates for all the supported as well as unsupported version of Windows operating system. It has
removed the eternal blue glitch from the operating system and requested to the Windows users
worldwide to apply the patch as soon as possible (Gandhi, 2017). The security software
providers including Norton, AVG, McAfee have released their updates of their respective anti-
virus software that helped to fight the ransom ware as well.
Marcus Hutchins, a North Devon security researcher of England has found a solution to
the ransom ware for a shorter time of the attack. The hackers released the updated version of the
infrction that is not affected by the conjured 22 year old researcher (Gandhi, 2017). The effect of
Wanna Cry on the world proves the poor security infrastructure that is still maintained.
Continuous improvement in security software and steadfast vigilance is needed for fighting with
the growing rate of cybercrime.

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Conclusion
It can be concluded that the cyber-attacks has been an alarming issues in the world of internet.
The case study of the Verizon and Ransom ware has depicted the severity of the cyber-attacks in
the world. The effect of the cyber-attacks has been affecting the financial condition of the users I
the world. Therefore, there is a keen need of the prevention technique for the companies from the
cyber-attacks over the internet.

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References
Andress, J., & Winterfeld, S. (2013). Cyber warfare: techniques, tactics and tools for security
practitioners. Elsevier.
British lender Wonga warns customers of personal data hack. (2017). Mail Online. Retrieved 20
August 2017, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4395646/British-
lender-Wonga-warns-customers-personal-data-hack.html
Collier, R. (2017). NHS ransomware attack spreads worldwide.
Gandhi, K. A. (2017). Survey on Ransomware: A New Era of Cyber Attack. International
Journal of Computer Applications, 168(3).
Jamieson, S. (2017). Wonga data breach could affect nearly 250,000 customers' bank details. The
Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2017, from
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/04/10/wonga-data-breach-could-affect-nearly-
250000-customers-bank/
Mohurle, S., & Patil, M. (2017). A brief study of Wannacry Threat: Ransomware Attack 2017.
International Journal, 8(5).
Payday lender Wonga admits to data breach. (2017). Theregister.co.uk. Retrieved 20 August
2017, from https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/04/10/wonga_data_breach/
Sales, N. A. (2012). Regulating cyber-security.
Shackelford, S. (2017). Exploring the ‘Shared Responsibility’of Cyber Peace: Should
Cybersecurity Be a Human Right?

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Siciliano, R. (2017). Verizon Suffers Client Data Breach | IdentityForce®. We Aren't Just
Protecting You From Identity Theft. We Protect Who You Are.. Retrieved 30 August
2017, from https://www.identityforce.com/blog/verizon-suffers-client-data-breach