An Investigation into Cyber Security Threats for Business Research

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of cyber security threats facing businesses in the current digital landscape. It begins by outlining the evolution of technology and its impact on business operations, highlighting the increasing reliance on the internet and the associated rise in cybercrime. The report delves into various threats, including ransomware, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, threats within the Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile malware, and vulnerabilities stemming from internal sources. It defines cyber security and reviews the threats related to ransomware, DDoS attacks, IoT and mobile malware, and internal sources. The report also discusses the risks of fake advertisements and information and ways to overcome these cyber security threats for businesses. The report synthesizes existing literature, providing practical examples and suggestions to enhance digital security and mitigate risks. It emphasizes the importance of awareness and proactive measures to protect businesses from financial losses and reputational damage caused by cyber security breaches. The report concludes with a call to action for businesses to prioritize cyber security measures in their operations.

Running head: BUSINESS RESEARCH
Business Research
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Notes

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Project Overview........................................................................................................................2
Project Scope..............................................................................................................................3
Literature Review.......................................................................................................................3
Definition of cyber security....................................................................................................3
Threats related to ransomware................................................................................................4
Threat from Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks.....................................................5
Threat in the Internet of Things (IOT) and Mobile malware.................................................6
Threats from internal sources.................................................................................................7
Risk of fake advertisement and information..........................................................................8
Ways to overcome that cyber security threat for business.....................................................9
Conclusion................................................................................................................................10
Reference..................................................................................................................................11

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Introduction
With the evolution of Technology, challenges and opportunities are also continued to
evolve. The current society is highly dependent upon the digital technology and Internet in
order to deal with almost all basic activities of everyday life. Hence, we are highly dependent
upon the application of Technology. Alongside the positive aspects of this technology there
are several threats that the society has to deal with in order to ensure smooth overall
functioning. The rise of Cybercrime is one of the major threats to the use of digital Internet
technology.
As all the business operational activities are dependent upon Internet technology, the
rise of Cybercrime cases has been a major threat to the business operations. The matters
related to cyber security have become one of the crucial issues of worldwide business. The
threat of the cyber security is associated with the risk of financial data breaches that can
ultimately cause financial loss to all the major companies. As the technology has helped in
optimisation of business operation, the simultaneous rise of cyber security threats has been a
major challenge for all multinational corporations across the globe. Hence it is important to
analyse the security threats that are associated with use of digital Internet technology in
business in order to ensure maximum possible safety.
Project Overview
The current project will discuss about the major challenges that all business
operations in the current days have to face due to rise of cyber security. This is the major
reason for financial loss for many organisations. The project will aim to discuss about the
existing literature related to cyber security crime that has compromised account the business
operational activities.

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Project Scope
The project will initially discuss about the opportunities in business that are generally
associated with implication of digital technology. The key area of focus will be upon the
challenges that all major business operations have encountered in the past due to Cybercrime.
Some practical examples will be provided from previous research work. All the relevant
literature of the topic will be discussed in the project. Finally, some important suggestions
will be provided that will help to resolve the issue related to cyber security for business
operations that is usually achieved by maximizing the level of digital security. Relevant
articles that were published after 2010 will be selected for this literature review.
Literature Review
Definition of cyber security
As new opportunities are being generated with the improvement of Technology,
Wang, et al. (2010), have mentioned that there are always some threats that are
simultaneously associated with these new opportunities. The threat of malware and virus has
originated almost since the dawn of computing. The exposure of sensitive data in the cyber
world has attracted various criminal activities throughout past many years. With the
penetration of internet, it is estimated that nearly 3.4 billion users all across the globe is
connected with the help of Internet service (Choo 2011). This has been the major cause of
rise of Cyber-crimes across multiple disciplines that expand from hardware and software. In
order to counter the increasing threat of Cybercrime, the technological experts all across the
globe have initiated the practice of cyber security that is mainly aims to provide high level of

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security software that may not allow the hackers or cyber security experts to breach the level
of safety.
Hay et al. (2011), have mentioned that cyber security has been improving with the
progress of digital technology. This is mainly done to neutralize the threats encountered by
major business organisations all across the globe.
As more business Corporation all across the globe is implementing the use of digital
technology in business operational activities, it is expected that the total number of cases of
Cybercrimes will significantly rise. Hence it is essential, to raise the level of awareness
among the people in order to minimise that threat that can compromise on cyber security and
improve its practice.
Threats related to ransomware
The research paper of Cardenas et al. (2009), have highlighted up on the risks
associated with ransomware, which is a type of Malware software from crypto virology. This
type of software is a major threat to all business activities as it has the potential to breach all
classified information of a business organisation that can compromise upon the quality of the
business plan. The major type of ransomware Malware can prevent the access of the user to
deny their system by blocking the system screen. They can also deny the access to the digital
files that are encrypted.
The prediction made by the McAfee Labs in 2017, suggest that ransomware can be a
major threat in the current and upcoming years for all major business organisations. Cyber
criminals not only deny the access of company's own files that are stored in the cloud, it also
demands high level of payment in order to free the victims from the threat of data breach.

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Elmaghraby and Losavio (2014), have mentioned that ransomware is becoming a fast
cyber security threat for all business organisations with almost 40%of all global companies
encountering this threat. This ransomware has been one of the most popular ways of
attacking business and other large scale organisations. The ransom, who has designed the
application of ransomware, can demand up to $50,000 from the business operations in order
to relieve them from the cyber risks. A research report suggests that nearly 50% of the
companies in UK, who has encountered the threat of ransomware, have agreed to pay up on
the amount. However in America, 97% of the companies, who got attacked by ransomware
did not eventually pay the amount. On the other hand 75% of the Canadian company has
been reported to a ransom the amount for neutralizing the security threat (Li et al. 2012).
This amount that is paid by business operations from all the major nations of the
globe has been a cause of financial loss. This is one of the major challenges that the cyber
security has to encounter in current days.
Threat from Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks
This type of thread is associated with multiple system flood of bandwidth, of resource
targeted system in one or more web server users. This type of attack is mainly encountered
when multiple level of system are being compromised due to high level of Internet traffic.
There are special commands designed by cyber criminals in order to change the protocol of
digital data base without the owner being aware about the fact. This can also deny
introduction of new connection in the digital platform as currently most of the digital
platforms are being burdened with high level of information (Jajodia et al. 2011). Large scale
organizations like the BBC have been one of the major victims of DDoS attacks that have not
allowed the users all across the globe to access their website. As a result the company’s
website cannot be accessed by the public causing a major social issue. In the current year

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there are a significant increase over the cases related to DDoS as more than 10 million cases
of different scales have been reported in all across the globe (Ericsson 2010).
It is believed to be one of the easiest ways for the hackers to disturb the business
operational activities. As the normal functioning of business organisations are being
disrupted, it is not possible for them to communicate with customers. The online service
quality is also highly compromised due to the fact that the clients are not able to get proper
information about the business. The reputation of the business due to compromising of their
online activities can go down significantly as the pace of their operational activities get
significantly slower. In many cases business organisations are dependent upon financial
transaction through online services. Due to DDoS, these financial transactions are ceased,
thereby causing serious capital loss for the company.
Threat in the Internet of Things (IOT) and Mobile malware
It is estimated that there will be nearly 1.8 billion connected mobile devices among all
consumers across the globe by the year 2019 (Choo 2010). With the large number of users
being connected for business purposes, it will easily attract hackers and malware practitioners
to easily breach the level of internet connection.
The Internet of things is easily able to connect the mobile devices for business
transaction process. This is believed to be one of the major progresses of mobile computing
in business. With the latest electronic software and sensors being able to connect and
exchange important data, there is a higher risk associated due to cyber security threats as the
data can be misused by the hackers. The privacy threat is also one of the major concerns in
this context as the mobile devices may contain important personal information of a business
person. The mobile devices that are being sold in the digital market are mainly associated
with the threat of Internet of things.

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The mobile devices also allow the manager and workers of a business organisation to
easily communicate among themselves. There are also classified meetings held with the help
of video conference using the mobile devices. With the threat in Internet of things, there is
the risk that the information within the business communication may be leaked to the public
domain.
According to Lam (2016), with increased number of smartphone users all across the
globe, large scale business organisations are dependent upon mobile computing as a part of
their business plan. The E-Commerce form of business is one of the popular ways that
business has developed in recent times the application of mobile technology. Nevertheless
with increased level of mobile computing in business along with increased number of
smartphone users, implication of mobile malwares has been one of them major source of
threats. It is reported that the total number of mobile Malware attacks have risen 3 times
within the past 2 years. There have been approximately 8.5 million mobile Malware cases
that have been reported in this time (Liu and Wong 2017).
Depending upon mobile banking for all major financial transaction has been one of
the major advantages of business process in recent. It is also possible to make all financial
transaction across different parts of the globe for multinational corporations with the help of
mobile banking. Mármol et al. (2016), have mentioned in the context that Trojans is one of
the major mobile ransomware that has increased by 1.6 times in recent times that have able to
hack all the major financial information from mobile banking service.
Threats from internal sources
Most of the cyber security threats that are encountered by business organisation are
from external agents that includes all hackers and malware practitioners. Nevertheless, it has
been reported that large scale corporations have also encounter cyber security threat from

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internal agents, which is also one of the major challenge in this context. The IBM has been
one of the worst victims of internal cyber security threat in 2016. It has been found that 60%
of internal classified data are being leaked to public domain, which has compromised upon
the business blueprint planning process. It was believed that the internal employees have been
an expert of Malware practicing which has allowed them to leak vital company information
public domain in exchange of high financial transactions.
He et al. (2016), believes that the cyber security threat from internal source is likely to
go up in the upcoming years. This will mainly occur due to the fact that there will be high
level of competition among business organisations, which will enforce them to employ
unethical policies in the form of internal cyber security threats to get vital company
information. Hence it is important for the organisation to provide high level of training to the
employees in order to identify potential Malware activities within the internal operational
department.
Risk of fake advertisement and information
With the rise of digital technology, there has been a significant rise of popularity of
digital form of marketing. This is one of the popular ways implemented by all scale business
firms in order to carry out their promotional activities by providing vital information to the
target customer groups. Online advertising through various digital media platforms are the
popular ways of using digital marketing. Cross et al. (2017), in this context have mentioned
about the risks that are associated with fake advertisement that are often being published by
hackers in order to misguide the customers. Few of the common examples include, fake
advertisement in the name of Banking service which convinces the customers to provide
detail about the bank account and credit card information which can then be easily hacked by
the cyber criminals in order to gain the access for financial transactions. Fake advertisements

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can also use the logo of reputed brand in order to provide false information to the public
thereby compromising upon the level of security and brand image of the company (Herrera et
al. 2017).
Ways to overcome that cyber security threat for business
In order to ensure smooth functioning of business transaction process and make best
use of the mobile computing and digital technology it is important for all major business
corporations to neutralize the cyber security threat and minimise the risk that are associated.
A. Harris and P. Patten (2014), have suggested an important step in order to reduce
the risk of internal threat of Cybercrime. This process includes going back to the basics while
providing training to the Employees that can help them to identify potential threats from
Malware practitioners. Most of the companies are dependent upon online portals that can help
their employees to provide operational functions. It is essential that the portals can only be
accessed by authorised users and it can only be accessed from the internal server of the
company. Keeping individual security password for all employees is also an essential part
and once an employee leave the organisation, it is important to change the password in order
to deny the access for ex-employees.
It is also the duty of the company to employee special security team, who will have
high level of expertise in order to neutralize the threats imposed by hackers and malware
practitioners. It is also important for the security team to provide the access for all the digital
platforms of the company in order to ensure that they are able to provide best quality of
security service.
With the help of the use of latest security software, it is possible for the organizations
to make best use of the application of mobile computing in business operation process.

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Conclusion
In conclusion it is important to note that with the Rise of the use of Internet and
digital technology for business operational activities, there is a huge risk that are associated
due to the activities of Cyber threat from hackers and malware practitioners.
Most of the online cyber criminals use special software like ransomware in order to
get vital company information and get the access of financial transaction process. Has more
number of companies are dependent upon mobile computing; there has been a significant rise
of total number of cases related to Cybercrimes that has affected the business process in past
many years.
The current literature has also focused upon the importance of the intervention
measures that can be adopted by implementing latest security software in order to minimise
the risk that are associated with cybercrimes. It is essential that the future research work to
focus upon implementing improved security measures to minimise the risks associated with
cybercrime.

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Reference
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