Information and Network Security Report for XYZ Organization

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of information and network security for the XYZ organization, a Melbourne-based software security solutions provider. It begins with an executive summary highlighting the increasing importance of information security in modern organizations, followed by an introduction that outlines the company's background and expansion goals. The report delves into the definition of information and network security, detailing associated risks such as malware attacks, man-in-the-middle attacks, and spoofing. It then explores the latest developments and advancements in the field, including the application of Big Data and Business Intelligence tools. The core of the report examines three key security applications: Comodo Advanced Endpoint, VeraCrypt, and Bitdefender Antivirus Plus, evaluating their features and applicability to XYZ's expansion plans. The report concludes with findings and recommendations, offering insights into how XYZ can enhance its security posture. This report is a valuable resource for students seeking to understand information and network security concepts and real-world application.

Information/Network Security
Report
9/18/2017

Information and Network Security
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................................3
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4
Definition of Information and Network Security.........................................................................................4
Information and Network Security Risks – A Few Examples......................................................................5
Latest Developments and Advancements....................................................................................................5
Information/Network Security Applications............................................................................................6
Comodo Advanced Endpoint...............................................................................................................6
VeraCrypt............................................................................................................................................7
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus..................................................................................................................8
Expansion Plan............................................................................................................................................9
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................10
Set of Findings and Recommendations......................................................................................................10
References.................................................................................................................................................12
2

Information and Network Security
Executive Summary
There is an increased use of information in the organizations in the present times which had led
to the increased probability of the risks and their execution as well. There are different types of
information and network security risks that have been developed. The report analyzes the XYZ
organization that is based out of Melbourne and offers software security solutions. It is now
looking to expand its services and operations. There is a brief overview of the organization
covered in the report along with latest developments in the areas of information and network
security. Three applications, their details and applicability to the organization have also been
discussed with the expansion plan. The findings and recommendation are included at the end.
3

Information and Network Security
Introduction
The primary motive of every business organization is to grow, expand and earn more profits. The
same is possible only when the customer base that is associated with the business is increased. In
the case study, XYZ organization has been covered which is a Melbourne based company that
works in the area of software. It is a small firm that began its business fifty months back. The
company makes sure that the information and network based security attacks are checked and
controlled and therefore, develops the solutions for the same. The mode of operations for the
company is either the in-house development of the packages and applications or the
customization of the same. The company currently operates with the clients from Australia and
most of these clients are small to medium scale business owners and organizations.
The management of XYZ organization has now decided to expand and it would be essential to
collaborate with new and more clients. The area of focus for the expansion would be the
development and implementation of the online security packages and services. The company has
decided to target the organizations from three categories and sectors as gambling, hospitality
industry and pharmaceutical.
There are some of the quick changes and advancements that are taking place in the area of
technology and security. The organizations in the current times and making use of a lot of
information which is also transmitted, managed, processed and stored. Due to the involvement of
numerous entities, the likelihood of security risks and attacks has gone up. There are newer and
more severe security attacks that are taking place with increased frequency. There is a lot of
work that is being done for the control of the same as well (Mohammed Salim, 2016).
The aim of this report is to cover the information/network security aspect for the organization by
discussing the latest developments in this field and also highlighting some of the applications
that are developed in this domain.
Definition of Information and Network Security
Data and information are composed of a lot many different elements. There are contents as well
as properties that make up a particular information set and some of the viable properties include
the confidentiality, privacy, availability and integrity of the information. Information Security is
4

Information and Network Security
an amalgamation of various procedures and controls to safeguard the information which includes
it content as well as the properties.
The risks and probable attacks to the security may take place through different mediums and
agents. One of such mediums is the network and the measures that are taken to control the
network based security risks, threats and attacks come under the domain of network security. A
secure network makes sure that a majority of the threats to the information and data sets are
avoided (Gnanasankaran, Natarajan, Alagarsamy & Iyakutti, 2013).
Information and Network Security Risks – A Few Examples
 Information that is either stored or is transmitted from one source to the destination may
be breached by the attacker.
 The contents or the properties may get lost in between or there may also be occurrences
of leakage (Nazareth & Choi, 2015).
 Attacks on the information availability which may include the various forms of the
flooding attacks.
 Malware attacks by introducing a particular malware on the information set. It may
damage any of the information properties as per the nature of the malware.
 Man in the middle attack which is one of the types of the network based security attack in
which the attacker sits on the network and captures the activities of the same (Lippmann
& Riordan, 2016).
 Spoofing and phishing attacks that make use of the impersonation techniques to give
shape to the attack (Bajwa, 2014).
 Alteration of the message and media contents that may lead to the violation of the
information integrity (Shameli-Sendi, 2017).
Latest Developments and Advancements
There are some of the quick changes and advancements that are taking place in the area of
technology and security. The organizations in the current times and making use of a lot of
information which is also transmitted, managed, processed and stored. Due to the involvement of
numerous entities, the likelihood of security risks and attacks has gone up. There are newer and
5

Information and Network Security
more severe security attacks that are taking place with increased frequency. There is a lot of
work that is being done for the control of the same as well (Haider, Samdani, Ali & Kamran,
2016).
Some of the technologies that have been recently launched and have expanded at a rapid rate
include Big Data and Business Intelligence tools. These technologies and tools are being applied
in the area of information and network security for the development of enhanced applications.
There is also a lot of work that is being done in the area of network based intrusion detection
systems and cryptographic algorithms (Roozbahani & Azad, 2015).
Information/Network Security Applications
Comodo Advanced Endpoint
Technology in the current times has so many different components that the focus of the
maintenance of security of each of these components is usually not fulfilled by the users. It is due
to this reason that the demand for integrated security applications has enhanced in the market.
The use, deployment and maintenance of the application for the security of every single
component are no longer possible.
Comodo Advanced Equipment is one such integrated security solution that allows and offers the
overall security and may be used by the organization for its successful expansion (Strom, 2016).
The most powerful feature of the application is its platform that is extremely secure and makes
sure that only the secure and non-objectionable files are provided with the access and the other
ones are blocked for further checks. There may also be certain files and components that may be
suspicious in nature and are handled separately. The application ensures overall system and
information security and comes with a store protection from the various types of malware. The
features such as use of SSL certificates, internet security and firewall are also integrated.
In the current times, it is not sufficient to mainly identify the threats and develop the prevention
for the same. It is equally important to make use of the technology to work on the root cause of
these threats. This tool makes use of Big Data and numerous Business Intelligence technologies
to analyze the behavior of the threats. Also, the intruder activity is analyzed using advanced
analytics so that the future occurrences may be avoided and the threat is removed right from its
root.
6

Information and Network Security
Therefore, this tool will be of much aid to the organization.
The sets of benefits and the features that are offered with this application are high and some of
the items are listed below.
 The most important feature of the application is the enhanced level of integration that is
offered with it to improve the overall security.
 Patches can be easily handled with this tool (Comodo, 2016).
 The issues associated with compatibility of the tool are not witnessed.
 The application offers the ability to be monitored remotely and the level of control with
the admin is also high.
 There is an amalgamation of the latest technologies and tools in the application.
 It is low on cost and comes with an easy affordability.
There are also a few drawbacks that may be witnessed with this applications and it would be
essential to have an idea of the same before acquiring the application.
 The deployment model that is used by the tool may not go well with all the users and
their systems.
 Lack of strong and useful documentation (Stephenson, 2017).
VeraCrypt
The technocrats and researchers have developed many different measures and mechanisms to
improve upon the security of the information and the networks. One of the most significant and
useful attempt towards the same is the use of encryption.
Encryption is a mechanism in which the information and files are converted to their cipher of
encrypted form. These contents can only be viewed with the aid of a security key which may be
public, shared or private in nature. There are tools that have been developed for this purpose and
one of the widely used tools is VeraCrypt. IDRIX is the creator of this open source tool that
offers the ability to enable disk encryption in the system. The various forms of security risks and
threats are prevented as a result (Fearn, 2017).
The application offers enhanced security and comes with the following benefits.
7

Information and Network Security
 Cold boot attacks and many of the network based security attacks can be prevented
(PCMag, 2017).
 All the forms of attacks associated with backdoor access can be prevented.
 The tool provides the enhanced form of security to the smart cards.
 Information breaches can be prevented.
 The security attacks associated with the information loss and its leakage can also be
prevented.
There are also a few drawbacks that may be witnessed with this applications and it would be
essential to have an idea of the same before acquiring the application.
 It is mandatory to receive training on the functional aspects of the application.
 There may be certain cases of operational mistakes and errors (Veracrypt, 2017).
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
Malware attacks have a high frequency, high likelihood and a high impact of the security attack
on the information, system, database and the network. There are different types of malware that
can be created and launched which may have a corresponding impact. These malware are
designed for specific reasons and therefore, the significance of the impact resulting out from
these attacks can be high.
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is an application that has been developed to put a control on the
malware attacks and to also detect their presence (Pcmag, 2016).
The application has a wide set of features that is offers and there are also many advantages that
come along with the application.
 Phishing protection can be enabled with this application and it does not require the use or
installation of any of the browser plug-ins for the same.
 The user experience with the application is good as the application makes good use of
user interaction and the information regarding the security attacks and probability of the
same is marked correctly.
 There are various forms and types of security scans that can be performed on the
information sets, systems and networks.
8

Information and Network Security
 Most of the users make use of the Wi-Fi connections for connecting their specific device
to the network. The application comes with a Wi-Fi scanner that can be used for the
scanning of the network and detects the presence of any of the unsecure component.
 Protection to the ransomware attacks is also offered by this application.
 There are various financial transactions that the user may perform with the aid of the
system or the application. Safepay is the feature that comes with the application so that
such transactions are secured.
There are also a few drawbacks that may be witnessed with this applications and it would be
essential to have an idea of the same before acquiring the application.
 Password Manager that has been included in the application has security defects in it.
 Some of the utilities may be required to be purchased as an add-on.
 Renewal of the subscription plan also involves cost.
Expansion Plan
The expansion of an organization is composed of many different activities and phases. The
above three applications that have been described may assist XYZ company to expand and easily
execute the tasks of in-house application development and customization processes. The
following focus points must be considered and remembered during the expansion activity.
 The management must prepare a list of the existing security solutions they provide and
research upon the solutions that they need to incorporate. A mapping between the two
shall be created.
 Areas such as cryptography, network based security, Business Intelligence techniques
and Big Data tools shall be researched.
 The new set of technologies and the applications that are offered shall be adequately
marketed by describing the latest offerings to the clients.
A separate department shall also be set up for the areas of security along with monitoring and
control of the project. The senior management shall also intervene frequently to understand the
progress.
9

Information and Network Security
Conclusion
Information security and network security are the two topics that are being extensively studied
and analyzed by the researchers and technocrats. It is due to this reason that there is a lot of
development that is being witnessed in these areas (Allen, 2012).
Bitdefender Antivirus Plus is an application that has been developed to put a control on the
malware attacks and to also detect their presence. There are different types of malware that can
be created and launched which may have a corresponding impact. These malware are designed
for specific reasons and therefore, the significance of the impact resulting out from these attacks
can be high. Comodo Advanced Equipment is an integrated security solution that allows and
offers the overall security and may be used by the organization for its successful expansion. The
most powerful feature of the application is its platform that is extremely secure and makes sure
that only the secure and non-objectionable files are provided with the access and the other ones
are blocked for further checks. Encryption is a mechanism in which the information and files are
converted to their cipher of encrypted form. These contents can only be viewed with the aid of a
security key which may be public, shared or private in nature. There are tools that have been
developed for this purpose and one of the widely used tools is VeraCrypt. IDRIX is the creator of
this open source tool that offers the ability to enable disk encryption in the system.
These three applications and many others will allow XYZ organization to easily expand and
fulfill its objectives. These will make sure that adequate strategies are followed and implemented
so that the in-house development may take place. These will also assist in the customization of
the off-the-shelf applications so that the overall expansion process is made smoother and easier.
Set of Findings and Recommendations
There are various developments that are happening in the area of technology and the
organization must research correctly to have a clear picture on the tools and technologies that it
may use and implement. There are technologies such as Big Data and Business Intelligence that
are on a rise and are being applied in all of the business sectors. The use and integration
processes of these technologies shall be researched and analyzed correctly (Hagen, 2013). The
management must also set up a team to research on the advanced encryption algorithms and
processes that may be used and applied (Brecht, 2012).
10

Information and Network Security
The selection between the two methods viz. in-house development and the customization
activities shall be selected on the basis of the customer requirements. The various factors and
elements must be analyzed before selecting the method that shall be used and applied.
There will also be many changes that will come up during the process of expansion. The
management of these changes shall be done with a proper plan and there shall also be a
marketing strategy that shall be developed so that the customers get to know about their latest
offers and services. The several modes and mediums of marketing shall also be clearly listed out.
11

Information and Network Security
References
Allen, J. (2012). Deriving Software Security Measures from Information Security Standards of
Practice. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from
http://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/assets/whitepapers/derivingsecuritymeasures.pdf
Bajwa, M. (2014). Wireless Network Security Threats and Mitigation—A Survey. Retrieved 18
September 2017, from https://file.scirp.org/pdf/_2014091813425297.pdf
Brecht, M. (2012). A Closer Look at Information Security Costs Working Paper. Retrieved 18
September 2017, from
http://www.econinfosec.org/archive/weis2012/papers/Brecht_WEIS2012.pdf
Comodo. (2016). Comodo Launches Advanced Endpoint Protection Solution. comodo.com.
Retrieved 18 September 2017, from
https://www.comodo.com/news/press_releases/2016/02/comodo-launches-advanced-
endpoint-protection.html
Fearn, N. (2017). Top 5 best encryption tools of 2017. TechRadar. Retrieved 18 September 2017,
from http://www.techradar.com/news/top-5-best-encryption-tools
Gnanasankaran, N., Natarajan, S., Alagarsamy, K., & Iyakutti, K. (2013). A Case Study of the
Application of COTS Components in a Molecular Dynamics Software. Retrieved 14
September 2017, from http://www.lnse.org/papers/31-E060.pdf
Hagen, J. (2013). Effectiveness of Organisational Information security measures. Retrieved 18
September 2017, from https://www.frisc.no/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/finse2013-
hagen.pdf
Haider, S., Samdani, G., Ali, M., & Kamran, M. (2016). A comparvative analysis of In-house
and outsorced development in software Industry. Retrieved 14 September 2017, from
http://www.ijcaonline.org/archives/volume141/number3/haider-2016-ijca-909578.pdf
Lippmann, R., & Riordan, J. (2016). Threat-Based Risk Assessment for Enterprise Networks.
Retrieved 18 September 2017, from
https://ll.mit.edu/publications/journal/pdf/vol22_no1/22_1_3_Lippmann.pdf
12

Information and Network Security
Mohammed Salim, R. (2016). Importance of network security for business organization.
Retrieved 14 September 2017, from
http://file://melstud/12047542$/Downloads/9120836%20(3).pdf
Nazareth, D., & Choi, J. (2015). A system dynamics model for information security management.
Retrieved 14 September 2017, from http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0378720614001335/1-s2.0-
S0378720614001335main.pdf?_tid=c703030a-8eb5-11e7-b607-
00000aacb362&acdnat=1504229883_21b0981211b42a588a985a023ef05aa3
Pcmag. (2016). Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. PCMag India. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from
http://in.pcmag.com/bitdefender-antivirus-plus-2015/52300/review/bitdefender-antivirus-
plus
PCMag. (2017). VeraCrypt. PCMag Business Software Index. Retrieved 18 September 2017,
from https://www.pcmag.com/business/directory/encryption/1671-veracrypt
Roozbahani, F., & Azad, R. (2015). Security Solutions against Computer Networks Threats.
Retrieved 14 September 2017, from http://www.ijana.in/papers/V7I-1.pdf
Shameli-Sendi, A. (2017). Taxonomy of Information Security Risk Assessment (ISRA). Retrieved
18 September 2017, from http://www.synchromedia.ca/system/files/SurveyRisk.pdf
Stephenson, P. (2017). Comodo Advanced Endpoint Protection product review | SC Media UK.
Scmagazineuk.com. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from
https://www.scmagazineuk.com/comodo-advanced-endpoint-protection/review/9393/
Strom, D. (2016). 10 cutting-edge tools that take endpoint security to a new level. Network
World. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from
https://www.networkworld.com/article/3089361/endpoint-protection/10-cutting-edge-tools-
that-take-endpoint-security-to-a-new-level.html
Veracrypt. (2017). VeraCrypt. CodePlex. Retrieved 18 September 2017, from
https://veracrypt.codeplex.com/
13