Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity
    • IT Management
    • Networking
    • Small Business

    Cyber-Security Threats, Infrastructure Sabotage Rising: McAfee

    By
    Nathan Eddy
    -
    June 19, 2012
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Organizations need to shield themselves from the rising threat of cyber-attacks and sophisticated sabotage directed at IT infrastructure, according to a report issued by security specialist McAfee and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, a federal contractor to the U.S. Department of Energy. The report examines the challenges facing infrastructure and resources as well as identifying specific risks and vulnerabilities in the ever-evolving cyber-threat landscape.

      Among the main threats was an increase in access points to devices and IT infrastructure due to expanding communications networks, which results in increased exposure to potential attacks, as well as increased automation, where networks gathering large amounts of data could pose new risks to security. The report also notes cyber-attacks have evolved into a sophisticated and carefully designed digital-weapon tasked for a specific intent, such as the Stuxnet and Duqu viruses, and examines how emerging vulnerabilities of control systems continue to accelerate.

      €œWhen early critical infrastructure systems were created, neither security nor misuse of the interconnected network was considered,€ Philip Craig Jr., senior cyber-security research scientist and a researcher within the National Security Directorate at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, said in a prepared statement. €œToday, we are still focused on enhancing the security of control systems. Outdated security methods that use a maze of disparate, multivendor and stacked security tools will only delay a cyber-attack, providing numerous opportunities for a more advanced and modern cyber-adversary to attack cyber-security postures throughout critical infrastructure.€

      The report pays particular attention to the nation€™s energy grid, and warns the grid was not designed to withstand cyber-security threats. The research outlines several ways to combat these security threats, including memory protection to block and report any attempt to exploit network vulnerabilities; file-integrity monitoring to report any file change, addition, deletion, renaming, attribute changes or modification; and hard-disk read and write protection, which can bolster data security.

      €œInfrastructures that control systems affecting our everyday lives, such as smart grids, are rising in adoption yet still lack the proper security needed to prevent sophisticated cyber-attacks,€ Phyllis Scheck, vice president and chief technology officer for McAfee€™s global public sector, said in prepared remarks. €œAchieving security by design is essential in securing critical infrastructure. Cyber-security must be embedded into the systems and networks at the very beginning of the design process so that it becomes an integral part of the systems’ functioning.€

      Nathan Eddy
      A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan was perviously the editor of gaming industry newsletter FierceGameBiz and has written for various consumer and tech publications including Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, CRN, and The Times of London. Currently based in Berlin, he released his first documentary film, The Absent Column, in 2013.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×