[Manny Varela]

This chapter discusses system threats.  Which threat could harm an organization the most?  Explain the threat and why you chose this threat as the most detrimental to an organization.  What should a security officer do to help prevent this threat?

[Mjulius513]

The threat that can harm an organization the most is ransomware. Ransomware is a cyberattack where criminals infect a system, encrypt important files, and demand payment to unlock them. It is extremely damaging because it can completely shut down business operations. When ransomware hits, employees lose access to systems, customers can’t be served, and the organization immediately loses productivity. The financial impact can be severe due to downtime, recovery work, and possible permanent data loss. Even if systems are restored, the organization may still suffer reputational harm and lose the trust of clients or partners.

A security officer can help prevent this threat by keeping systems updated, enforcing strong passwords, and requiring multi-factor authentication. They should ensure firewalls and antivirus tools are active and properly configured. Employee training is essential since many attacks begin with phishing emails. Regular offline backups and a strong incident response plan are also critical for limiting damage.

[Carlos Martes]

Your absolutely right about ransomware being one of the most damaging threats. When systems get encrypted, everything stops, operations, productivity and trust. I like how you emphasized updates, MFA, firewalls and training! Those steps really do reduce risks and offline backups plus a solid incident plan make recovery far more achievable.

[Trae Johnson]

Ransomware is a threat that can do the most harm to an organization. In such an attack, it encrypts some important files and makes employees unable to access necessary systems to work. It may bring business operations to a standstill, leading to financial loss and reputational damage. The security officer should prevent this by keeping systems updated, having good security tools, training employees to avoid suspicious messages, and conducting regular offline backups.

[Carlos Martes]

I believe a threat that can impact an organization negatively the most is ransomware. Ransomware is a type of cyberattack in which criminals can break into a system, lock or even encrypt important files and in return demand money to release them. I chose this threat because it can completely stop an organizations operation. When critical data becomes unstable, employees cannot work, customers cannot be served and eventually the company may lose money overtime. Ransomware can also damage the organizations reputation if sensitive data is stolen or even leaked. A security Officer in this situation can help prevent this threat by setting up strong protections. This can include keeping all systems updated, installing good antivirus and security software and making sure employees are trained to cognize suspicious emails or links. Regular data backups are also important because they allow the organization to recover files without paying the attackers. By combining strong technology and good training, a security officer can greatly reduce these risks.

[Trae Johnson]

Ransomware is a kind of threat that can really put an organization to its knees. It locks critical data and may even shut down operations entirely, leading to lost revenue and potential exposure of sensitive information. A security officer can help in preventing this kind of threat by updating systems, installing strong security software, training employees to identify suspicious activity, and keeping reliable backups so data can be restored without paying attackers.

[Mjulius513]

I agree that ransomware is one of the most damaging threats to an organization. It can shut everything down and cause huge financial and reputational losses. Your explanation of how it affects daily operations is clear. The steps you mentioned for updates, antivirus, training, and backups are exactly what a security officer should focus on to reduce the risk.

[Trae Johnson]

The most dangerous threat to an organization’s system is ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malware that infiltrates a network, encrypts essential data, and renders access unavailable until payment is made. I classify this as the most harmful type of threat because it impacts all levels of operations within an organization. For example, when the systems are locked, work cannot be performed, services cannot be provided, and the company may experience immediate fiscal loss. Sometimes, the encrypted files cannot be retrieved even after the ransom has been paid, which results in permanent damage. This could also lead to reputational damage if the compromised information belongs to customers or sensitive internal documents.

A security officer should work to prevent this threat by ensuring that all systems are fully updated and patched. Regular security awareness training is important so employees can recognize suspicious messages and avoid phishing, which so often delivers ransomware. Secure backup procedures are also critical. The backups should be stored offline so an attack does not encrypt saved data. Monitoring tools, endpoint protection, and strict access controls are also part of a strong defense strategy.

[Isabelle Tubbs]

Hi, Trae. From reading your post, I can definitely see how detrimental ransomware can be to a system. It can essentially lock everything on the system, affecting many different levels of the system. Backups, patches, and user training are great ways to prevent these types of attacks from happening.

[Isabelle Tubbs]

Back doors can be detrimental to a system. They allow an attacker to have access to a system without having the access rights or credentials to get in. They can access it at any time and access things they should definitely not be allowed access to. From there, a hacker can unleash many different types of threats and obtain sensitive information. Security Officers must be aware of the dangers of back doors and prevent these types of attacks in their security planning and measures. Before software is deployed, any threats that may potentially linger on the system must be removed. Also, a security officer must learn the different ways a back door can be created on a system. For example, a back door can be created using a Trojan horse or SQL injections. Educating users on what actions to avoid so that they do not compromise a system can prevent Trojan horses from being effective. Using the tools to check data that is put into a site and ensuring its safety before accepting it can prevent SQL injections. Actions like these can prevent large consequences.

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