• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About
    • Secure360
    • UMSA
    • Get Involved
  • Events
    • Secure360 2021
    • Student360
    • Past Events
      • 2020 Secure360 Twin Cities
      • 2020 Student360
      • 2019 Secure360 Twin Cities
      • 2019 Student360
      • 2018 Secure360 Twin Cities
      • 2018 Secure360 Wisconsin
      • 2018 Student360
      • 2017 Secure360 Twin Cities
      • 2017 Student360
      • 2016 TC Secure360 Conference
      • 2015 Secure360 Conference
      • 2014 Secure360 Conference
      • 2013 Secure360 Conference
        • 2013 Secure360 Conference Speaker Presentations
      • 2012 Secure360 Conference
  • For Sponsors
    • Secure360 Twin Cities
    • Student360 Sponsors
  • For Speakers
    • Secure360 Speaker Details
    • Student360 Speaker Details
  • Blog
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Vimeo

Secure360

Why are cyber criminals always a step ahead?

July 19, 2016 by Secure360 and UMSA

criminals one step ahead

Copyright: 123rf

Despite the best efforts of cyber and information security professionals, it seems like cyber criminals are always one step ahead of us. They can fly under the radar for long periods of time, make it difficult to detect and prevent them from penetrating our systems. As a result, cybersecurity is an ever-evolving undertaking, and businesses must reassess their security tools regularly.

So why is it that cyber criminals always manage to be one step ahead?

Leave-no-trace malware

Leave-no-trace malware is one way cyber criminals are able to avoid exposure and remain undetected on company networks for months at a time. Cyber criminals have the tools and the ability to remain undetected on company networks for months. Companies need to reassess security tools simultaneously.

Tools to behave like legitimate users

Full and convincing user identities can be stitched together for mere dollars, meaning that fraudsters can create pitch-perfect social engineering attacks. With the right tools, an individual with malicious intentions, but the right techniques, could easily pass themselves off as a legitimate user.

Lack of qualified personnel

One of the biggest issues security professionals face is that there is not enough trained and experienced IT enterprise security personnel. A lack of clear definition around security policies and integration between security layers and solutions allows criminals to fly under the radar.

Your processes are static

Nobody likes change, including cyber criminals. We want to keep systems and processes static because it makes life and work easier. Attackers love static systems and processes because it makes it easier for them to study their subjects, learn the ins and outs, and figure out exactly how they can compromise your data. If you want to make it difficult for sophisticated cyber attackers, create a culture that thrives on change.

Moving their infrastructures

Cyber criminals move their infrastructure and conceal their tracks to avoid detection by consistently creating new domains and establishing new infrastructure.

“Its’s no small feat to keep up with how cyber criminals operate. Attackers have an incredibly vibrant underground community where they can buy or rent anything from command & control (C&C) infrastructure to sophisticated exploit kits to bare metal malware,” said Stephen Newman, CTO of Damballa. Businesses must be regularly updating and improving their systems in order to keep up.

Filed Under: Cybersecurity, Risk and Compliance

About Secure360 and UMSA

The Secure360 and UMSA team is made up of professionals in the security and risk management industries. Topics of expertise range from physical security, IT, risk management, cybersecurity, cloud, information security and records management.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kelley P. Archer, CISSR says

    August 8, 2016 at 4:53 pm

    One missing factor, Hackers are working on vulnerabilities almost 24×7, 365 days per year. Example is the hacker facility that was completed and identified, located in China. Other governments also support a local hacker community. This makes the job of security professionals all the more difficult due to playing catch up.

    Reply
    • Secure360 and UMSA says

      August 8, 2016 at 9:22 pm

      Great comment, there are a lot of pressures on security professionals.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Uncategorized
  • Guest Posts
  • Business Continuity Management
  • News and Events
  • Physical Security
  • Cybersecurity
  • Professional Development
  • Risk and Compliance

latest tweets

No tweets found.

Footer

Contact

For more information about UMSA events, contact: Marie Strawser

Email List Signup

Join our email list for monthly Secure360 news and updates!




Join our tradeshow email list for updates on sponsorship opportunities and upcoming exhibitor deadlines.

Sponsored by:
© 2021 Secure360. All rights reserved.