Network Security

Information and system security are of tremendous importance, no matter the individual or the organization. Information and system security measures are necessary to protect sensitive information, such as personal information, or on an organizational scale, from theft and unauthorized access. However, even attacks through something as simple as a ping command can cause significant harm to an individual or organization. PING stands for Packet Internet Grouper. Pinging an IP or website means sending small packets of info to a specific IP and requesting a response from the recipient. The targeted computer sends an echo reply to acknowledge receipt if the destination is reached. Ping also reports the number of packets sent, received, and lost. While the Ping command is primarily used for diagnostic purposes, it can also launch different types of attacks. For example, a ping flood attack is a DoS attack that floods the target IP with many ping requests, causing the IP server to overload and preventing legitimate requests from being handled. Another example of an attack that can be executed using the Ping command is the ping of death attack. A ping of death attack is when a ping packet is larger than the maximum size allowed by the IP, causing the target system to crash or freeze. It is important to note that the Ping command alone cannot cause harm to a network or system, but it can be used in conjunction with other tools and techniques to carry out attacks.

Security holes or vulnerabilities in a network can also result from weak information and system security. A security hole, or vulnerability, is an aspect of a computer that can be used to breach security. They can be either physical or non-physical. Physical vulnerabilities refer to things like storing servers in a locked room. Because servers store such sensitive information, keeping them under high physical security is essential. Non-physical refers to weaknesses in the software. For example, not having antivirus software and not updating operating systems would cause a non-physical vulnerability. Therefore, it is vital to regularly assess and identify network vulnerabilities or holes and implement appropriate security measures to prevent and mitigate potential threats.

A computer can also become infected with a virus due to weak information and system security. A computer virus is a program that runs on a user's computer without permission and spreads itself to other computers, often via email. Viruses are used to steal info, delete data, do other types of harm, or use computers for illicit tasks. Tens of thousands of viruses exist, with hundreds discovered each month. Unsecured internet sources are the most common way to get a computer virus. Downloading software, games, or files from untrusted or unknown sources can lead to virus infections.