Firebrand Says Hack It Yourself

Just recently, we were reporting that the UK Government was asking for tighter SMEs data security and that phishing attacks on Irish SMEs were on the increase. According to Firebrand, a company that specializes in IT training services, one solution would be not to wait for an actual attack, and to simulate one yourself. This way, the organization will be able to detect any vulnerability in the network.

"Many SMEs may not have a dedicated team in charge of network security, but this is no excuse for not having the necessary measures in place. Wireless networks are highly convenient and extremely quick to implement. But if simple security measures are ignored, wireless weaknesses could open the door to a devastating hack attack. Tracking the footprints of an attack before it happens, and taking effective steps to protect the network, will be the only way small businesses will ensure their data remains secure and in the right hands," Rob Chapman said, as cited by vnunet.

The thing is that an attack can occur at any time, especially if the organization handles sensitive information that a hacker would be tempted to get a hold of. Even more, if the network is not properly secured, it makes the hack that much more inviting.

There are a few mistakes that are general within the SME security world. Even if the business implements a security solution, most of the times, the default security settings are never changed. Another mistake is using very basic, very easy to crack passwords (something like the 123 pass). The first step is realizing your mistake and correcting it; then further actions must be taken to ensure that the security measures will be able to withstand an attack. This is where a little bit of insight into how a hacker's mind works comes into play. By thinking like a hacker and by using the same hacking tools, flaws and security vulnerabilities can be detected.

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