Compare Different Threats and Vulnerabilities

Vulnerability refers to the flaw or the weakness in a given system that exposes an organization to both inside and outside attacks. This is done through the use of devices such as laptop, ignorant employees and USB drives who at most time unknowingly login to malicious sites. It is, therefore, important to take up the necessary steps in order to avoid system attacks (McNally, 2012). Threats occur when a person discovers the system vulnerability and want to attack it. Threat assessment helps a person to identify and know the best course of action to take. Former employees can motivate threats and they may want to put the company out of competition or get back to the company. Vulnerabilities include power loss and worms (Sammons & Cross, 2016).

Physical loss is the most common type of data breaches. This threat can happen in many ways as it involves physical threat of equipment that contains cardholder receipts, PCs, files, POS system or hard copy documents (Sammons & Cross, 2016). This type of breach can also be referred to as corporate espionage. It weakness arises when the device used is not stable, inappropriate storage environment which is subjected to dust which is harmful to software’s , infrastructure failure such as electricity, hardware malfunction such as for the PCs, human error and sabotage results vulnerability of the information (McNally, 2012).

The severity of these cases is that sensitive information is lost to individuals of malicious thoughts who tend to use the information for their own gain at the expense of the other person. It has also brought fear among individuals as they are not sure whether their information is safe as they stand a chance to lose every single coin they may have or their information is used to tarnish their names. Huge losses are also experienced by the company’s affecting their operations hence the adoption of various to curb down physical loss by limiting access to the physical information (McNally, 2012).

Electronic breach refers to the deliberate attack or unauthorized access on a system. The cardholder information is processed, transmitted or stored which can be done through websites or the web server’s access to the system vulnerability through the application of level attacks. The weakness of the system is exploited due to the large number of individuals that seek healthcare services daily (Sammons & Cross, 2016).

It, therefore, becomes an unfortunate target of the data breaches in which access to the network exposes the patient wealth billing information. Confidential client information is lost through the electronic breach where personal identifiers information, as well as personal financial information, is also lost. Such information exposes the involved person to huge losses as their details can be used somewhere else by the use of the financial information. Skimming entails recording and capturing of information in the magnetic stripe on the back of credit cards (McNally, 2012). The process involves the use of an external device which is stored at the point of sale without the knowledge of the individual assigned there. This form of data breach can also involve a dishonest employee who can be used to utilize the external devices mostly a skimmer to obtain information from the credit cards magnetic stripe from clients who are not keen to look at their credit cards when they are being swiped (Sammons & Cross, 2016).

Its severity leads to huge losses to the individual as the information obtained is used to make counterfeit credit cards and debit cards. They bear the burden of other people spending on their behalf of which they are expected to pay (Sammons & Cross, 2016).  Obtaining credit cards on behalf of the individual leads to huge indebtedness.

It tarnishes the name of the individual and the company if an employee is caught in the act.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference

McNally, M. M. (2012). Identity theft in today's world. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger.

Sammons, J., & Cross, M. (2016). The basics of cyber safety: Computer and mobile device safety made easy. Cambridge, MA : Syngress