Nine Months Undetected
Hackers used a flaw in a Pentagon file-sharing system to reach the personal records of more than 3 million people, and nobody noticed for nine months.
Key terms
AP Cybersecurity alignment
- 4.3.C.2Ensuring that a computer’s operating system and software applications are updated to the most recent version prevents adversaries from taking advantage of a known vulnerability.Learning objective: Explain why keeping a device’s operating system and software updated makes it more secure.
- 5.2.A.3Organizations often categorize data according to their sensitivity and prioritize a higher degree of security for more sensitive information.Learning objective: Explain how the state or classification of data impacts the type and degree of security applied to that data.
- 5.6.A.1Devices track and log when data are accessed and by whom. The process of recording and monitoring user activities is called accounting. Analysis of these logs can reveal malicious activity when an adversary attempts to access,…Learning objective: Explain how to detect attacks on data.
AP Networking alignment
- 1.3.A.2Information gathered from compromised accounts or exposed credentials can be used to commit fraud, make purchases, or apply for loans. Victims may experience credit score damage, financial debt, or long-term identity misuse.Learning objective: Identify the impacts of digital and physical attacks on individual devices.
- 4.1.A.3When confidentiality is compromised, systems are vulnerable to having sensitive data exposed or stolen. A breach of confidentiality can be identified by: • unauthorized access • network traffic showing exfiltration of…Learning objective: Identify evidence of compromised confidentiality, integrity, or availability.
- 4.6.B.2Monitoring and alerting tools help ensure availability by enabling rapid detection of failures or suspicious activity.Learning objective: Identify ways to improve the reliability and availability of networked systems.