Malicious Attacks Inevitable but Containable, Security Experts Say
Malicious attacks on data systems can’t be prevented but can be contained once they're detected, security experts told the FOSE conference Thursday. Moving to a cloud environment won’t simplify cybersecurity, but make it messier, and that creates more chance for attacks, said Amit Yoran, general manager of RSA’s security and compliance business and former director of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cyber Security Division.
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Patching and reconfiguring management won’t necessarily keep systems safe, Yoran said. Involving government third parties won’t necessarily keep hackers out either, he said. Third parties are often not as invested in a company’s or agency’s security as that company or agency is, he said.
Intruders will innovate to match the amount of security put in place, so agencies should treat security like a business process that needs to evolve to avoid the risk of being out-gunned, said Kevin Mandia, CEO of information security company Madiant. People also shouldn’t underestimate malware, he said. People tend to overlook malware, but they need to realize there is a person behind it, he said: Malware can completely exploit a system, not only by sending out spam through it, but also by keystroke logging and stealing financial information.
Chances are that many systems have already been compromised, Mandia said. People working in interesting sectors, like bigger government agencies or telecom companies, can count on having their systems compromised, he said. People shouldn’t treat it like the end of the world if their systems are compromised, though; they should just focus on containing the problem, he said: “There is no shame in having a compromised system. The shame should come in if you don’t find it or don’t report it.”