It could be a Hollywood movie title. “Attack of the Botnet”
No a botnet is not a giant fang flashing dinosharktapus towering over a city of millions destroying buildings and wreaking havoc on innocent citizens. A botnet is a network of computers infected with the same malware controlled remotely by a hacker. Thousands of computers and devices may be infected at the same time creating an army of zombies at the control of a cyber criminal for the purpose of distributing spam, malware, and attacks against other systems.
Bot herders as they are called, use their army of zombies, without the owner’s knowledge, to steal credit card numbers, social security numbers, and a host of other personally identifiable information. Zombie armies also have a long history of delivering malware, DDoS attacks, and spam.
Botnets and bot herders are an extremely dangerous problem as the Internet of Things begins to explode. The ramifications of hackers using botnet strategies to control everything from driverless cars to baby monitors, refrigerators, security cams, televisions, alarm systems, smart houses, and a million other devices could be disastrous.
Many businesses go to great lengths to protect themselves from physical breaches. Physical security companies are installing a variety of anti-theft and intruder technologies. Fences, perimeter cameras, lights, alarms, CCTVs, scan technology, remote video monitoring, guards, keypads, badge systems, biometric door locks, control channel cellular transceivers, and more. The safeguards for physical security are well thought out and effective against unwanted outside and inside security breaches.
However, unless physical security measures are combined with cybersecurity strategies, they become as ineffective as chain lock on a glass door. Cyber criminals and even hackers with moderate skills can commandeer electronic security devices and control them to their advantage. Closed circuit T.V.s, lights, locks, scanners, badge systems, doors, electronic gates, alarms and more can be hacked and controlled by cyber criminals for nefarious purposes.
Cybersecurity is not only about protecting data and records, it is also about protecting physical spaces by not allowing control of your physical security devices. Most businesses today do not connect physical security and cybersecurity. They are typically separate concerns handled many times by completely separate business units. With the control of many physical security devices falling into the domain of electronic internet connected devices, cybersecurity should be included when developing a physical security plan.
A comprehensive security plan should integrate physical and cybersecurity practices. One without the other leaves a gaping hole in any security strategy. Cyber criminals are no different that street criminals. They both seek to exploit weaknesses for profit. When a cyber-criminal can pave the way for a street criminal to enter your business without detection, they have access to both your physical and informational assets. This is a potentially devastating occurrence for any business.
The Tek specializes in working in partnership with your physical security provider to lock down your electronic devices and enhance the effectiveness of your physical security. As the world becomes more and more connected via technology, protection from cyber-attacks becomes critical to the well-being of businesses.
Contact us today for your free risk assessment.
