Data Breaches : Protected and Confidential Data

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Part-1

Introduction

The purpose of making this report is to discuss about a computer data breach that has occurred in current year 2016. Data breech is an incident in which sensitive, protected and confidential data is viewed and even stolen by an unauthorized person. Unauthorized access of data may lead to misuse and loss of data. Main factors that includes in data breach are Personal Health Information (PHI), Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and intellectual property and trade secrets. Basically we can say that data breach puts so much harmful impact over users by damaging their data. There are various incidents available regarding data breach that are influencing IT users for last many years. Here in this segment of report we will discuss about a vulnerable computer breach in detail such as it causes, its effects and how it can be mitigated. Oracle Data Breach was happened in August, 2016. It was a vulnerable attack for Oracle and in this attack hacker hacked MICROS system of Oracle. This was a big loss of confidential information of Oracle Company. As we know that Oracle Company is well-known for its database and other software solutions users. Oracle Database is considered most powerful and secure database and easy to use. But still with this tight security, Oracle Company has faced this situation of computer breach.

Discussion

Oracle Corp. which is a huge software company that owns the MICROS point-of-sale credit card payment system and this system is allegedly become victim of Russian organized cybercrime group that has stolen more than $1 billion from all types of businesses over past few years. It is not counted yet how many individuals have been affected from this computer breach. (IdentityForce, 2016)

What was the Problem and how it has occurred?

The main problem that was faced by Oracle is announced by a security experts that is Brian Krebs. In July, Krebs was come in contact of MICROS system’s customer and he said that he heard about a possible significant breach at retail division of Oracle. After hearing this, Krebs started investigating claim on July 25, 2016. After this analysis, Krebs said that it had detected a malicious code in MICROS systems. This breach had potential to affect hundreds of computers and online portals that are used to remotely address customer issues. With this attack, hackers were able to get username and passwords of MICROS system. They did this by planting malicious code into support portal and due to this whenever any user will login into its system, whole information will go to hackers. Oracle’s experts also claimed that cyber criminals has uploaded malware into their point-of-sale systems and these systems are directly connected to their cash registers that are available at their stores. With this hacking attack, hackers could have the potential to steal credit and debit card numbers. This was a serious breach that has faced by Oracle and its customers.

How Problem can be Resolved?

As we have discussed above essential problem about Oracle’s Computer Breach and its vulnerable impacts. Now here in this segment of report we will discuss that how oracle is mitigating this problem. According to analysis we got to know that Oracle’s security experts say that it is not too late that we cannot do anything now. It is right time to do something. That is why company is forcing a password reset for all support accounts that are on MICROS Portal and they are also recommending to change password for all other accounts that are used by a representative of MICROS for accessing point of sale systems. Besides this, company is also trying to implement new tools for monitoring point-of-sale systems that can scan and give alert at time of any problem or abnormalities. Besides this, it is necessary for users of Point-of-Sale system that they keep their accounts safe by using strong login passwords and usernames.

Oracle is doing all possible efforts to handle this problem as soon as possible. Today hackers have become so much active, so it is necessary that security providers should be updated about these issues and must develop software that can control these types of vulnerable attacks. If you are customer of Oracle Company then you must follow above discussed points for maintaining security. Now after discussing about this computer breach of Oracle Company, we will discuss about another dangerous data breach that is Anthem Medical Data Breach that has also put bad influence over data of Anthem Healthcare Company.

Part -2

Introduction

Anthem Data Breach is also a popular computer breach in healthcare industry. As we know that medical data is very important and must be kept confidential.  In this attack whole information that was stored into Anthem’s Database has lost. According to health insurer Anthem, this is largest data breach in healthcare history. This attack had a lot influence over all people who are associated with Anthem. Now in next segment of this report, we will discuss about actual problem of Anthem Data Breach, how it is happened and solution for this. (Modern Healthcare, 2016)

Discussion

What was the Problem and how it was carried out?

Anthem cyber-attack was really a harmful attack for this company. Through this attack, hackers have tried to steel names, social security numbers, home addresses and other personal and credit card information of users who are connected with Anthem Company. The database of Anthem is huge and it has 78.8 million current and former members and employees. After this attack, consumes has asked questions to Anthem about their security and how they control this damage as soon as possible. It is asked by consumers that whether Anthem and other healthcare organizations will provide help to their important information. The investigation of this attack is not completed yet. FBI is still investigating this case and trying to find out culprits. During investigation, it was also claimed by FBI that some Anthem’s employees are also involved in this cyber-attack but it is not proved yet by FBI. It is possible that Anthem’s member have been sold, shared and used data with others. This recorded information in database was very confidential and must not be leaked outside organization. In this attack, attackers have taken credit card and medical information of Anthem’s customers and security experts of Anthem are responsible for this. If FBI has put allegation on some employees of Anthem for sharing and steeling information which is not proved yet, then on other side, FBI also said that this attack may be conducted by Chinese hackers. (Krebsonsecurity.com, 2016)

Who were affected and How?

While analyzing impact of this attack, it is found that cost and fines those are associated with computer breach is near about millions of dollars and it is beyond the Anthem’s cyber-security insurance policy. These given figures are not hard figures, there may be some variations. Anthem has always given priority to the security of their clients’ data and they are doing all possible efforts to control this problem of data security.

As we have discussed about overall issue of Anthem cyber-attacks and its influence. Now in next segment of this report we will discuss about prevention of this attack that is implemented by Anthem Healthcare Company.

What could have been done to prevent the attacks?

As we have already discussed above that this anthem’s attack was vulnerable and Anthem Healthcare Organization is doing all its efforts to handle this issue. Here in this segment of report we will emphasize on prevention of this attack.

First step towards this prevention from Anthem Company is its statement to modern healthcare and in this, Anthem has defined that Security of our members and their data are very important to us and we are finding all possible solutions for this. A diligent focus is kept on data security and its programs for maintaining protection of technology environment for long time. The investigation of this attack is also done by NAIC commissioned i.e. market conduct and financial exam. Besides this, Anthem Healthcare Organization has addressed this breach and notified individuals who were affected from this attack. After this investigation of Anthem’s attack, it is found that there was lack of usage of legal policies properly that are required for maintaining security in an organization. Other way to provide prevention for cyber-attack to customers is investigation through IT forensic Investigation which will determine that what members are impacted. The security experts of Anthem Healthcare Organization has decided that now they will use encryption technique to transfer data to remote locations. This is really a good way to prevent data from hacking. These are some essential ways that are implementing by Anthem’s Company to get prevention from this harmful cyber-attack. Besides this, there are also some other solutions that must be implemented by Anthem Healthcare Organization and other organizations to secure their databases from cyber-attacks. Those solutions are listed as below:

Try to notify these attacks as quickly as possible. For doing this, some advanced monitoring and scanning tools are required to use that can scan periodically systems and intimate if any problem occur.

System Anomalies such as system intrusion, hacking and spreading of virus into whole system. If we found any anomalies into system then we should take action immediately.

Use of legal policies is required to get prevention from these type of attacks. In these legal policies every rule must be defined properly to use system, data and its login credentials by employees. Anthem needs to broad with IT.

Anthem Healthcare Organization must advise its customers about usage of its security options and rules, because security maintenance is required at both developers and users’ level.

Anthem Healthcare organization and other companies must watch their network admin activity regularly and this will help to understand problem at initial stages. In security plan, Anthem Organization must mention this solution. (com, 2016)

In this way, Anthem Healthcare Organization is maintaining its security, but there is need some improvements and new methods must also be used by this company that we have listed above. These are some essential ways to get rid of problems of cyber-attacks like data breach. Today hackers are increasing their activities continuously, so it is duty of security developers to use more advanced techniques and tools to resolve these security issues as soon as possible. Backup and recovery methods are also effective way for saving and recovery data from damage.

References

Modern Healthcare.(2016). Details of Anthem's massive cyberattack remain in the dark a year later. Retrieved 24 August 2016, from http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20160330/NEWS/160339997

Krebsonsecurity.com. (2016). anthem breach — Krebs on Security.  Retrieved 24 August 2016, from http://krebsonsecurity.com/tag/anthem-breach/

IdentityForce.(2016). Oracle Data Breach.  Retrieved 24 August 2016, from https://www.identityforce.com/blog/oracle-data-breach

Esecurityplanet.com. (2016). 6 Lessons Learned from Anthem Data Breach - eSecurity Planet. Retrieved 24 August 2016, from http://www.esecurityplanet.com/network-security/slideshows/6-lessons-learned-from-anthem-data-breach.html

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