Network Security

Network Security

Network security is a necessity to provide computer security and avoid security breaches. Network security requires more than antivirus software and firewalls. Users must know how to protect their privacy. They should manage the information shared on the internet, adjust privacy settings on apps, and be aware of social engineering ploys to obtain personal information Vahid & Lysecky, 2019). Valuable information should be sent through secure channels using hypertext transfer protocol secure addresses and be encrypted. It is important to remember that users are not anonymous, and data can be easily intercepted. Users should understand network security to protect against spam emails with malware and phishing and even aid in defending denial-of-service attacks.

Spam emails are unrequested mass-produced emails. Although most spam is used for marketing, some contain files with malware or use phishing to scam users. (Vahid & Lysecky, 2019). Users receive emails that appear to be a legitimate business. However, the email either includes a file for the user to download or requests that the user provide personal information directed through an illicit link provided in the email, known as phishing. A contaminated file is usually disguised as a standard program or document and typically contains a virus or trojan. If the user downloads the file, their computer becomes infected with malware from the file. It is possible that the user will not know the spam-contained malware. Although infected computers may run slower, it may not be noticeable, permitting the attacker to spy and access the computer at will. This access may allow attackers admittance to passwords, emails, services, and other confidential information. Similarly, phishing attacks make users' personal information vulnerable as well. Users' passwords and information are stored on the illicit website when they enter their data, giving attackers access and resulting in the same user exposures. Spam emails are not just unsolicited but may also risk network security.

Failure in network security can be harmful. Users may endure financial hardships from stolen bank account passwords, being blackmailed by personal data, or their computers may be used for other illicit affairs. Spam used to infect users' computers may permit the attacker access to the users' email accounts. This enables the attacker to send more spam to the users' contacts and infect more computers. All these possibilities derive from something as simple as a spam email. Internet service providers and email providers set up filters and firewalls using algorithms to detect spam emails (Singh et al., 2023). Companies like Google or Yahoo will use these algorithms to scan documents and attachments before sending them to the users' inboxes. Spam is also filtered into a separate folder, drawing the users' attention to its possible security risks.

Furthermore, spam emails may lay the foreground for additional network security attacks. Users who wish to visit a website enter their IP address into their browser. The computer then sends a packet containing the sender's access request to servers at the destination, which sends a packet back to the user’s computer. The amount of time for this execution is called a ping response, and sequentially, the execution is referred to as a ping command. However, this command can be a vulnerable source to internet security through the application of a denial-of-service attack (DoS). DoS attacks are among the most prevalent security attacks that cause the most destruction. (Yihunie et al., 2018). These attacks happen when a computer sends numerous pings or access requests to a server. DoS attacks typically utilize more than one computer, called distributed DoS (DDoS). These attacks are made with computers compromised or infected with malware. DDoS attacks are often executed using a trojan generated from spam emails. Attackers use malware to control multiple computers to attack the server. The attack consequently overwhelms the website's server, slowing response times or even crashing the server, rendering the legitimate user unable to access the website. DDoS attacks cost companies time and money to block attacks and allow legitimate users to regain access. All of this was enabled by a few spam emails that infected a couple of computers to cause a wave of destruction.

In conclusion, understanding network security helps users' privacy stay protected. A well-informed user will be more likely to identify spam emails that contain malware or phishing. Users will know that what looks like a standard email may redirect them to a phishing site. When following links in emails, users should check that the link is correct. Users should also change their password regularly. Consideration of a two-step authentication process to limit the possibility of stolen credentials is always recommended. Additionally, files attached to emails should be scanned for viruses before downloading. Users should check what security their email provider provides to assist in network security. Furthermore, antivirus software can assist in finding installed malware as it periodically scans all the computer’s files. These small tasks, if done regularly, will contribute to stopping more significant security attacks, such as DoS attacks. This will allow individual users and businesses the protection they desire in network security.

 

References

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Vahid, F., & Lysecky, S. (2019). Computing technology for all. zyBooks.

Yihunie, F., Abdelfattah, E., & Odeh, A. (2018). Analysis of Ping of Death DoS and DDoS

Attacks. 2018 IEEE Long Island Systems, Applications and Technology Conference

(LISAT), Systems, Applications and Technology Conference (LISAT), 2018 IEEE Long Island, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1109/LISAT.2018.8378010