Technology runs the modern world. Businesses that fail to embrace technology become obsolete and find their way to extinction. The advent of computer technology also brought the internet that became an integral part of the generation today. The internet is used in communication in various organizations such as studying, traveling, banking, and shopping. With the growing use of the internet, protecting information shared on various internet sources is very important. A computer that does not have appropriate security controls could be infected with malicious software and have its information accessed by an unauthorized user. Every organization should implement the best practices for Microsoft Windows and Application security to ensure that their information and data are protected.
Problem with security
The advancement of world technology has resulted in an increase in technological crimes. Cyber-attacks have been one of the main reasons why companies have experienced major losses in the running of their business. Computer viruses, network outages, and hacking of important data are some of the few cyber-related crimes that can affect business. Cyber threats are usually caused as a result of negligence, vulnerabilities, and unintentional accidents. They can be planned and intentional through hacking by unauthorized users. The main objective of hackers and attackers can be to steal information that is confidential, make illegal transactions, or to change data or information. System attackers could use a variety of tools that harm and infect computers. The outcomes of these incidences can range from minor inconveniences to significant losses on the part of the company. Maintaining cybersecurity through the use of the best policies can prevent these losses and inconveniences.
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Microsoft Windows and application security
Private and public infrastructures that are both large and small make use of Microsoft operating system. While many security professionals may not recommend the operating system, it is by far the most used operating system. This is because of its popularity and the fact that it is easy to use. One challenge that faces the operating system is its misconfiguration. Apart from being a widely used operating system, Microsoft is also the most misconfigured. Misconfiguration of windows operate system and software can lead to severe compromises and security issues.
Application security deals with all activity that deals with the security application software throughout its lifetime and use. Application software involves any computer software that is allowed to perform specific tasks in an operating system. Examples of activities performed by an operating system include browsing the internet, sending and receiving emails, opening documents, and having orders made for materials. The application provides access to data. The data accessed could be critical in the running of the organization. The organization should thus ensure that only authorized users can access the data and modify it. Application security involves ensuring applications have appropriate layers of control between users and the data.
Keeping windows up to date
The first practice to ensure Microsoft Windows and Application Security is to ensure that the operating system is up to date. Microsoft releases updates on its operating system on a monthly basis (Steigleder, 2017). The constant security threat that faces many servers makes it important to apply updates from Microsoft immediately after they have been released.
There are companies that force its users to ensure that their system is always up to date while other companies have a leeway. Part of the issues with the updates is that it could require a reboot and could be time-consuming. Many users tend to disable the updates in order to save on time. Scheduling the updates at a time when the user is away will ensure that the updates are carried out in a simple and easy process. A recent survey of IT users noted that it can take more than a month for more IT teams to execute updates on the Windows operating system. This usually leaves the systems more vulnerable (Fagan et al., 2015).
Microsoft also releases service packs that entails bundling of all previous updates. The installation of service packs replaces all files that had been previously corrected by Microsoft. Service packs should be applied to a test system and waited for some time before deploying it to the user computers or the production systems. Microsoft has released service packs in the past that have been defective. Running the service pack on a test system will ensure that any defects can be noted and solved. After the release of the service pack, a minimum of thirty days should be allowed before confirming its functionality. Testing the service pack in a business system and carrying out an internet search to identify any known issues with the service pack should also be performed.
Regularly patching third-party software
Patching software involves the use of a software update platform for external third party software. Update services can include Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), or other third party software that ensure that the system is up-to-date with the latest security patches. Apart from simply carrying out windows system patches, one should also focus on patching outdated versions of applications that are commonly exploited. These applications include Firefox, Adobe Reader, Java, and other vulnerable applications within the organization (Avolio, 2018).
Managing software
Software being used in the organization should be managed accurately. This can be achieved through asset management to help have an account of all software that exists in the Microsoft environment. The organization should also evaluate the necessity of all applications being used in the business environment. In case a piece of software is not important for the environment, it should be uninstalled. Having many applications running in an operating system contributes to a greater security for the organization. The fewer the applications running in the system, the better the security.
Reputable applications should also be used in the business environment. A tough economic climate in an organization could tempt a company to use discounted software, freeware, and open source applications. A company that chooses to do this should carry out research before having the applications installed. Some free and low-cost applications are designed to serve ads to its users. These ads could come with click baits which when clicked install other malicious applications in the operating system. Low cost and free applications can also be designed with a system that steals personal information from users or tracks their internet browsing habits.
Install antivirus software on all computers
Having antivirus software can provide convenience and cost-efficiency benefits as it would not necessitate the need of having a computer expert. The antivirus should automatically detect malicious files and put them in quarantine before it can do serious damages on the computer. It should also aid in the protection of important data. With the use of an antivirus, hackers will not have the capability to access important files. Any virus will be deleted once it has been successfully injected on the system.
An organization can install its antivirus through the use of a standalone anti-virus or centralized anti-virus. Standalone anti-virus software involves installing software individual in multiple machines. Each antivirus is individually required to update in order to protect the system against any virus. Companies that have few computers and do not have an IT department can implement this solution as its anti-virus solution. Regardless of the size of the organization, it is important to have protection against viruses and any malicious software.
Having a centralized management for anti-virus is one of the most efficient ways to protect a system that has more than 5 computers. This should allow for one computer to run updates and administrative tasks to be taken care of for everyone. While this requires having an IT professional to ensure that the updates are installed, it is easy to work and provides a strong infrastructure to run the security updates ("Anti-Virus is Still Essential for every Organization’s IT", 2018).
Managing administrator rights
Administrator rights should be restricted to different users for a variety of reasons. Users that have administrative privileges can make significant changes to the operation and configuration, access sensitive information, and bypass important security settings. Domain administrators can have the ability to access the entire network domain, it can include all servers and workstations in the entire network. Hackers can use malicious code and malware to exploit vulnerabilities in servers and workstations. Restricting administrative privileges would make it difficult for any malicious code to have privileges, spread the malware to other hosts, hide, persist even after reboot, resist efforts to remove, or to obtain any sensitive information (Nicholson, 2017).
Restricting administrative privileges would provide a more reliable, stable, predictable, and easier environment for support and administration. Few users can make significant changes to the entire structure of the operating environment both unintentionally and intentionally. In order to reduce the risk of having users with administrative privileges, the organization can ensure that technical controls prevent normal user accounts from undertaking risky activities such as opening attachments, browsing the internet, or reading emails.
Restricting administrative privileges can be accomplished through first identifying the different tasks that may require administrative privileges. The IT personnel should then validate the staff members that may be required to carry out any of the tasks as part of their daily duties. A separate attributable account for the staff members can be created with the administrative privileges. This will ensure that their accounts have the necessary amount of privileges that will be required to carry out their duties and activities. Additionally, the IT personnel should do a frequent checkup of the requirements of the staff members that require a privileged account. The check-up can be done when some staff members leave the organization or when they are involved in an incident involving cybersecurity (Miller, 2017).
Enabling boot-time virus checking
When a computer has been infected by a virus, the virus may incubate itself for some time and wait for a chance to infect other computers through file-sharing services. The transfer of the virus can take place through the sharing of removable devices or emails. This can cause severe breakout and severe damages to many computers. Enabling boot-time virus checking can prevent any incubated virus from being transferred to another computer. While using anti-virus software can remove the virus, a virus that has been incubated may be discovered and removed through undertaking a full scan of the computer. Performing a full virus scan upon booting a computer is thus necessary. A full scan should thus be performed on all computers on a frequent basis. The scan should include computers that are connected to the network and any home computers.
Educating users
Social engineering is one of the best strategies that can be used to ensure a strong cybersecurity infrastructure. More than 80 percent of breaches regarding cybersecurity problems usually come from inside a company (Anwar et al., 2017.). While there could be employees that are evil and mean harm, most employees are not malicious and can cause a security breach unaware. However, there is never an excuse for ignorance especially when it comes to sensitive information in cybersecurity. Educating users about various cybersecurity procedures will enable an organization to combat cybersecurity better.
Training an entire organization on cybersecurity can make a big difference. The organization can undertake security awareness training and take most of the users through the course. Once they have passed, they can sign an awareness agreement showing that they understand the risks in undertaking various procedures that can cause a security breach. The agreement can include various policies regarding web access, email access, VPN, and installation of applications. In the case of a security breach, the educated user can be easily held accountable.
Social engineering will also involve having the right IT team to have an effective cybersecurity strategy. The organization should also have the latest technology and actively search for the latest vulnerabilities in security. The IT team should be constantly working in order to stay ahead of its attackers regardless of the state of technology. The team can also carry out education in application development security. This will ensure that security considerations are a top priority for the organization. Security awareness can also be carried out across all departments in an organization to ensure that the overall environment is secure.
Ensuring that Windows Firewall is always on
Firewalls are software that manages software and programs that can connect to the internet. It can allow a software to access the internet and prevent other software from not accessing the internet. The firewall software checks information from the internet or network and can block it or allow it from passing through the computer. Windows Firewall is software built into Microsoft Windows but is often misused by Windows users. Many Windows users disable Windows Firewall leaving their computers open to intrusion and abuse by software that could be malicious.
Having Windows Firewall installed and active can prevent hackers and malicious software from gaining access to the computer through the Internet or network. A firewall can also stop the computer from sending any malicious software to other computers connected to the network. Windows Firewall strengthens computer security by allowing or denying port connections. Port connections are usually created to facilitate the transfer of information taking place from the internet to the program that sends or receives the information. Each program creates its own port and Windows Firewall allows for a smooth monitoring of the ports. Malicious software such as viruses, malware, and spyware use the same method to access the internet. Windows Firewall should be able to identify all these malicious activities and prevent them from having access to the computer ("Protect my PC from viruses", 2018).
File sharing protocols
A strong Microsoft Windows and Application security infrastructure can also be built through having a strict file sharing protocol. Users should be informed about considering the data they share with other users. Windows file sharing can also be disabled since ports that are open on the firewall can expose computers to unwanted connection attempts. Some users can also use servers that host back-office software or could configure mapped network drives to allow them to move data from the local computer to the cloud server to another local computer. This file sharing practice is insecure and should not be used by the organization.
Having a strict file sharing protocol can also be accomplished through closing any ports that may not be needed or open. Open ports are usually a gateway for different cyber attacks. While several companies understand the security risks with open ports, most companies fail to lock their ports carefully. Some that choose to lock do not verify its compliance on a frequent basis (Laudon, 2015). To ensure proper security, every Windows port should be port-restricted and made to only use ports that are necessary. A frequent testing of the ports should also be done to ensure that they comply with the security standards.
Gaps in literature
While maintaining adequate application security can be important for a company, some professionals note that the cost of properly securing internal applications can be too high. They note that a very strict adherence to application security can lead to constraining of the staff resources and the IT budget. The argument is that as long as a company has a good firewall in place and that the employees are sensitized on cybersecurity procedures, then it may not be necessary to spend more money on security (Radziwill and Benton, 2017).
Such a point of view is not realistic as it proposes that users should not be proactive in securing their enterprise. Additionally, it shows that protecting the IT infrastructure and company data is not really important for a company. However, in the current age where a company can run all its activities through technology, the IT infrastructure and company data are critical components of a company. Losses that can take place as a result of a data breach are usually higher than the investment required to secure the data. Costs as a result of the data breach can take place in the form of data loss, cost of recovery, legal costs, and the impact on consumer confidence.
In conclusion, any organization should choose to implement the best practices for Microsoft Windows and Application security to ensure that its information and data are constantly protected. One of the first ways to protect against security breaches is to ensure that Windows is always updated. Third party software should also be constantly updated to prevent a data breach from third parties. Antivirus and antispyware software should also be installed and a full scan should be performed on the computer and after updated any software. Microsoft Windows security systems such as Windows Firewall should also be on.
References
Anwar, M., He, W., Ash, I., Yuan, X., Li, L., & Xu, L. (2017). Gender difference and employees' cybersecurity behaviors. Computers in Human Behavior , 69 , 437-443.
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Avolio, F. (2018). Six steps for security patch management best practices. Retrieved from https://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/Six-steps-for-security-patch-management-best-practices
Fagan, M., Khan, M. M. H., & Buck, R. (2015). A study of users’ experiences and beliefs about software update messages. Computers in Human Behavior , 51 , 504-519.
Laudon, K. C., & Laudon, J. P. (2015). Management information systems (Vol. 8). Prentice Hall.
Miller, S. (2017). Separation of Duties and Least Privilege (Part 15 of 20: CERT Best Practices to Mitigate Insider Threats Series). Retrieved from https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/insider-threat/2017/07/separation-of-duties-and-least-privilege-part-15-of-20-cert-best-practices-to-mitigate-insider-threa.html
Nicholson, C. D., Toyama, K., Creasey, J., Lewis, R., & Elmer, R. C. (2017). Dynamic distribution of client windows on multiple monitors. U.S. Patent No. 9,703,444 . Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Protect my PC from viruses. (2018). Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17228
Radziwill, N. M., & Benton, M. C. (2017). Cybersecurity Cost of Quality: Managing the Costs of Cybersecurity Risk Management. arXiv preprint arXiv:1707.02653 .
Steigleder, A. C. (2017). Operating system patching and software update reconciliation U.S. Patent No. 9,766,873 . Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
