Internet spionage-software

These attacks are often subtle, amounting to nothing more than an unnoticed bit of code or process running in the background of a mainframe or personal workstation, and the target is usually a corporate or government entity. The goal is typically to acquire intellectual property or government secrets. Attacks can be motivated by greed or profit, and can be used in conjunction with a military operation or as an act of terrorism.

Consequences can range from loss of competitive advantage to loss of materials, data, infrastructure, or loss of life. For years, corporations have attempted to seek advantages by prying into the business plans of their competitors.

Technology provided an evolutionary path for this activity, and resulted in the birth of cyber spying. The faux employee is still a useful tactic, but now an unsecured workstation is far more attractive. An individual can use a USB stick to upload a worm or virus in a matter of seconds. The goal might be to identify and open a security portal or find an exploit that can be targeted at a later date.

Business websites can offer the same type of openings, and experienced hackers can use a vulnerable website to execute an attack. Emails that appear to be official may be sent to specific individuals with higher network privileges who could be lured into clicking a link that downloads code to enable later attacks.

This type of attack is called spear phishing. Modern browser software is comprised of thousands of lines of code. New lines of code add new features as the software evolves. Sometimes new code, by chance or oversight or lack thereof breaks little-known features or works at-odds with security patches that have previously been effective.

In December of , Google began to notice persistent cyber-attacks aimed at acquiring information specific to Gmail accounts. The Aurora attackers used targeted emails with malware sent to individuals who were judged as good targets because they were likely to have a high level of access to valuable intellectual property. The reaction to this act of cyber espionage varied around the world. Microsoft sent a security breach report and released a security patch. Some companies and governments also switched browsers to help safeguard against future attacks.

Similar acts of cyber espionage are taking place today, all over the world. Corporations and governments are constant targets of attacks. Detecting and preventing vulnerabilities and strikes is the job of specifically trained and skilled Internet cybersecurity professionals.

Cyber espionage attacks can result in damaged reputations and stolen data, including personal and private information. Cyber attacks targeted at the government may cause military operations to fail, and can also result in lives lost due to leaked classified information. What exactly is it that cyber-criminals look for when planning an attack?

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Profile Notifications Sign Out. Cyber Espionage to Splinter Internet Governance. Forecast Highlights Despite its attempt to use foreign policy to discourage cyber espionage, effective deterrents to online spying will continue to elude the U.

Any sanctions against Chinese entities will not halt China's global online espionage activities. Efforts to curb cyber espionage will further fragment the Internet's regulatory environment. Industrial Espionage Meets Cyberspace Industrial espionage, whether against the United States or any other country, is a highly diffused threat that can and does emerge from virtually any country.

The Gamut of Solutions The technologies underlying the Internet — the Internet Protocol suite — were designed to facilitate the flow of information rather than restrict it. Just the Beginning Espionage activities, particularly those committed via cyberattacks, typically remain below the threshold of warranting a military response. Keep Reading: Create an account to get 3 free articles.

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We noticed that your subscription has lapsed. Sign Up. Unsubscribe at any time. Please try again. Sign up Today. Thank you Your submission has been received Back to site. Connected Content. The 4th Industrial Revolution. Economics Politics Cybersecurity. Article Search. Quarterly and annual plans are available from this Australia-based software producer.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Typical spy software often includes adware or ad-supported software bundled with programs.

Spy software can assist administrators when they go about the business of checking security systems. What information can you glean?