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'Users becoming a loophole for vulnerability'

Africa , 28 Jan 2015

'Users becoming a loophole for vulnerability'

Users in organisations are becoming the loophole in accessing sensitive corporate data and launching cyber attacks, according to the latest Cisco Annual Security Report 2015.

The report says that users are caught in the middle. As they use their gadgets they are unknowingly aiding cyber attacks.

"Throughout 2014, Cisco threat intelligence research revealed that attackers have increasingly shifted their focus from servers and operating systems as more users are downloading from compromised sites leading to a 280% increase in Silverlight attacks along with a 250% increase in spam and malvertising exploits," the report said.

Sabrina Dar, General Manager at Cisco East Africa said that everyone has to be vigilant against cyber attacks.

"Security is now the responsibility of everyone within an organisation, from the board room to individual users. Security leaders and practitioners need the support of the entire business to combat malicious actors who are increasing in their proficiencies to exploit weakness and hide their attacks in plain sight," she said.

"To protect organisations against attacks across the attack continuum, CIOs need to ensure that their teams have the right tools and visibility to create a strategic security posture, as well as educate users to aid in their own safety and the safety of the business," she added.

The recently released report also found that malicious combinations of software, such as JavaScript and Flash, are being used to hide malware. Such tactics of hiding malware in plain site is a growing trend that Cisco has noted.

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