Question 1. [Pg. 242] 1. [Challenge exercise 9.1.] Windows vulnerability (Passwords)

One of windows vulnerabilities is that user accounts may have weak, nonexistent or unprotected passwords. The operating system and some third-party applications may create accounts with weak or nonexistent passwords. This in turn causes data to be vulnerable and with respect to user data it could be very damaging to a user’s organization if data is lost or removed without warning by an attacker.
Also the connection of these systems to a shared network or perhaps the internet in the scenario of a business organization leaves the system vulnerable to an attacker.

With respect to the data that is being sent across the network, there are certain countermeasures that could be taken, such as encrypting data that resides on the computer by using some well-known cryptographic algorithms currently being implemented to secure the system data even after password has been bypassed. Encrypting data provides a level of assurance that even if data is compromised, it is impractical to access the plaintext without significant resources, however controls should also be put in place to mitigate the threat of data exfiltration in the first place. Many attacks occur across a network, while others involve physical theft of laptops and other equipment holding sensitive information.

Yet, in most cases, the victims are not aware that the sensitive data are leaving their systems because they are not monitoring data outflows. The movement of data across network boundaries both electronically and physically must be carefully scrutinized to minimize its exposure to attackers. Also Data loss prevention (DLP) is another measure that could be implemented because this mode of security control is an approach that covers people, processes, and systems that identify and monitor data in use (for example