Risk: Informational
NTA Monitor's 2006 Annual Security Report has discovered that 61% of companies tested have one or more high risk vulnerability in their Internet connections. NTA classifies a high risk flaw as a vulnerability that allows unauthorised external users to obtain system access. The vulnerability is widely known and actively exploited by hackers, leaving companies susceptible to Denial of Service attacks or remote system compromise.
The report analyses data gathered from vulnerability tests conducted by NTA Monitor during 2005 on UK and international companies in a wide range of industry sectors, including charities, education, finance, government, IT, law and retail. The industry sector with the highest number of vulnerabilities was education, with an average of 61 risks per test, followed by government with an average of 26 risks per test. The lowest number of risks per industry sector was found in the mining sector and housing associations, which each had an average of 11 risks per test.
Of the companies tested, 99% had one or more informational risks indicating that typically companies have poor security housekeeping policies or lack the knowledge of how some Internet mechanisms work. These companies need to tighten their procedures and fix flaws as soon as they are discovered to further minimise the risk of attack.
Overall, the 2006 Annual Security Report findings show that although organisations tested have taken steps to reduce the amount of high risk security vulnerabilities on their networks, they are still too common, leaving companies and public sector organisations unnecessarily vulnerable.
The full report is available on request from NTA either by calling 01634 721855 and asking for Judith Holmes or emailing marketing@nta-monitor.com