Analysis of British Airways Security Breach

The Impact of Security Breaches on Reputable Organizations

The numbers of security breaches conducted on reputable organizations are reported to be on the increase. Between 21st August and 5th September, British Airways fell victim to the malicious security breach (Bishop, 2018). An elite group of cybercriminals infiltrated the major airline’s server and stole financial data transactions and personal information including the three-digit CVC code used in facilitating payments of approximately 380,000 clients (Bishop, 2018). Even though the security breach already occurred, it is important to assess measure, which would have prevented the attack from being successful.

The Importance of Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

The use of two-factor authentication (2FA) would have been an effective method in preventing the attack. Unknown to many, the extra security layer, i.e., 2FA is neither complex nor time-consuming. On the contrary, it would only require British Airways to add an extra security measure that allows the users to utilize more than a password before being granted access to the website or application (Jakobsson, 2018). When a user enters their password, the 2FA sends a short message code to their phone number, which the users feeds to the website to confirm their authenticity hence limiting entrance to legitimate individuals.

Integrating Technology: Balancing Productivity and Security

In conclusion, the recent advancements in technology have revolutionized how modern age companies operate. For the companies to exercise their full potential in productivity, it has become necessary to incorporate the latest technology in their systems. However, technology has also made it easier for individuals with malicious intentions to gain access to vital organizations’ data as it was in the case involving British Airways leading to unimaginable consequences. Therefore, it is important for most companies to adopt critical security measures to prevent any successful cyber-attacks in the future.

Reference

Bishop, J. (2018, September 09). 380,000 Passengers Affected By 'Malicious' British Airways Hack. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bishopjordan/2018/09/09/british-airways-hacked/#c2b8ec867aea

Jakobsson, M. (2018). Two-factor in authentication–the rise in SMS phishing attacks. Computer Fraud & Security, 2018(6), 6-8.