Triton’s Internet Security:

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Thomas Powis, Staff writer

One of the biggest threats to a everyone connected to the web, from big companies to the average Joe, is being hacked.  One hacker can single handedly ruin someone or something.  So who protects Triton?

This extensive duty is handled by Triton’s IT department, headed by Ms.Debra Jones, Technology Director, and Mr.Matthew Liacos, Network & Systems Manager.  Jones and Liacos both take their jobs seriously and said they can’t stress enough just how important cyber security is.

Cybersecurity is an issue we take very seriously here at Triton. It has always been a top priority. ”  stated Jones.

Liacos and Jones talked about just how dangerous a breach in security can be and  just how much damage it can cause.  Liacos discussed how even though it may seem like Triton isn’t a prime target for hackers since it’s “not a fortune 500 company that prints money”, Triton and other schools can be an easy target for hackers due to certain variables.

“I strongly believe there’s a common misconception that Triton is not a target for a cyber attack, largely because we are a school.  Most people probably assume, “it’s a school…what is there to gain?.”  Said Jones.  It’s true that the motive behind most hacks is a financial one.  However, it’s entities like schools and local municipalities that are the perfect target for hackers.  They want the quick and easy hack, and the public sector is low hanging fruit because they often have very limited resources in staff and budget to address these matters.”  Stated Liacos on the matter.

Liacos talks about the fact that not having a ton of money doesn’t mean Triton is not valuable in other ways.  Despite popular belief hackers are not always just looking for direct forms of money such as a credit card numbers or an atm machine.  Another valuable resource they want that Triton has thousands of is personal information.  Every staff member and student has their own personal info listed in Triton’s system that hackers could sell for a lot of money as Liacos explained.

There is a market out there for personal information, that’s what most are after.  If you look at these recent breaches in the news, it’s all about personal information being leaked.”

If Triton got hacked, hackers would find themselves with plenty of personal information to sell on an illegal internet market called “The Dark Web,” run from servers such as Silk Road 2.0.  Which Liacos also stated how hackers can profit from it.  

“ The “Dark Web” is a marketplace for such information where cyber criminals will sell every piece of information. Here’s a recent valuation of personal information that was published: Social security number: $30; Date of birth: $11; Health insurance credentials: $20; Credit card credentials: $8; Bank account number: $300….$50,000 – $150,000 if balance is included. If you extrapolate this out across the number of identities involved in these breaches (which is usually numbers in the millions) there’s a significant amount of money to be made.”-Matt Liacos

So if these hacks can be so dangerous and major what is keeping Triton protected. According to Liacos, “To date Triton has not been a victim of any breach.”

Well according to Jones and Liacos, Triton’s network security has multiple different layers, and that has made it so successful.  

“We use a variety of hardware appliances and software solutions from several leaders in the information security industry, including that good ol’ web filter that you students all know and love.”  Stated Liacos.

One of the biggest tools that Triton uses to protect itself from attackers is called a firewall which acts as a type of barrier.

“One technology that is in place is a network firewall. A firewall is a network security system, either hardware or software-based, that uses rules to control incoming and outgoing network traffic.  A firewall acts as a barrier between a trusted network and and an untrusted network. A firewall controls access to the resources of a network through a positive control model. This means that the only traffic allowed onto the network is defined in the firewall policy; all other traffic is denied.”  Jones explained.

Despite the fact that Triton has never been hacked doesn’t mean other people who are involved with the Triton community haven’t been.  I spoke with Ms. Lisa Powis, who stated she was a victim of two credit card hacks and both caused turmoil

“Discover called to ask me if I had spent $400 in New Jersey, I instantly notified them it was a scam but it still took a week for everything to get sorted out.”

Hackers can profit from resources of everyone and no one is safe but Triton’s technology department is putting in it’s best effort to keep the students and staff safe from one of the most dangerous modern day attacks.