Final answer:
The best response to a compromised firewall involves investigation, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident analysis to prevent future breaches. Hackers employ various tactics such as phishing and malware to steal sensitive data, which they may use or sell. Hacking can be reduced with multi-layered security, software updates, employee education, and regular security assessments.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a firewall is compromised, the most effective response involves several key steps. Firstly, the incident needs to be thoroughly investigated to understand the nature and extent of the breach. Following the investigation, it is crucial to contain the threat to prevent further damage, which may involve disconnecting affected systems from the network. After containment, efforts should focus on eradicating the threat, which typically includes patching vulnerabilities and removing any backdoors or malware installed by attackers. The next step is recovery, which means restoring systems to their normal operations securely, and may require reinstating data from backups. Post-recovery, an in-depth analysis is essential to learn from the incident and strengthen the security posture to prevent similar attacks in the future.
Hackers use a variety of tactics such as phishing, malware, social engineering, and exploits to breach security measures. They often steal sensitive data like personal information, credit card numbers, and corporate secrets. Stolen information can be used for identity theft, financial fraud, or sold on the dark web. Despite strong security measures, some hacking attempts are successful due to sophisticated techniques or unpatched vulnerabilities. To reduce hacking, organizations deploy multi-layered security strategies, maintain up-to-date software, regularly educate employees on security best practices, and conduct periodic security audits and penetration tests.