Com 520 Written Assignment 3project Scenarioalways Fresh Foods Inc Is ✓ Solved

COM-520 Written Assignment 3 Project Scenario Always Fresh Foods Inc. is a food distributor with a central headquarters and main warehouse in Colorado, as well as two regional warehouses in Nevada and Virginia. The company runs Microsoft Windows 2019 on its servers and Microsoft Windows 10 on its workstations. There are 2 database servers, 4 application servers, 2 web servers, and 25 workstation computers in the headquarters offices and main warehouse. The network uses workgroups, and users are created locally on each computer. Employees from the regional warehouses connect to the Colorado network via a virtual private network (VPN) connection.

Due to a recent security breach, Always Fresh wants to increase the overall security of its network and systems. They have chosen to use a solid multilayered defense to reduce the likelihood that an attacker will successfully compromise the company’s information security. Multiple layers of defense throughout the IT infrastructure makes the process of compromising any protected resource or data more difficult than any single security control. In this way, Always Fresh protects its business by protecting its information. Project Part 3: Malware Protection Procedure Guide Scenario Always Fresh allows external users, such as vendors and business partners, to access the Always Fresh Windows environment.

You have noticed a marked increase in malware activity in the test environment that seems to originate from external users. After researching the likely source of new malware, you conclude that allowing external users to connect to your environment using compromised computers exposes Always Fresh to malware vulnerabilities. After consulting with your manager, you are asked to create a policy that will ensure all external computers that connect to Always Fresh environment are malware free. You create the following policy: “To protect the Always Fresh computing environment from the introduction of malware of any type from external sources, all external computers and devices must demonstrate that they are malware free prior to establishing a connection to any Always Fresh resource.†Consider the following questions: 1.

What does “malware free†mean? 2. How can a user demonstrate that their computer or device is malware free? 3. What are the steps necessary to establish a malware-free computer or device?

4. How should Always Fresh verify that a client computer or device is compliant? Tasks Create a malware protection procedure guide that includes steps for installing and running anti-malware software. Fill in the following details to develop your procedure guide: 1. Provide a list of approved anti-malware software solutions—include at least three leading antivirus and two anti-spyware products.

You may include Microsoft products and third-party products. Instruct users to select one antivirus and one anti-spyware product and install them on their computer. 2. Describe the process of: a. Ensuring anti-malware software and data is up to date.

Mandate daily updates. b. Running regular malware scans. Mandate that automatic scans occur whenever the computer is idle. If that setting is unavailable, mandate daily fast scans and biweekly complete scans. 3.

Provide steps to follow any time malware is detected. a. Immediate reaction—what to do with current work, leave the computer on or turn it off b. Who to contact c. What information to collect The procedure guide may be used by company security professionals in the future. Hence, all steps listed should be clear and self-explanatory. Required Resources  Internet access  Course textbook Submission Requirements  Format: Microsoft Word (no PDF)  Font: Arial, size 12, double-space  Citation Style: APA format  Length: 2 to 3 pages Self-Assessment Checklist  I created a procedure guide that provides clear instructions that anyone with a basic technical knowledge base can follow.  I created a well-developed and formatted procedure guide with proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.  I followed the submission guidelines.

Paper for above instructions

Always Fresh Foods Inc.

Introduction

As technology evolves, so does the sophistication of malware threats. To protect the Always Fresh computing environment from malware introduced by external sources, all devices connecting to our network must be verified as malware-free. This guide outlines the steps necessary to ensure that external computers or devices comply with the defined malware-free policy.
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1. Definition of “Malware Free”

“Malware free” refers to a state in which a computer or device is not infected with malicious software, including viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, and any other harmful programs. A "malware-free" system should have no evidence of any known malware infections and must employ protective measures against potential threats (Symantec, 2023).

2. Demonstrating Malware Freedom

To demonstrate that a computer or device is malware free, users must take the following steps:
- Install approved anti-malware software.
- Regularly update the software and its databases.
- Perform scheduled malware scans and ensure that no malware has been detected.
- Maintain records of scans and updates to certify compliance.

3. Steps to Establish a Malware-Free Computer or Device

To ensure that a computer or device is malware free, users should implement the following steps:
1. Approved Anti-Malware Software Installation
- Users must install at least one antivirus and one anti-spyware product from the list below:
- Antivirus Solutions:
1. Norton Antivirus
2. McAfee Total Protection
3. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
- Anti-Spyware Solutions:
1. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
2. Spybot Search & Destroy
2. Update Anti-Malware Software
- Users must ensure that their anti-malware software is updated daily.
- Enable automatic updates if available.
- Users must manually check for updates if automatic updating is unavailable.
3. Regular Malware Scans
- Configure the software to run:
- Automatic scans when the computer is idle.
- Daily fast scans if automatic idle scans are not available.
- Complete scans biweekly to ensure comprehensive detection.

4. Verifying Malware Compliance

Always Fresh should implement the following measures to verify that external devices are complying with the malware-free policy:
1. Pre-connection Verification
- Require users to provide proof of malware scans and updates before establishing a VPN connection.
- Users should submit recent scan logs showing no malware detected.
2. Audit Mechanism
- Conduct periodic audits of devices accessing the network to ensure compliance.
- Use network monitoring tools to analyze connections and alert on suspicious activities.
3. Centralized Reporting
- Establish a centralized system for reporting and documenting malware detection and compliance status.
- Each external user's device should maintain a compliance record submitted to the IT department (Kaspersky, 2023).

Troubleshooting Malware Detection

In the event that malware is detected, users should follow the outlined procedures:
1. Immediate Reaction
- Current Work: Cease all work immediately to prevent further compromise.
- Device Action: Leave the computer powered on and connected to the network to allow for assessment by IT professionals.
2. Contact IT Support
- Users should contact the Always Fresh IT department following established communication protocols (e.g., call the IT helpdesk or submit a ticket electronically).
- Provide clear information about the detected threats, including timestamps and symptoms experienced.
3. Information Collection
- Users must gather the following information for the IT team:
- Logs from the anti-malware software detailing the detection event.
- Any noticeable changes in computer behavior prior to detection.
- Screenshots, if possible, of any alerts, warnings, or symptoms of malware presence.

Conclusion

Implementing this malware protection procedure guide is essential for maintaining the security of the Always Fresh network. Adhering to these measures will help ensure that external devices comply with the company’s malware-free policy, thereby safeguarding sensitive information and reducing vulnerabilities.
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References

1. Symantec. (2023). What is Malware? Retrieved from https://www.symantec.com/security-center/threat-report
2. Kaspersky. (2023). What is Malware? Retrieved from https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/threats/malware
3. Bitdefender. (2023). Malware – What Is It? Retrieved from https://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/malware.html
4. Norton. (2023). The Importance of Having Antivirus Software. Retrieved from https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity/antivirus/what-is-antivirus-software.html
5. McAfee. (2023). How to Protect Yourself from Malware. Retrieved from https://www.mcafee.com/en-us/security-awareness/protect-from-malware.html
6. Malwarebytes. (2023). How Malware Works. Retrieved from https://www.malwarebytes.com/malware/
7. Microsoft. (2022). Windows Defender Antivirus. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-defender-antivirus-help-e5f54e57-69dc-8658-2e45-e747c7552d79
8. Spybot. (2023). How to Remove Spyware and Adware. Retrieved from https://www.safer-networking.org/
9. Trend Micro. (2023). How to Safeguard Your Business from Malware Attacks. Retrieved from https://www.trendmicro.com/business/products
10. Sophos. (2023). What is Malware? Retrieved from https://www.sophos.com/en-us/medialibrary/PDFs/whitepapers/sophos-primer-malware.pdf
This guide should equip users with clear instructions and steps necessary to maintain a malware-free environment while protecting the integrity of Always Fresh Foods Inc.’s IT infrastructure.