Controlling user access with scripting to mitigate cyber-attacks

• Published in: Scientific African Vol. 26; p. e02355
• Main Authors: Nyarko-Boateng, Owusu, Nti, Isaac Kofi, Mensah, Anastasia Akyamaa, Gyamfi, Emmanuel Kojo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.12.2024; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cyber threat mitigation and attack surface reduction; Cybersecurity automation; Linux scripting; User access control; Cyber threat mitigation and attack surface reduction; Cybersecurity automation; User access control; Linux scripting
• ISSN: 2468-2276; 2468-2276
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sciaf.2024.e02355

With the growing threats in the dynamic digital landscape, organizations are grappling with the difficult task of managing cyber-attacks by restricting user accessibility to most communication systems. This study aimed to develop a Linux script as a proactive response to the growing of cyber-attacks in organizational settings to prevent attacking vectors based on user negligence. The primary objective was to devise inventive solutions through script automation to restrict user access to the organizational network within predefined time frames, thereby mitigating potential cyber threats. The criteria used to define predefined time frames for user access, include the restriction of users on off duty times, The scripting seeks to address cyber-attacks targeted such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection. To achieve the goal of this paper, the necessary steps and logic required to develop the scripts were taken. For instance, there are several suitable languages such as Bash, Python, or Perl, that can be used to write script. The paper selected Bash because it excels at scripting existing command-line tools and utilities, making it a great choice for automating tasks by using Vim text editor tool. The final scripts were run, some errors were identified, and modified as needed to ensure it worked correctly. This phase was necessary to improve the script's performance, readability, and maintainability by refining code, using efficient algorithms, by incorporating best practices. Finally, the various user inputs and scenarios were deployed to put the script into production for user access management. The adopted script metrics deployed such as Script Execution Time, Resources Utilization, Success Rate and Error Rate helped in evaluating the performance, efficiency, and effectiveness of the scripts. The implementation of the script achieved an executive time of 0.032 s, success rate was 1 and error rate was 0. The practical implementation in organizations can be scaled up or down depending on the organization's size and infrastructure. The compatibility of the developed Linux script with different operating systems, hardware platforms and network architectures will have no impact in adapting to various organizational environments. The script did not show any challenges, but real-world deployment may exhibit some potential challenges and limitations that may be associated with implementing the solution, such as resource constraints and legacy system compatibility.