Computer Forensics JumpStart, Second Edition

Picking the Low-Hanging Fruit

The concept of low-hanging fruit comes from the idea that it is easier to go after information that is readily available than to dig for deeply rooted information. Cybercriminals may walk away from a system that is too hard to break or takes too long to get into. In some instances, grabbing the low-hanging fruit for the cybercriminal may be nothing more than choosing the easiest part of the system to deal with at the time.

The cybersecurity field is rife with low-hanging fruit. When a company doesn’t install patches for operating systems, or enforce sound password and logoff policies, it leaves its systems vulnerable to attack. Some people (generally those with less than honorable intentions) believe that if you ...