Chapter 19 Flashcards
Which of the following factors is thought to have been at work during the Target security breach?
Notifications from security software were ignored.
Target’s security software could have automatically deleted detected malware, but this function was turned off, Malicious code was disguised by using the name of a legitimate software product, The database for credit card transactions wasn’t sufficiently isolated from other parts of the system; Security software notification went off shortly after unauthorized software began collecting data inside Target’s network, but Target ignored the warning. While the area where credit card transactions are processed is supposed to be walled off from other areas of the Target network, hackers found holes and eventually nestled their code in a sweet spot for grabbing customer data, disguising the code with the label “BladeLogic” the name of a legitimate data center management product. The firm’s security software has an option to automatically delete malware as it’s detected but Target’s security team had turned that function off.
Although the attack on Target was one of the largest credit card breaches in U.S. business history, the software that executed the attack was not considered to be especially sophisticated. (T/F)
True; The malware used to breach Target was described by one security expert as “absolutely unsophisticated and uninteresting.”
Which of the following is a valid observation regarding information security?
Information security isn’t just a technology problem; Information security isn’t just a technology problem; a host of personnel and procedural factors can create and amplify a firm’s vulnerability.
_____ are hordes of surreptitiously infiltrated computers linked and controlled remotely, and are also known as zombie networks.
Botnets; Botnets of zombie computers are networks of infiltrated and compromised machines controlled by a central command and are used for all sorts of nefarious activities.
An attack in which a firm’s computer systems are flooded with thousands of seemingly legitimate requests, the sheer volume of which will slow or shut down the site, is known as:
distributed denial of service; DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks involve effectively shutting down websites by overwhelming them with a crushing load of seemingly legitimate requests sent simultaneously by thousands of machines
_____ refer to protesters seeking to make a political point by leveraging technology tools, often through system infiltration, defacement, or damage.
Hacktivists; Hacktivists are protesters seeking to make a political point by leveraging technology tools, often through system infiltration, defacement, or damage. They target firms, Web sites, or even users as a protest measure.
Stuxnet showed that with computers at the heart of so many systems, it’s now possible to destroy critical infrastructure without firing a shot.
True; Stuxnet showed that with computers at the heart of so many systems, it’s now possible to destroy critical infrastructure without firing a shot.
Stuxnet is an act of cyberwarfare which is suspected to have been launched by either U.S. or Israeli intelligence (or both).
Stuxnet infiltrated Iranian nuclear facilities and reprogramed the industrial control software operating hundreds of uranium-enriching centrifuges.
Edward Snowden is:
a U.S. government contractor thought whistle-blower by many, who released (in violation of U.S. law) secret documents exposing state-run surveillance networks; Former CIA employee and NSA contractor, Edward Snowden, gathered over 1.7 million digital documents from U.S., British, and Australian agencies and began leaking them to the press. The Snowden disclosures revealed that several U.S. government agencies, including the NSA and FBI, had data-monitoring efforts far more pervasive than many realized.
Why have U.S. technology firms complained that U.S. government surveillance techniques put them at a disadvantage relative to foreign firms?
U.S. firms complain that the actions of surveillance agencies have put them at a disadvantage by damaging their reputation; U.S. technology firms have complained that the actions of surveillance agencies have put them at a disadvantage, with customers looking for alternatives free of the tarnished perception of having (complicity or unwittingly) provided private information to authorities.
A white hat hacker looks for weaknesses in security mechanisms, with a view to help plug the holes that might be exploited by cyber-criminals. (T/F)
True; White hats are the good guys who probe for weaknesses, but don’t exploit them. Instead, they share their knowledge in hopes that the holes they’ve found will be plugged and security will be improved. Many firms hire consultants to conduct “white hat” hacking expeditions on their own assets as part of their auditing and security process. “Black hats” are the bad guys.
Con games that trick employees into revealing information or performing other tasks that compromise a firm are known as _____ in security circles.
social engineering; Con games that trick employees into revealing information or performing other tasks that compromise a firm are known as social engineering in security circles.
Cons executed through technology and that often try to leverage the reputation of a trusted firm or friend to trick the victim into performing an action or revealing information constitute:
phishing; Phishing refers to cons executed through technology. Many have masqueraded as a security alert from a bank or e-commerce site, a message from an employer, or even a notice from the government. Sophisticated con artists will lift logos, mimic standard layouts, and copy official language from legitimate websites or prior e-mails.
The term _____________ refers to forging or disguising the origin or identity.
spoof; Spoofed is a term used in security to refer to forging or disguising the origin or identity. It’s possible that the e-mail address has been spoofed (faked) or that it was sent via a colleague’s compromised account.
Two-factor or multi-factor authentication systems can slow consumers down, leading to consumer annoyance and dissatisfaction. (T/F)
True; For most consumer applications, slowing down users with a two-factor or multi-factor authentication system would be an impractical mandate.
The phrase __________________ refers to security schemes that automatically send one-time use representations of a credit card which can be received and processed by banking and transaction firms at the time of payment. They are used in Apple Pay and Android Pay.
tokenization; A scheme called tokenization sends one-time use representations of a credit card over the Internet. While these tokens will buy your stuff, if stolen then can’t be reused by bad guys.
