Cybersecurity Module Flashcards
What is ethical hacking
Ethical hacking involves testing security of computer systems, networks, web applications
Tested by simulating attacks from malicious hackers to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in system or network, to help organisation strengthen its security
What is purpose of ethical hacking
Strengthen organisations security measures by identifying & resolving security weaknesses before they can be exploited by attackers
Forsee potential security threats, develop robust security protocols to prevent security breaches
Demonstrate to clients & stakeholders that organisation values data protection, committed to safeguarding information
What is penetration testing
Simulating attack on a specific part of organisation’s infrastructure such as network, application, device.
Deliberately try to exploit security vulnerabilities to see if unauthorised access or other malicious activities are possible
What is black box penetration testing
Tester has no prior knowledge of network infrastructure
What is grey box penetration testing
Tester has partial knowledge of network infrastructure
What is white box penetration testing
Tester has full knowledge of network infrastructure
What is process of penetration testing
1) Planning, Obtaining Info
2) Scanning, Gaining Access
3) Maintaining Access, Analysing Risk
4) Reporting Findings
What are properties of ethical hacking
Authorisation: Performed with permission under contract
Purpose: Intend to improve system security
Reporting: Results privately reported to organisation
What are properties of unethical hacking
No Authorisation: Performed Without permission, violates legal boundaries
Malicious Interest: Aims to steal, damage, disrupt operations
Misuse of Data: Exploit vulnerabilities, lead to theft, leaks, data damage
What is role of privacy act 1988
Regulates handling of personal information about individuals
Protects personal information handled by federal government agencies, certain private sector organisations
All Australian & Norfolk Island government agencies, private sector & not-for-profit organisations (> $3 million), all private health providers, small businesses
What is APP 1
Open and Transparent Management of Personal Information
What is concept of australian privacy principles
13 principles, outlines standards/rights/obligations for handling/accessing/correction of personal info
Provide the base framework for how personal data must be treated
What is APP 6
Use of Disclosure of Personal Information
What is APP 11
Security of Personal Information
What is authentication
Verify identity of users trying to access network resources
Authentication usually requires something the user knows (Password / Security Token / Biometrics)
What is characteristics of strong passwords in authentication
12-16 characters
Upper & Lower case, numbers, symbols
Avoid common words, phrases, easily guessable info
Different passwords every website
What is organisational approach to password policies in authentication
Change password every 3-6 months
Teach employees about importance
Use controls to ensure compliance with password policies
Regular checks ensure policies are followed & effective
What is password policies impact on data security in authentication
Strong policies minimise risk of data breaches
Encourage users to take responsibility for own security
Meet requirements for data protection
What is 2-factor authentication in authentication
Additional security layer, requires 2 forms of identification
Something you know, something you have
Reduces risk of unauthorised access
What is biometrics in authentication
Fingerprints, Face ID, Voice Recognition
Difficult to forge, high level of security
Potential errors in recognition systems
What is purpose of encryption
Protect data privacy
Ensure safe data transfer over internet
Data remains original & unaltered
Organisations comply with legal requirements
What is public key encryption
Public key to encrypt data, private key to decrypt it
What are features of public key encryption
Non-Symmetric: Public & Private key aren’t the same
Distribution: Public key can be shared, private key kept secret
Use Cases: Securing emails, authenticate digital signatures, establish secure connection
What is private key encryption
Same key for encryption & decryption
What are features of private key encryption
Symmetric: Public & Private key the same
Key Distribution Problem: Key shared securely between communicating parties
Encrypt large amounts of data efficiently
What is social engineering (phishing) as methods to compromise security of system
Trick individuals to revealing confidential information
Phishing - Sending fraud emails/messages, appear to be from trusted sources
What is denial of service as methods to compromise security of system
Overload system resources, make it unavailable to users
DDoS - Multiple systems attacking single target, amplify attack’s impact
What is back door as methods to compromise security of system
Pathway into system, bypass normal authentication methods
Intentionally created by developers, installed through malware
What is IP spoofing as methods to compromise security of system
Attacker sends message to computer with forged IP address
Pretends to be trusted host to gain unauthorised access to information/services
What is SQL injection as methods to compromise security of system
Exploits vulnerabilities in database layer of application
Attackers execute malicious SQL commands
What is man-in-the-middle attack as methods to compromise security of system
Attacker intercepts communications between two parties, modify data being exchanged
Impersonate one/both parties
Occur in unsecured Wi-Fi networks or compromised security certificates
What is cross-site scripting as methods to compromise security of system
Vulnerability in web apps that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into content viewed by others
Steal cookies, session tokens, other sensitive info
What is types of malware as methods to compromise security of system
Viruses, worms, trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware
Software designed to harm/exploit any programmable device or network
What is physical network threats as methods to compromise security of system
Physical damage to network infrastructure disrupts services
Physical access to network = Data theft, hardware tampering
- Theft of devices containing sensitive data
What is zero-day vulnerabilities as methods to compromise security of system
Flaws in software unknown to vendor, without patch
Valuable to attackers, can be exploited
Requires vigilance, prompt software updates to mitigate risks
What is cryptography
Securing communication of data through encryption, unreadable to unauthorised users
What is purpose of cryptography
Ensures confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, non-repudiation of information & communications
Used in banking, secure communications, password protection
What is plain text
Original message / data that is readable, understandable without any decoding
What is cipher text
Encrypted version of plain text, produced through cryptographic algorithms
Appears random, cannot be understood without correct decryption key
What is substitution as common ciphers
Replace elements of plain text with other characters, symbols, groups of characters
What is rotation cipher as substitution
Shifts alphabet by fixed number
What is random substitution cipher as substitution
Each letter of alphabet randomly linked to different letter or symbol
What is polyalphabetic cipher as substitution
Uses keyword to determine shift for each letter of plaintext
Every letter in keyword is the number of shifts of corresponding letter in plaintext
What is brute force attack as methods for cracking substitution ciphers
Try every possible key until correct one found
Impractical for ciphers with large number of possible keys
What is frequency analysis as methods for cracking substitution ciphers
Analyse frequency of letters/groups of letters in ciphertext
Compare to typical letter frequencies in language of original message
