Domain 2 : Explain various types of vulnerabilities Flashcards
Memory injection
These attacks involve the secret insertion of malicious code into a program’s memory space, allowing attackers to exploit vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access or execute arbitrary commands. Legitimate applications may be susceptible to exploitation and allow attackers to leverage vulnerabilities for unauthorized access, or the execution of arbitrary commands.
Buffer Overflow
A buffer overflow attack occurs when too much water is poured in, causing it to spill over and potentially damage the surrounding area. Similarly, attackers flood a program’s buffer with excessive data, which can overwrite adjacent memory spaces, disrupt program execution, and open doors for unauthorized access.
Race conditions
A race condition occurs when two instructions from separate threads attempt to access the same data simultaneously. Ideally, the developer should have programmed the threads to access the data in a sequential manner. To illustrate, consider a scenario where one person is viewing a file’s attributes, while, simultaneously, another person accesses the same file. This phenomenon is referred to as TOC/TOU.
Malicious update vulnerability
A malicious update vulnerability occurs when a seemingly legitimate software update contains hidden code or alterations crafted by malicious actors
SQLI
SQLI is a type of cyberattack that occurs when an attacker exploits vulnerabilities in a website or an application’s input fields to manipulate the SQL queries executed on the backend database.
Query Manipulation
If an application doesn’t properly validate or sanitize input, the malicious SQL code becomes a part of the query executed on a database
Stored Procedure
A stored procedure is a database object that encapsulates a sequence of SQL statements. These statements can perform a variety of operations, including data manipulation, queries, and transactions. Stored procedures are stored in the database and can be invoked from applications or other database objects.
Input validation
Validate and sanitize all user inputs before using them in SQL queries. Use parameterized queries or prepared statements, which automatically handle input sanitization.
XSS
XSS represents a significant security concern in web applications due to its potential for malicious code injection, executed in the context of a victim’s browser. This can lead to the compromise of user data, session hijacking, and even the defacement of websites. XSS can use the HTML tags and can include JavaScript in between, which can be identified with a .js extension.
Firmware
Firmware acts as the bridge between hardware and software, controlling the low-level operations of a device
VM escape
While virtualization is designed to isolate VMs, the hypervisor (that is, the essential software managing these VMs) introduces an unexpected challenge. It can unintentionally create a path for lateral movement, known as moving east to west, and enable potential attackers to move from a secluded VM to the host system or other interconnected VMs
Resource reuse
While resource sharing is a key advantage of virtualization, improper allocation and management of resources can lead to resource contention and performance issues. If resources such as disks are not properly sanitized before reuse, then sensitive data might be placed on the new VM
VM sprawl
VM sprawl refers to the uncontrolled and excessive creation of VMs within a virtualized environment, leading to management challenges, increased resource consumption, and potential security vulnerabilities.
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
CASB enforces a company’s security policies, bridging the gap between on-premises infrastructure and the dynamic cloud environment. Unlike traditional group policies, the cloud lacks a unified governing mechanism. CASB assumes the crucial role of overseeing all cloud clients, ensuring their security and that all devices are patched. They have visibility across all of the platforms.
Side-channel attacks
Cryptographic operations can inadvertently leak information through side-channels such as power consumption, timing, or electromagnetic radiation. Attackers skilled in exploiting these subtle indicators can compromise encryption keys or data.
