Lesson 8: Explain Vulnerability Management Flashcards
What are examples of common OS vulnerabilities?
MS17-010 (Windows),
Stagefright (Android),
Heartbleed (Linux).
Why do EOL (End-of-Life) and legacy systems pose security risks?
Because they are still being used despite lacking updates or not receiving support.
What are examples of firmware vulnerabilities?
Meltdown, Spectre, and LoJax.
Meltdown: Exploits a flaw in how CPUs handle memory access, allowing a program to bypass security boundaries and access data from other processes and the operating system.
Spectre: Exploits speculative execution, a CPU optimization technique, to force a program to leak its own data or data from other processes.
LoJax: A malicious UEFI rootkit, a persistent piece of malware that can bypass security measures like Secure Boot and persist on a system even after anti-malware software is installed.
What are risks associated with virtualization vulnerabilities?
VM escape, resource reuse, and hypervisor exploits (e.g., “Cloudburst”).
What is a zero-day vulnerability?
A flaw in software or hardware that is unknown to the vendor or security community, meaning no patch or fix is available, making it immediately exploitable by attackers.
How do misconfigurations create security gaps?
Misconfigurations, or incorrect settings in systems and applications, create security gaps by exposing sensitive data, allowing unauthorized access which increases the attack surface, making it easier for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities.
Misconfigurations can be created by using Default Settings, or improper troubleshooting.
What are SQL Injection and Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)?
SQL Injection: Exploits unsecure query processing.
XSS: Allows scripts to execute with the same permissions as trusted sites.
What are examples of cloud-based attacks?
Exploiting misconfigurations or side-channel attacks.
Using cloud resources for cryptojacking or hosting malicious content.
What role do Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASBs) play?
They enforce policies to secure cloud usage.
What is a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)?
A detailed inventory of software components for transparency.
What tools aid in dependency monitoring?
Tools like OWASP Dependency-Check analyze third-party libraries.
What is vulnerability scanning used for?
Locating issues like missing patches and configuration errors.
Application-specific scanning identifies software vulnerabilities (e.g., XSS, SQLi).
What are examples of vulnerability scanning tools?
Nessus and OpenVAS.
What is the difference between credentialed and non-credentialed scans?
Credentialed scans: Use authentication to access system details.
Non-credentialed scans: Analyze vulnerabilities without authentication.
What is the role of threat feeds in vulnerability identification?
To provide real-time updates, providing insights into emerging threats.
They combines open-source and proprietary insights to enhance scanning tools.
What are key information sources for threat intelligence?
OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) for emerging vulnerabilities.
Deep and dark web counterintelligence for insights into threat actor behavior.
What factors are considered in vulnerability analysis?
Prioritization: considers severity and exploitation
Environmental: Industry regulations, IT infrastructure diversity, and threat landscape
Risk Tolerance: Align efforts with acceptable risk levels
How does risk tolerance impact vulnerability analysis?
It aligns efforts with acceptable levels of risk, prioritizing mitigation strategies based on organizational thresholds.
What are remediation practices for vulnerabilities?
Patching: addresses issues systematically across applications and devices.
Segmentation and Compensating Controls: Limits breach impact and establishes temporary safeguards.
Insurance: provides financial protection for cyber incidents.
What validation methods ensure effective remediation?
Re-Scanning: confirms fixes are effective.
Audits and Verification: ensure consistency and functionality.
What elements are included in vulnerability reporting?
Comprehensive reports clarify severity (via CVSS scores) and recommended mitigations.
Include potential impacts and actionable recommendations.
