Section 18.167 Hardware Vulnerabilities Flashcards
Objectives 2.2 Explain common threat vectors and attack strategies. Objectives 2.3 Explain various types of vulnerabilities Objectives 2.4 Given a scenario, you must be able to analyse indicators of malicious activity. Objectives 2.5 Explain the purpose of mitigation techniques used to secure the enterprise. Objectives 2.6 Given a scenario, you must be able to apply common security techniques to computing resources.
Hardware Vulnerabilities
Security flaws or weaknesses in a device’s physical components or design that can be exploited to compromise system integrity, confidentiality, or availability of the system and its data
Types of Hardware Vulnerabilities
Firmware Vulnerabilities
Specialised software stored on hardware devices like a router or a smart thermostat that provides low level control for the devices specific hardware
● Can grant attackers full control, leading to unauthorized access or takeover
● Vulnerabilities due to insecure development, outdated practices, and overlooked updates
Types of Hardware Vulnerabilities: End-of-Life, Legacy & Unsupported sys
End-of-Life Systems
No updates or support from the manufacturer
Vulnerable due to the lack of patching and updates
End-of-Life, Legacy, and Unsupported Systems
Legacy
Outdated and superseded by newer alternatives
Vulnerable due to the lack of patching and updates
End-of-Life, Legacy, and Unsupported Systems
Unsupported
No official support, security updates, or patches
Vulnerable due to the lack of patching and updates
Types of Hardware Vulnerabilities
Unpatched Systems
Device, application or piece of software that not been updated with the latest security patches so that it remians vulnerable to known exploits and attacks
● Risk from oversight, negligence, or challenges in updating
Types of Hardware Vulnerabilities
Hardware Misconfigurations
Occurs when a devices settings, parameters or options are not optimally set up. This can cause vulnerabilitites to exist, decrease in peformance or unintended behaviour of systems and devices
● Caused by oversight, lack of understanding, or deployment errors
Mitigation Strategies
Hardening
Tighten security by closing unnecessary ports, disabling services, and setting permissions
Mitigation Strategies
Patching
Regular updates to fix known vulnerabilities in software, firmware, and applications
Mitigation Strategies
Configuration Enforcement
Ensure devices adhere to secure configurations
Mitigation Strategies
Decommissioning
Retire end-of-life or legacy systems posing security risks
Mitigation Strategies
Isolation
Isolate vulnerable systems from the enterprise network
Mitigation Strategies
Segmentation
Divide the network into segments to limit the impact of breaches
