Unit 1 - Intro to Security Flashcards
A user copies files from her desktop computer to a USB flash device and puts the device into her pocket. Which of the following security risks is most pressing?
Integrity
Non-repudiation
Availability
Confidentiality
Confidentiality
Confidentiality ensures that data is not disclosed to unintended persons. Removable media poses a big threat to confidentiality because it makes it easy to remove data and share it with unauthorized users.
Availability ensures that data is available when it is needed. Copying files to a server that includes malware could threaten the data’s availability if the malware deletes or corrupts the data.
Integrity ensures that data is not modified or tampered with.
Non-repudiation provides validation of a message’s origin.
Which of the following BEST describes a cyber terrorist?
Exploits internal vulnerabilities to steal information
Desires some kind of financial reward or revenge
Disrupts network-dependent institutions
Downloads and runs attacks available on the internet
Disrupts network-dependent institutions
Cyber terrorists generally use the internet to carry out terrorist activities such as disrupting network-dependent institutions.
Downloading and running attacks available on the internet is usually a script kiddie activity.
Cybercriminals are after some kind of financial reward or revenge.
A spy applies for a job with a commercial competitor and then exploits internal vulnerabilities to steal information.
Your computer system is a participant in an asymmetric cryptography system. You’ve created a message to send to another user. Before transmission, you hash the message and encrypt the hash using your private key. You then attach this encrypted hash to your message as a digital signature before sending it to the other user.
In this example, which protection does the hashing activity provide?
Confidentiality
Availability
Integrity
Non-repudiation
Integrity
Hashing of any sort, including within a digital signature, provides data integrity.
Signing the message with the private key creates non-repudiation.
A digital signature activity, as a whole, does not provide protection for confidentiality because the original message is sent in cleartext.
No form of cryptography provides protection for availability.
Which of the following is an example of an internal threat?
A server backdoor allows an attacker on the internet to gain access to the intranet site.
A user accidentally deletes the new product designs.
A water pipe in the server room breaks.
A delivery man is able to walk into a controlled area and steal a laptop.
A user accidentally deletes the new product designs.
Internal threats are intentional or accidental acts by employees, including:
Malicious acts such as theft, fraud, or sabotage
Intentional or unintentional actions that destroy or alter data
Disclosing sensitive information through snooping or espionage
External threats are events that originate outside of the organization. They typically focus on compromising the organization’s information assets. Examples of external threats include hackers, fraud perpetrators, and viruses.
Natural events are events that may reasonably be expected to occur over time, such as a fire or a broken water pipe.
By definition, which security concept uses the ability to prove that a sender undeniably sent an encrypted message?
Privacy
Authentication
Integrity
Non-repudiation
Non-repudiation
Explanation
The ability to prove that a sender undeniably sent a message is known as non-repudiation. By various mechanisms in different cryptographic solutions, you can prove that only the sender would be able to have initiated a certain communication. Therefore, the sender cannot repute that they originated a message.
Integrity is protection against alteration. Authentication is the assignment of access privileges to users.
Privacy is the protection and confidentiality of personal information.
Which of the following includes all hardware and software necessary to secure data, such as firewalls and antivirus software?
Users and administrators
Assets
Policies
Physical security
Assets
Explanation
Physical security includes all hardware and software necessary to secure data, such as firewalls and antivirus software.
Users and administrators are the people who use the software and the people who manage the software, respectively.
Policies are the rules an organization implements to protect information.
An asset is something that has value to a person or organization, such as sensitive information in a database.
Policies, procedures, and awareness
Policies, procedures, and awareness:
User education; manageable network plans; and employee onboarding and off-boarding procedures.
Physical
Physical:
Fences, door locks, mantraps, turnstiles, device locks, server cages, cameras, motion detectors, and environmental controls.
Perimeter
Perimeter:
Firewalls using ACLs and securing the wireless network.
Network
Network:
The installation and configuration of switches and routers; implementation of VLANs; penetration testing; and virtualization use.
Host
Host:
Log management, OS hardening, patch implementation, patch management, auditing, anti-malware, and password attack prevention on each workstation, laptop, and mobile device.
Application
Application:
Authentication and authorization, user management, group policies, and web application security.
Data
Data:
Storing data properly, destroying data, classifying data, cryptography, and data transmission security.
The Application layer of the security model includes which of the following? (Select two.)
User management
Web application security
Environmental controls
User education
Log management
User management
Web application security
The Application layer includes user management and web application security.
The Policies, Procedures, and Awareness layer includes user education.
The Physical layer includes environmental controls.
The Host layer includes log management.
When training your employees on how to identify various attacks, which of the following policies should you be sure to have and enforce? (Select two.)
Group policies
Password policies
Clean desk policies
Usage policies
Encryption policies
Password policies
Clean desk policies
Be sure to have an effective password policy and clean desk policy in place, and don’t forget to enforce them. Be sure to train your employees on how to identify all the various attacks that could target them. Train them on how to spot suspicious emails, instant messages, downloads, attachments, and websites.
Encryption policies should protect you in the event you experience a physical security breach. For example, if a hard drive were stolen, the thief wouldn’t be able to access the information stored on it.
An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) determines the rules for using a website or internet service.
You can use Windows group policies to administer your Windows systems.
