Cybersecurity Concepts Overview

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Questions and Answers

Which three methods are effective in ensuring system availability?

Equipment maintenance (correct)

Quality assurance testing

System backups (correct)

Up-to-date operating systems

System resiliency (correct)

Fire extinguishers

Which two signs commonly indicate that an email is spam?

The email has no subject line. (correct)

The email includes multiple spelling mistakes. (correct)

The email has excessive promotional content.

The email is from a work colleague.

The email discusses a recent purchase.

The email is from a known contact.

What term refers to a phishing attack aimed at a specific individual?

Vishing

Spoofing

Spear phishing (correct)

Whaling

What does a rootkit typically alter to create unauthorized access?

Operating system Signup and view all the answers

Which term describes deceptive SMS messages designed to lure users to a harmful website?

Smishing Signup and view all the answers

What code allows unauthorized users to bypass normal authentication mechanisms?

Backdoor Signup and view all the answers

Which three components are essential in AAA security framework?

Authorization Signup and view all the answers

Which option is NOT a common characteristic of spam emails?

The email is personalized with the recipient's name. Signup and view all the answers

What is the technique called when letters are rearranged to create ciphertext?

Transposition Signup and view all the answers

Which encryption algorithm is recognized by the US government for safeguarding classified information?

AES Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the process of replacing sensitive information with a non-sensitive version?

Masking Signup and view all the answers

Which type of cipher encrypts fixed-length blocks of plaintext into blocks of ciphertext?

Block Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following accurately describes social steganography?

Creating a message with dual meanings Signup and view all the answers

What does steganalysis involve?

Detecting hidden information Signup and view all the answers

Which terms are associated with the technology that makes messages harder to understand?

Obfuscation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a feature of a one-time pad?

Is unbreakable with the right key Signup and view all the answers

Which three items are considered physical access controls?

Video cameras Signup and view all the answers

Which three scenarios can utilize a hashing function?

PPoE Signup and view all the answers

What should a user do to ensure a program is not altered during download?

Create a hash of the program file Signup and view all the answers

What measure can ensure the sender of an email cannot deny sending it?

Digital signature Signup and view all the answers

Which three algorithms are NIST-approved for digital signatures?

RSA Signup and view all the answers

If Alice and Bob use the same password, what will their password hashes be?

The same, since the input value is identical Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a function of physical access controls?

Monitor network traffic Signup and view all the answers

Which of these options could jeopardize the integrity of a program file during distribution?

Using unverified download links Signup and view all the answers

What could be a reason for different password hash values between two systems?

Both systems scramble the passwords before hashing. Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of a data integrity control implemented during data entry?

A validation rule ensuring completeness and accuracy of data. Signup and view all the answers

Which technology should be used to ensure an encrypted connection and authenticate a website?

Digital certificate Signup and view all the answers

What key technology is necessary for verifying the identity of customers during electronic transactions?

Public key infrastructure Signup and view all the answers

What security measure helps prevent unauthorized data entry by limiting input types?

Implementation of a limitation rule for data fields Signup and view all the answers

Why might hashing and salting be used together in password security?

To enhance password protection against rainbow table attacks. Signup and view all the answers

How does data entry control enhance data integrity in organizations?

By limiting the range of data entry to qualified personnel. Signup and view all the answers

What is one disadvantage of using a hashing algorithm that is not secure for storing passwords?

It can lead to the exposure of plaintext passwords. Signup and view all the answers

What term describes hackers who operate outside the law but may not necessarily intend to cause harm?

Gray hat hackers Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an early warning system that can help identify cyberattacks?

Honeynet project Signup and view all the answers

Which technology is used to ensure that a device is equipped with the latest antivirus before connecting to a network?

NAC Signup and view all the answers

What type of data is maintained primarily by NAS and SAN technologies?

Stored data Signup and view all the answers

Which technology is specifically designed to protect data confidentiality?

Encryption Signup and view all the answers

What type of impersonation attack typically exploits a trusted relationship between two systems?

Spoofing Signup and view all the answers

Which type of malware is likely to cause slow network performance after downloading a suspicious application?

Virus Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for when data exceeds the memory areas assigned to an application?

Buffer overflow Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Authentication, Authorization and Accountability

AAA stands for Authentication, Authorization, and Accountability
Authentication verifies a user’s identity
Authorization grants access based on verified identity
Accountability tracks all user actions

System Availability

System backups prevent data loss
System resiliency ensures system uptime in case of failure
Equipment maintenance optimizes system performance

Spam

Spam is unsolicited electronic messages, often advertising
Spam is used to spread malware
Spam often contains misspelled words or punctuation errors
Spam has keywords in it and may target a specific person or institution (spear phishing)

Phishing

Phishing is a deceptive attempt to acquire sensitive information
Spear phishing targets specific individuals or organizations
Smishing is phishing through SMS messages

Rootkits

Rootkits are programs that modify operating systems to bypass authentication

Backdoors

Backdoors bypass normal authentication mechanisms
Backdoors are often implemented by criminals

Multi-factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication uses two or more verification methods
Methods may include something you have (physical token), something you know (password) and something you are (biometrics)

Ciphertext

Transposition ciphers rearrange letters
Substitution ciphers replace letters
One-time pads combine plaintext with a key to create ciphertext

AES Encryption

The US government uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) to protect classified information
AES is a strong block cipher algorithm with 128-bit blocks
AES uses longer key lengths than other ciphers

Steganography

Steganography is the practice of hiding data within other data
Steganography can use audio, image, or text files to conceal data

Data Masking

Data masking replaces sensitive information with nonsensitive data
This helps protect sensitive information without losing data functionality

Block Ciphers

Block ciphers operate on fixed-length blocks of plaintext
Block ciphers encrypt a block of plaintext into a block of ciphertext
The same key is used in reverse to decrypt the ciphertext

Physical Access Controls

Physical access controls are physical measures that restrict access
Examples include locks, swipe cards, video cameras, and fences

Hashing

Hashing creates a unique fingerprint for a file or data
Hashing is used to verify data integrity
Hashing ensures the data is not altered
Hashing can be used in IPsec, PPP CHAP, and PKI certificates

Digital Signatures

Digital signatures ensure authenticity and non-repudiation
Digital signatures use cryptographic techniques to verify the sender's identity
NIST approved digital signature algorithms include DSA, ECDSA, and RSA

Hashing and Salting

Hashing generates a unique identifier from input data
Salting adds random data to the input before hashing
Salting makes it more difficult to crack passwords

Data Integrity

Data integrity ensures data is accurate, complete, and consistent
Data integrity can be achieved through validation rules, limitations, and encryption

Digital Certificates

Digital certificates verify the identity of an organization or website
Digital certificates provide an encrypted connection between the client and website

Hacker Classifications

Black hat hackers engage in illegal activities
Gray hat hackers operate in a gray area between legal and illegal
Script kiddies exploit existing vulnerabilities
White hat hackers work ethically to improve security

Early Warning Systems

Early warning systems detect and respond to cyberattacks
Examples include Infragard, honeynet projects, and the CVE database

Network Access Control (NAC)

NAC enforces security policy by checking device compliance before network access
NAC ensures devices meet security standards

Network-Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN)

NAS and SAN store data, but NAS uses a single storage device
SAN uses multiple devices, allowing for more complex configurations

Encryption

Encryption transforms data into an unreadable format
Encryption protects confidentiality
Encryption uses cryptographic algorithms

Impersonation Attacks

Impersonation attacks exploit trusted relationships
Spoofing attacks mimic a legitimate system or user
Spoofing can involve MAC addresses, IP addresses, or ARP relationships

Malware

Malware is malicious software that can harm systems and data
Viruses infect files and spread through shared files
Worms replicate autonomously
Phishing attempts to trick users into providing sensitive information
Spam is unsolicited electronic messages, often used for advertising

Buffer Overflow Attacks

Buffer overflow attacks target applications
Attacks exploit vulnerabilities by exceeding allocated memory
This can cause crashes, data corruption, or provide attackers access to the system

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Description

This quiz covers essential cybersecurity principles, including Authentication, Authorization, Accountability, system availability, spam, phishing, and rootkits. You'll test your knowledge on how these concepts work together to protect information and systems. Perfect for anyone looking to enhance their understanding of cybersecurity.