Cybersecurity Policies and Compliance Overview

Questions and Answers

What does the PEP communicate with to enforce the IAM policy of least privilege?

The PDP (correct)

The user device

The policy engine

The access request portal

Which factor does NOT impact the level of access granted to a subject?

Network speed (correct)

Environmental factors

Device used for access

User identity privileges

What is the main requirement for access as per the enhanced identity governance approach?

Type of resource requested

Access privileges of the given entity (correct)

User's device specifications

User's geographic location

Which of the following processes validates the device actively in context?

Creation of an mTLS session Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant requirement of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) regarding access policies?

Policies should be frequently reviewed to align with evolving IT environments. Signup and view all the answers

In an IEEE 802.1x implementation, what auth method is utilized for network access?

LDAP with network access control Signup and view all the answers

How does continuous monitoring affect policy management in ZTA?

It ensures alignment of policy definitions with enforcement measures. Signup and view all the answers

What is created after MFA is successfully executed?

A mutual transport layer security session Signup and view all the answers

What role do policies play in organizational compliance under ZTA?

They help in translating organizational goals into actionable security rules. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about the PEP's role is true regarding access control?

PEP enforces IAM policies by validating access requests. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of micro-segmentation strategies in access control?

To evaluate the user's trustworthiness before granting access. Signup and view all the answers

What does frequent validation contribute to in the context of IAM policy?

Enhancing the effectiveness of access control Signup and view all the answers

In the context of ZTA, what is meant by fine-grained authorization mechanisms?

Access controls applied to each individual resource based on specific criteria. Signup and view all the answers

What type of compliance does ZTA enable organizations to maintain?

A strong compliance posture for external and internal requirements. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes how actions are handled if malicious behavior is detected?

Different handling procedures are initiated based on specific actions. Signup and view all the answers

Why is logging actions to a SIEM platform important in ZTA?

It provides a pathway for real-time policy access decisions. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of the Policy Decision Point (PDP) in a Zero Trust Architecture?

To collect, analyze, and transform data into intelligence and rules. Signup and view all the answers

Which component acts as a gateway to ensure access to resources is granted correctly?

Policy Enforcement Point (PEP) Signup and view all the answers

How do data sources contribute to the Zero Trust Architecture's policy management?

By feeding data into the PDP to keep rules updated. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main function of the Policy Enforcement Point (PEP)?

To enforce the access rules as determined by the PDP. Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the NIST ZTA, what is the interaction between the PDP and PEP?

PDP determines rules and communicates them to the PEP for enforcement. Signup and view all the answers

Which element is part of the Policy Decision Point (PDP)?

Policy Administrator Signup and view all the answers

What indicates the role of the Policy Engine (PE) within the PDP?

It transforms intelligence into actionable rules. Signup and view all the answers

Which deployment aspect is essential for the applicability of access control components in Zero Trust Architecture?

Use cases and deployment models. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

User Behavior Monitoring

Malicious user actions are logged in a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platform.
Actions processed by analytics and forwarded to a Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) platform for real-time policy decisions.

Compliance Improvement through Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)

ZTA mandates frequent access policy reviews, ensuring alignment with evolving IT environments.
Policies are essential for security governance, interpreting organizational goals into actionable security rules.
Compliance with both external regulations and internal company policies is enhanced by strict access controls.
Continuous monitoring allows ongoing alignment of policy definitions with enforcement measures for better compliance.

Micro-segmentation and Access Control

Micro-segmentation enforces fine-grained authorization for each resource, assessing the user’s trustworthiness before granting access.
Access levels are dictated by policies based on user attributes, the requesting device, and user behavior.
Policy Enforcement Point (PEP) supports the principle of least privilege by enforcing Identity and Access Management (IAM) policies.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is commonly employed prior to establishing secure transport layer sessions (mTLS) for data transfers.

Identity Governance and Access Management

Enhanced identity governance establishes enterprise access policies based on user identity and attributes.
Access requirements include not only identity privileges but also device status and environmental factors.
Authentication processes involve user credentials validating the device, which then authenticates to the network and accesses resources through a policy engine.

Components of Zero Trust Architecture

Key logical components of ZTA as defined by NIST include Policy Decision Point (PDP) and Policy Enforcement Point (PEP).
PDP acts as the control plane, collecting and analyzing data to create access rules.
PEP functions as the data plane, enforcing rules and providing access to resources based on PDP inputs.
Data sources are crucial for maintaining up-to-date rules and aiding the policy engine in access decision-making.

Application in Real-World Scenarios

Examples include IEEE 802.1x network access control (NAC) using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) for authenticating corporate laptops to the network.
Resource access requests are verified through NAC, LDAP, and additional access management systems to ensure security.

Dynamic Policy Management

Contextual information is utilized to keep policies dynamically updated, optimizing security measures.
The effectiveness of ZTA components varies based on specific use cases and deployment models.

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Description

This quiz covers key concepts in user behavior monitoring, compliance improvement through Zero Trust Architecture, and micro-segmentation. Understand how these security measures enhance governance and ensure adherence to regulations by leveraging advanced technologies like SIEM and SOAR. Test your knowledge on effective access controls and ongoing policy reviews.