2025-CSE4004-T3-W - Cybersecurity Principles - Module 1

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of cybersecurity?

  • Safeguarding digital information from unauthorized access or modification. (correct)
  • Enhancing hardware performance.
  • Maximizing network bandwidth and speed.
  • Developing new software applications.

Why is cybersecurity considered essential for national security and economic stability?

  • Because it simplifies international relations.
  • Because it increases the cost of cyber insurance.
  • Because it decreases a country's reliance on technology.
  • Because it ensures key infrastructures are protected from cyber-attacks. (correct)

Which of the following best describes the CIA triad?

  • Compliance, Investigation, Audit.
  • Creativity, Innovation, Agility.
  • Control, Influence, Authority.
  • Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability. (correct)

In the context of cybersecurity, what does 'Confidentiality' refer to?

<p>Protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access and disclosure. (A)</p>
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Which of the following events could lead to a breach of confidentiality?

<p>Failing to encrypt a transmission. (D)</p>
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What is a key countermeasure to maintain confidentiality?

<p>Encryption of data in transit. (C)</p>
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What does 'Integrity' mean in the context of the CIA triad?

<p>Protecting information against improper modification. (A)</p>
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Which of the following can lead to a breach of integrity?

<p>Accidentally deleting files. (A)</p>
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Which of the following is a countermeasure for ensuring data integrity?

<p>Implementing strong access controls. (D)</p>
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What does 'Availability' refer to within the CIA triad?

<p>Ensuring systems are accessible when needed. (A)</p>
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Which event can lead to a breach of availability?

<p>Accidentally deleting files. (A)</p>
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What action can be implemented as a countermeasure to ensure availability?

<p>Implementing redundancy for critical systems. (B)</p>
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Why is the AAA concept considered an extension of the CIA triad?

<p>It provides additional layers of security and complements the CIA triad. (C)</p>
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Which of the following is NOT typically considered a remote access attack?

<p>Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack. (A)</p>
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Why is 'Defense in Depth' considered a key security design concept?

<p>It uses multiple layers of security to protect assets. (B)</p>
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Which security design concept ensures that users are granted only the minimum necessary access to perform their job duties?

<p>Least Privilege. (A)</p>
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Which of the following best describes the 'Separation of Duties' concept?

<p>Dividing critical tasks among multiple individuals to prevent fraud and errors. (D)</p>
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What is the main purpose of the McCumber Cube?

<p>To provide a structured framework for information security. (C)</p>
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Which dimension does the McCumber Cube NOT address?

<p>Employee Satisfaction. (C)</p>
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Why is effective communication important for cybersecurity professionals?

<p>To explain complex technical information to non-technical individuals. (A)</p>
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According to the content, what is a valuable background for someone entering the cybersecurity field?

<p>Backgrounds such as military, police, or fraud investigation. (D)</p>
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Which element is NOT typically associated with breaches of confidentiality?

<p>Implementing data backups. (C)</p>
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What is the most accurate definition of cybersecurity in the modern context?

<p>Protecting infrastructures and information while connected. (A)</p>
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What is the PRIMARY goal of cybersecurity for organizations?

<p>To ensure data is secured from both internal and external threats. (B)</p>
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What is the benefit of frequent communication and collaboration among cybersecurity peers and government entities?

<p>To identify common problems and collaborate on solutions. (B)</p>
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How does the principle of 'Fail Secure' contribute to system security?

<p>By defaulting to a secure state in case of a failure. (B)</p>
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Which principle is violated if a disgruntled employee steals and publishes sensitive company data?

<p>Confidentiality. (A)</p>
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Which of the following scenarios BEST demonstrates a breach of 'Integrity'?

<p>A hacker modifies patient medical records to prescribe incorrect medication dosages. (A)</p>
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Implementing which of the following would be MOST effective in preventing availability breaches caused by denial-of-service (DoS) attacks?

<p>Using firewalls and routers to filter malicious traffic. (D)</p>
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What is the MOST significant implication of failing to implement 'Separation of Duties' in a financial institution?

<p>Increased risk of fraud and unauthorized transactions. (D)</p>
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Which of the following concepts, if poorly implemented, would MOST directly undermine the principle of 'Non-Repudiation'?

<p>Auditing and Logging. (C)</p>
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Consider a scenario in which a hospital uses an unencrypted network for transmitting patient data. Given the CIA triad, which principle is MOST directly compromised?

<p>Confidentiality. (D)</p>
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Which of the following measures would be MOST effective in protecting against SQL injection attacks, thereby upholding data 'Integrity'?

<p>Using parameterized queries or prepared statements. (C)</p>
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A company experiences a prolonged power outage, rendering its critical systems inaccessible. Besides 'Availability', which other principle of the CIA triad is MOST likely to be indirectly affected?

<p>Integrity, due to the risk of data corruption during system shutdown. (C)</p>
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If a security system is designed with 'Open Design' principles, what is a primary BENEFIT?

<p>Greater opportunity for community review and detection of vulnerabilities. (B)</p>
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An organization implements a sophisticated biometric access control system, but neglects to train employees on its proper use. Which security design concept is MOST directly undermined?

<p>Psychological Acceptability. (B)</p>
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Given the principle of 'Least Common Mechanism', what is the MOST critical risk introduced by running multiple virtual machines on a single physical server without proper isolation?

<p>Potential for one VM to compromise others through shared resources. (A)</p>
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A web application uses a third-party library with a known vulnerability, even though a patched version is available. This situation BEST exemplifies a failure to address which security design concept?

<p>Weakest Link. (B)</p>
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In the context of the McCumber Cube, imagine a scenario where data is encrypted in transit but not at rest. Which dimension does this MOST directly address, and which aspect is neglected?

<p>Addresses Information State; neglects Countermeasures. (C)</p>
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If a cybersecurity professional focuses solely on technical solutions without considering user behaviors or organizational culture, which of the key design concepts discussed in the text is MOST likely being overlooked?

<p>Psychological Acceptability (C)</p>
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Flashcards

Cybersecurity

Technologies and procedures to protect computers, networks, and data from unlawful access, weaknesses, and attacks via the internet.

Cybersecurity (refined)

The ongoing effort to protect digital information from unauthorised access or modification, mitigate potential exploitations, and implement disaster recovery plans.

Goal of Cybersecurity

Ensuring information and data collected are secured from internal and external threats, and enabling IT to provide secure technology services that help the business grow.

Information Security

Protecting information and systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

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CIA Triad

Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability; foundational principles of cybersecurity.

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Confidentiality

Protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access and disclosure.

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Integrity

Ensuring the accuracy, consistency, and trustworthiness of data throughout its lifecycle; maintaining data originality.

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Availability

Ensuring systems responsible for delivering, storing, and processing information are accessible when needed by authorized users.

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AAA

Authentication, Authorisation, and Identification; an extension of the CIA triad.

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The McCumber Cube

A structured framework integrating security principles across security goals, information state, and countermeasures.

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Defense in Depth

Employing multiple defensive layers to protect assets; if one layer fails, others provide continued protection.

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Least Privilege

Granting users only the minimum necessary access rights to perform their job functions.

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Fail-Safe Defaults

In the event of a failure, the system defaults to a secure state, denying access rather than granting it.

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Separation of Duties

Dividing critical tasks among different individuals to prevent fraud and errors.

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Study Notes

  • Industries and organizations must be aware of and defend against cyber threats.
  • Stakeholders need to understand cybersecurity principles to protect their businesses.
  • This subject explores cybersecurity principles, techniques, and strategies.
  • Topics include information security, ethical and legal practices, vulnerability mitigation, incident response, and analysis.
  • The course aims to ensure the privacy, reliability, confidentiality, and integrity of information systems.

Introduction to Cybersecurity

  • Cybersecurity involves technologies and procedures to protect computers, networks, and data from unlawful access and attacks.
  • It is an ongoing effort to protect digital information from unauthorized access or modification.
  • Cybersecurity includes mitigating potential exploitations and establishing disaster recovery plans.
  • Cybersecurity ensures infrastructures and information are protected when connected to the internet.
  • Cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility, not just the IT or security team's.
  • It impacts individuals and organizations globally.
  • Cybersecurity is a key business enabler, protecting customers and employees while helping the business grow.
  • The goal of cybersecurity is securing data collected during business processes from internal and external threats.
  • It also aims to enable IT teams to provide technology services and support business growth.

Importance of Cybersecurity

  • Organizations collect and store sensitive data, making security essential for data safekeeping and efficient operations.
  • Digitalization increases the risk of cyber-attacks.
  • Computerization of key infrastructure increases vulnerability to attacks.
  • Successful attacks can destabilize a country's economy.
  • Cybersecurity is vital for national security and economic stability.
  • Cybersecurity professionals communicate complex information to colleagues and customers, educating them on online safety.
  • Professionals train people on cyber threats and how to protect themselves.
  • Professionals collaborate with banks and government to address shared cybersecurity problems.

Information Security

  • Information security protects information and systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.
  • It ensures confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

CIA Triad

  • The CIA triad stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.
  • These principles are crucial for cybersecurity.
  • Violations of these principles can be traced to attacks against a system.
  • Professionals evaluate a system's security based on the potential impact of attacks on these three aspects.

Confidentiality

  • Confidentiality protects sensitive information from unauthorized access and disclosure.
  • Breaches can be intentional (e.g., disgruntled employees) or unintentional (e.g., human error).
  • Breaches may result from security policy oversights or misconfigured controls.
  • Attacks can gain unauthorized access to steal or tamper with data.
  • Capturing and deciphering network traffic can breach confidentiality.
  • Electronic eavesdropping ('sniffing') can breach confidentiality.
  • Escalation of system privileges to steal password files can breach confidentiality.
  • Social engineering and physical eavesdropping can breach confidentiality.
  • Events leading to breaches include failing to encrypt transmissions and not fully authenticating remote systems.
  • Leaving access points open, accessing malicious code, and misrouting documents can lead to breaches.
  • Walking away from an access terminal while data is displayed can compromise confidentiality.
  • Countermeasures include data classification, strong access controls, and data encryption.
  • Steganography and remote wipe capabilities are countermeasures.
  • Adequate education and training are essential countermeasures.
  • Sensitivity, criticality, and privacy influence confidentiality.
  • Seclusion and isolation are also important.

Integrity

  • Integrity protects information from improper modification.
  • It ensures the accuracy, consistency, and trustworthiness of data.
  • Integrity focuses on preventing unauthorized modifications and maintaining internal and external consistency.
  • Viruses, logic bombs, and unauthorized access can breach integrity.
  • Errors in coding and malicious modifications also pose risks.
  • System back doors can breach integrity.
  • Deleting files and executing malicious code can breach integrity.
  • Altering configurations and entering invalid data can compromise integrity.
  • Countermeasures include data classification, strong access controls, and data encryption.
  • Steganography, remote wipe capabilities, and adequate training are important.
  • Accuracy, comprehensiveness, and completeness are key aspects of integrity.
  • Responsibility, accountability, and non-repudiation are also important.
  • Validity, authenticity, and truthfulness define integrity.

Availability

  • Availability ensures systems for delivering, storing, and processing information are accessible when needed.
  • Threats include network congestion, device failure, software errors, and environmental issues.
  • Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, object destruction, and communication interruptions can breach availability.
  • Accidentally deleting files or mislabeling assets can breach availability.
  • Under-allocating resources or overutilizing components can also compromise availability.
  • Countermeasures include designing delivery systems properly and using access controls effectively.
  • Performance monitoring, firewalls, and redundancy are crucial for ensuring availability.
  • Fault tolerance features at different levels aim to eliminate single points of failure.
  • Usability, timeliness, and accessibility are key considerations for availability.
  • The CIA triad involves real-life breach scenarios to practice for risk assessment.
  • This activity helps in understanding business perspectives.

Authentication, Authorisation and Identification (AAA)

  • AAA is an extension of the CIA triad, enhancing modern cybersecurity.
  • Experts consider that the CIA needs some revision.
  • AAA often overlaps with the CIA triad but is critical enough to be added as an extension.

Design Concepts

  • Design elements ensure the implementation of core security principles (CIA triad and AAA).
  • Key security design concepts include defense in depth and least privilege.
  • Fail-safe defaults and separation of duties are also important.
  • These principles safeguard sensitive data and maintain system integrity.
  • Other concepts include open design, need-to-know, fail secure, and economy of mechanisms.
  • Complete mediation, least common mechanism, and psychological acceptability are key.
  • Weakest link and leveraging existing components are additional considerations.

McCumber Cube

  • The McCumber Cube integrates security design principles into a comprehensive approach.
  • It organizes security efforts across security goals, information state, and countermeasures.
  • It enhances systems and network management, evaluation, and protection.

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