Information Security Basics Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What does the acronym C.I.A. stand for in the context of Information Security?

Control, Integrity, Access

Control, Information, Assurance

Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability (correct)

Confidentiality, Information, Accessibility

Which of the following is NOT a component of an Information System?

Software Development Life Cycle (correct)

Data

Hardware

Procedures

Which of the following is a problem typically associated with securing a system?

Enhanced user understanding of security measures

Reduction in the number of attack vectors

Improved user performance and speed

Increased complexity leading to user errors (correct)

What is implied by the statement 'Defensive strategies are reactionary'?

Defensive strategies are only used after an attack occurs Signup and view all the answers

Which statement regarding ICT security is most accurate?

ICT security includes products, services, and user behaviors to protect the ICT system Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of risk estimation in secure programming?

To identify vulnerabilities and threats Signup and view all the answers

Which principle emphasizes the need for multiple conditions to grant access to sensitive resources?

Separation of privilege Signup and view all the answers

What does the principle of least privilege ensure?

Minimal privileges to function properly Signup and view all the answers

What strategy is suggested by the fail-safe defaults principle?

Default access to objects should be none Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of complete mediation in access control?

To check access every time a resource is requested Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a principle of secure programming?

Abundant Access Control Signup and view all the answers

How does the principle of psychological acceptability contribute to security systems?

By making security measures more understandable to users Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant advantage of implementing the principle of least privilege?

Reduced potential damage from compromised accounts Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of an attack in cybersecurity?

To exploit vulnerabilities for malicious purposes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines a vulnerability?

An identified weakness of a controlled system Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes an exploit from an attack?

Exploit is a method; attack is the outcome Signup and view all the answers

What is a common technique used in a password crack attack?

Brute force guessing Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of a phishing attack?

To gather information by mimicking legitimate requests Signup and view all the answers

Which attack technique involves impersonating a legitimate host?

IP spoofing Signup and view all the answers

In the context of cybersecurity, what does connection hijacking entail?

Inserting or modifying data during transmission Signup and view all the answers

What does packet sniffing pertain to in terms of network security?

The act of reading sensitive data during transmission Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Information Security Basics

Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA): The three pillars of information security, encompassing protecting information from unauthorized access, maintaining its accuracy and consistency, and ensuring its availability to authorized users.
Components of an Information System: Information systems consist of hardware, software, data, people, procedures, and networks.
ICT (Information and Communication Technologies): Technologies that enable access to information through telecommunications, such as the internet and mobile devices.
ICT Security: The set of measures that protect ICT systems, including products, services, organizational rules, and user behavior.

Basic Problems in Security

Low Awareness: Lack of understanding of security risks and vulnerabilities.
Human Error: Mistakes made by individuals, especially under stress or pressure.
Trust: Humans tend to trust implicitly, making them susceptible to social engineering attacks.
Complex Interfaces: Intricate systems can confuse users, leading to unintentional security breaches.
Performance Degradation: Security measures can sometimes slow down system performance.
User Involvement: Attackers often manipulate users into participating in the attack, such as requesting password changes or clicking malicious links.

Roots of Insecurity

Reactive Strategies: Security measures are often implemented in response to attacks, not proactively.
Weak Security: Many systems have weak security configurations, making them vulnerable to attacks.
Skills Shortage: The rapid growth of the internet has strained security expertise, leading to a decline in the average skill level of system administrators.
Lack of Secure Coding Practices: Complex software is often written by developers with limited security training, introducing vulnerabilities.

Attacks

Attack: A deliberate act that exploits a vulnerability to damage or steal assets.
Threat Agent: The individual or entity responsible for carrying out an attack.
Vulnerability: A weakness in a system that can be exploited.
Exploit: A technique used to compromise a system.

Classes of Attacks

Phishing: Social engineering attacks that deceive users into disclosing sensitive information, such as login credentials.
Psychological Pressure: Using threats, manipulation, or urgency to coerce users into complying with attacker demands.
Back Doors: An unauthorized access mechanism that bypasses security measures.
Password Crack: Attempts to guess or reverse-calculate passwords using brute force (trying all possible combinations) or dictionary attacks (using lists of common passwords).
IP Spoofing: An attacker impersonates a legitimate host to gain unauthorized access.
Packet Sniffing: Interception of network traffic to steal sensitive data, including passwords.
Connection Hijacking: An attacker takes control of a communication session to insert or modify data.
Denial-of-Service (DoS): Attacks that aim to disable a service by overloading it with requests, preventing legitimate users from accessing it.

Risk Estimation

Assets: Objects, data, and individuals that are valuable to the organization.
Vulnerability: A weakness in an asset that can be exploited.
Threat: The potential for loss due to a vulnerability.
Attack: The actual occurrence of a threat.
Risk Estimation: Assessing vulnerabilities, threats, and their potential impact, and estimating the likelihood of an attack.

Security Design Principles

Principle of Least Privilege: Granting only the minimum privileges necessary for proper functioning.
Separation of Privilege: Requiring multiple conditions or authorizations for access to a resource.
Fail-safe Defaults: Configuring the system with a conservative, secure default setting, requiring explicit permission for access.
Complete Mediation: Verifying every access request to a resource, ensuring that all actions are subject to security checks.
Economy of Mechanism: Keeping security measures simple and efficient to reduce the risk of vulnerabilities.
Least Common Mechanism: Minimizing the sharing of resources among multiple users to reduce security risks.
Psychological Acceptability: Designing security measures that are user-friendly and minimally disruptive to user experience.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the fundamental concepts of information security, including the CIA triad, components of information systems, and ICT security measures. This quiz also addresses common security issues such as human error and low awareness. Challenge yourself to understand the critical aspects of protecting information in our digital age.