Information Security Chapter 2

Study Notes

Objectives of Information Security

Confidentiality: protection from disclosure or exposure to unauthorized individuals or systems
Integrity: unauthorized writing or modification of information
Availability: prevention of unauthorized withholding of information

Types of IT Threats

Computer Virus: spreads from one computer to another, often sent as email attachments or downloaded from specific websites
Trojan Horse: malicious software that tricks users into running it willingly, spreading through email or false advertisements
Rogue Security Software: misleads users to believe their computer is infected, offering fake solutions to remove viruses
Adware and Spyware: tracks browsing habits and shows targeted advertisements, with spyware being installed without consent
Computer Worm: replicates quickly and spreads from one computer to another, often exploiting software vulnerabilities
DoS and DDoS Attacks: flooding a website with packets, making it impossible for legitimate users to access
Phishing (Social Engineering Attacks): obtaining sensitive data through fake emails, instant messages, or websites
Rootkit: provides remote control and administration-level access to a computer or network
SQL Injection Attack: targets data-driven applications, obtaining private data, changing or destroying it
Man-in-the-Middle Attack: eavesdropping on communication between two targets, intercepting and altering messages
DNS Poisoning: diverting traffic away from legitimate servers, directing it to fake ones
Password Grabbers: gaining access to password information through sniffing, social engineering, guessing, or database access
Network Worms: replicating and infecting other machines through computer networks
Password Cracker: using software to guess passwords, often using brute-force or dictionary attacks
Malware and Spyware Attack: using various methods to install malware, monitoring user activities, and stealing data

C.I.A. Triangle

Confidentiality: keeping information secret or private
Integrity: ensuring information is whole, complete, and uncorrupted
Availability: enabling authorized users to access information

Importance of Information Security

Imperative to design information security into a system from its inception
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

Network Security

Network Attacker: intercepts and controls network communication

Web Security

Web Attacker: sets up malicious sites, visited by victims, with no control of network

Operating System Security

OS Attacker: controls malicious files and applications

Security Policy

General or Security Program Policies: Enterprise Information Security Policy (EISP)
Issue-Specific Security Policies: address specific areas of technology, such as electronic mail, internet use, and computer configurations

Prevention and Treatment

Prevention: actions taken to prevent system infection, such as finding and eliminating weak security holes
Treatment: fixing a system after it has been infected, such as using anti-virus software### Detection
Determining whether an attack is underway or has occurred, and reporting it
Real-time monitoring provides data on the nature, severity, and results of an attack
Intrusion detection systems (IDS) monitor various aspects of the system, looking for signs of an attack

Response

Stopping or containing an attack in a timely manner
Assessing and repairing any damage caused by an attack
Resuming correct operation after an attack
Evidence collection and preservation helps identify vulnerabilities and strengthen future security measures

Attacks

Compromising systems in ways that affect services of information security
Types of attacks:
- Attack on confidentiality: unauthorized disclosure of information
- Attack on integrity: destruction or corruption of information
- Attack on availability: disruption or denial of services

Prevention, Detection, and Response

Proper planning reduces risk of attack and increases capabilities of detection and response
Importance of prevention, detection, and response in maintaining information security

Authentication

Proving one's identity, location, and time
Methods of authentication include passwords and biometric scans (e.g. retinal scans)

Accuracy

Information has accuracy when it is free from mistakes or errors
If information is intentionally or unintentionally modified, it is no longer accurate

Description

This quiz covers the fundamentals of information security, including types of IT threats, confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as well as the characteristics of a good computer security system.