ITBP301 Security Principles Quiz

Basic Security Concepts—Countermeasures

• Course: ITBP301, taught by Ali Ismail Awad & Norziana Jamil at UAEU.
• Focus on fundamental security concepts, vulnerabilities, and countermeasures against threats.

Learning Objectives

• Identify assets requiring protection.
• Understand potential threats to these assets.
• Explore countermeasures to mitigate threats.

Information Security vs. Cybersecurity

• Cybersecurity encompasses a broader scope:
  • Includes information/data security, device security, network security, and people.
• All connected devices fall within cyberspace.

Information Security: Overview

• Merges technical implementation with management strategies.
• Emphasizes the necessity for governance and decision-making processes.

Historical Overview

• Key aspects of security have included access control and privacy.
• Historical practices like secret messages show the evolution of security measures.

Security Definition

• Core model: CIA (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability)
  • Confidentiality: Prevent unauthorized disclosure of information.
  • Integrity: Ensure only authorized modifications occur to information.
  • Availability: Guarantee timely access to information for authorized users.

CIA Security Concepts

• Confidentiality: Involves proper information access restrictions and privacy protections.
• Integrity: Protects against unauthorized modifications, ensuring authenticity and non-repudiation.
• Availability: Focuses on reliable and timely access to information.

Security Risks

• Mitigating risks necessitates:
  • Understanding potential threats.
  • Recognizing the origins of system vulnerabilities.
  • Utilizing mechanisms to reduce or eliminate threats.

Vulnerabilities, Threats, and Attacks

• Vulnerabilities types:
  • Corrupted (loss of integrity).
  • Leaky (loss of confidentiality).
  • Unavailable or slow (loss of availability).
• Threats:
  • Possibilities of exploiting vulnerabilities, posing security risks to assets.
• Attacks:
  • Passive attacks: Do not affect resources, classified as eavesdropping or traffic analysis.
  • Active attacks: Attempt to alter resources, can be executed by insiders or outsiders.

Passive vs. Active Attacks

• Passive Attacks:
  • Aim to obtain information without affecting system resources, making them hard to detect.
  • Types include content release and traffic analysis.
• Active Attacks:
  • Actively attempt to disrupt or manipulate system resources.

Practical Application

• In-class exercises focus on identifying scenarios where confidentiality, integrity, or availability is compromised.