Security Vocabulary and Acronyms

CIA Triad

• CIA stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability, essential goals in security.
• Confidentiality ensures data is visible only to authorized users; applies to data at rest, in motion, and in processing.
• Secure communication protocols enhance confidentiality:
  • Use SSH instead of Telnet,
  • HTTPS over HTTP, using SSL or TLS for encryption.
• Encrypting stored data, either files or entire drives, protects confidentiality.

Integrity

• Refers to the accuracy and trustworthiness of data.
• Data should remain unchanged unless authorized; modifications by unauthorized entities compromise integrity.
• Implemented through hashing, allowing verification of data authenticity (e.g., comparing hash values of downloaded files).

Availability

• Guarantees that data and systems are accessible when needed.

• Achieved through high availability setups, fault tolerance, and redundancy using techniques like:

  • NIC teaming and RAID configurations.

    NIC teaming, also known as network interface card teaming or network bonding, is a process that combines multiple network connections into a single logical interface. The main goal is to increase network bandwidth, provide redundancy, and improve network reliability. By teaming NICs, if one network connection fails, the others continue to operate, ensuring constant network availability. It also allows for load balancing, where incoming and outgoing network traffic is distributed across all available connections for more efficient data handling.

    Yes, NIC teaming can increase network speed by aggregating the bandwidth of multiple network connections into a single logical interface. This means that the combined connections can handle more data simultaneously, effectively increasing the overall network throughput. This is especially beneficial in environments that require high data transfer rates, such as data centers or servers handling large volumes of traffic. However, the actual increase in speed depends on the configuration of the network and the capability of the networking equipment and software to properly distribute the traffic across the teamed interfaces.

  • Load balancing and active-passive device configurations to ensure functionality during device failures.

Vulnerability

• Represents weaknesses in a system that can be exploited.
• Common vulnerabilities include:
  • User manipulation through social engineering,
  • Operating system or application flaws,
  • Weak or absent password policies,
  • Use of unencrypted or outdated protocols (e.g., using Telnet or SNMP).

Exploit and Threat Actors

• An exploit is the method by which a vulnerability is taken advantage of (e.g., brute-force password attacks or phishing).
• A threat actor is an individual or group utilizing exploits to compromise systems.

Risk Assessment

• Involves evaluating potential vulnerabilities and threats to organizational assets.
• Factors include the likelihood of exploits succeeding and the potential impact, including financial and reputational losses.
• Identifies the need for controls to mitigate risks; controls can be categorized as:
  • Administrative controls refer to policies, procedures, and practices designed to manage organizational behavior and ensure compliance with security protocols.
  • Technical controls involve the use of technology to protect systems, such as firewalls and encryption methods, to safeguard sensitive information.
  • Physical controls consist of tangible barriers, such as locks, surveillance cameras, and security personnel, aimed at safeguarding facilities and assets from unauthorized access.

AAA Framework

• Stands for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting, crucial for network security.
• Authentication verifies user identity before access is granted.
• Authorization determines what authenticated users are allowed to do.
• Accounting tracks user activities and access for auditing purposes.

Zero Trust Model

• Emphasizes security posture that assumes every attempt to access the system could be a threat.
• Advocates for continuous verification of user credentials and access rights regardless of their location within the network.

This quiz explores key vocabulary and acronyms used in the security field. Focus on understanding the significance of terms like CIA, which encapsulates core goals in security. Test your knowledge on these essential concepts and enhance your security literacy.