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03.01 – [CIA]
Goals of Information Security
Confidentiality
Protects information from unauthorized disclosure
Integrity
Protects information from unauthorized changes
Availability
Protects authorized access to systems and data
Ensures information is available to authorized users
= CIA
03.07 - NON-REPUDIATION
Prevents someone from denying the truth
Physical signatures can provide non-repudiation on contracts, receipts etc
Digital signatures use encryption to provide non-repudiation
Other methods can be biometric security controls, Video-surveillance etc
_____
03.08 - PRIVACY
Organization Privacy Concerns
1. Protecting our down data
Protect your down organizations data
2. Educating on users
Educated users of how they can protect their own personal information
3. Protecting data collected by our organizations
Protecting data that was entrusted to the organization (ex= client’s data)
2 Types of Private Information
1. Personally-Identifiable Information (PII)
Any information that can be tied back to a specific individual
2. Protected Health Information (PHI)
Health care records
Regulated by HIPPA
Reasonable expectation of privacy
Many laws that govern whether information must be protected are based upon whether
the person disclosing the information had a reasonable expectation of privacy
Ex= if you upload a YouTube video, you do not have a expectation of privacy
You do have some expectation of privacy for private electronic communications
such as: email, instant chats etc
You do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy when sharing PII with an
organization
You do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy when using employer
resources
_____
Baselines
Provide a configuration snapshot
Dual Net
You can use the snapshot to assess if the settings are outside of an approved change
management process system
Basically the default configuration setting set by an organization
Versioning/Version Controls
Assigns each release of a piece of software and an incrementing version number that
may be used to identify any given copy
These verison #s are written as three part decimals, with the
First number representing the major version of software
Second number representing a major updates
Third number representing minor updates
Ex= IPhone IOS 14.1.2
Standardizing Device Configurations by:
Standardizing Naming conventions
IP Addressing schemas
_____
08.02 - BACKUPS
Provides an organization with a fail-safe way to recover their data in the event of
Technology failure
Human error
Natural disaster
Backup Methods
1. Tape Backups
Practice of periodically copying data from a primary storage device to a tape
cartridge
Traditional method - outdated
2. Disk-to-disk Backups
Writes data from Primary Disks to special disks that are set aside for backup
purposes
Backups that are sent to a storage area network or a network attached storage
are also fitting in this category of backup
3. Cloud Backups
AWS, Azure, GC
Different Types of Backups
1. Full Backups
Include a complete copy of all data
Snapshots and images are types of full backups
2. Differential Backups
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Includes all data modified since the last full backup
Supplements Full Backups
3. Incremental Backups
Include all data modified since the last full or incremental backup
Scenario: Joe performs full backups every Sunday evening and differential backups every
weekday evening. His system fails on Friday morning. What backups does he restore?
A: 1) Sundays Full Backup
2) Thursday’s differential backup
Scenario: Joe performs full backups every Sunday evening and incremental backups every
weekday evening. His system fails on Friday morning. What backup does he restore?
A: 1) Sunday’s Full Backup
2) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday incremental backups
Trade off: Incremental backups takes longer to restore but requires smaller storage
_____
Authorization
Final step in the Access Control Process
Determines what an authenticated user can do
Principle of Least Privilege
User should have the minimum set of permission necessary to perform their job
Protects against internal risks as a malicious employee’s damage will be limited
to their access
Protects against external risk as if an account was hacked, the damage they can
do would be limited to the permissions on the stolen account.
Mandatory Access Control (MAC) System - Confidentiality
Permissions are determined by the system/operating system
Users cannot modify any permissions
Rule-based access system
Most Stringent/strict
Discretionary Access Control (DAC) System - Availability
Permissions are determined by the file owners
Most Common type of access control
Flexible
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) Systems - Integrity
Permissions are granted to groups of people/ job functions
Group based
_____
Computer Networking
Network
Connect computers together
Can connect computers within an office (LAN) or to the global internet
Local Area Networks (LANs)
Connect devices in the same building
LANs are connected to Wide Area Networks (WANs)
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Wide Area Networks (WANs)
Connect across large distances
Connects to different office locations and also to the internet
When an LAN is connected to WAN = Internet
How Devices Connect to a LAN
1. Ethernet
Connecting a physical Ethernet cable to an internet jack behind the ball
The Ethernet Cable is called the RJ-45 connectors a.k.a 8 Pins Connector
Super fast but requires physical cables
FYI: RJ-11 Cables are used for telephone connections. They have 6 Pins
2. Wireless Networks (Wi-Fi)
Create Wireless LANs
3. Bluetooth
Creates a Personal Area Network (PANs)
Designed to support a single person
Main purpose is to create a wireless connection between a computer and its
peripheral devices
4. Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology
Allows extremely short range wireless connections (ex= wireless payment)
_____
TCP/IP - Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
A set of standardized rules that allow computers to communicate on a network such as
the internet.
Protocol suite at the heart of networking
Internet Protocols
Main function is to provide an addressing scheme, known as the IP address
Routes information across networks
Not just used on the internet
Can be used at home or an office
Deliver packets(chunks of information) from source → destination
Serves as a Network Layer Protocol
Supports Transport Layer Protocols - which have a higher set of responsibilities
2 Types of Transport Layer Protocols
1. Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)
Responsible for majority of internet traffic
Is a Connection-Oriented protocol
Connection Oriented protocol means the connection is established
before data is transferred
Connection is ensured through TCP Three-Way Handshake
TCP packets include special flags that identify the packets known
as TCP Flags. Within the TCP Flags:
SYN Flag: Opens a connection
FIN Flag: Closes an existing connection
ACK: Used to acknowledge a SYN or FIN packet
TCP Three-Way Handshake
1. Source SYN sent to request open connection to Destination
2. Destination sends ACK + request (SYN) to reciprocate a open
connection
3. Source acknowledges and sends ACK
Guarantees delivery through the destination system acknowledging receipt
Widely used for critical applications (email , web traffic etc)
2. User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
Connectionless Protocol, not connection-oriented
Lightweight
Does NOT use Three-Way Handshake
System basically send data off to each other blindly, hoping that it is received on
the other end
Does not perform acknowledgments
Does not guarantee delivery
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It's often used for voice and video applications where guaranteed delivery is
not essential. Every single packet doesn't have to reach the destination for video
and voice to be comprehensible.
OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) Model
Describes networks as having 7 different layers
Layer 1: Physical Layer
Responsible for sending bits over the network
Uses wires, radio waves, fiber optics or other means
Layer 2: Data Link Layer
Transfers data between 2 Nodes connected to the same physical network
Layer 3: Network Layer
Expands networks to many different nodes
Internet Protocol (IP)
Layer 4: Transport Layer
Creates connection between systems
Transfers data in a reliable manner
TCP and UDP
Layer 5: Session Layerauthenti
Manages the exchange of communications between systems
Layer 6: Presentation Layer
Translates data so that it may be transmitted on a network
Encryption and Decryption
Layer 7: Application Layer
How users interact with data, using web browsers or other apps
TCP Model vs OSI Model
OSI TCP Model
Layer 1: Physical Layer
Layer 2 :Data Link Layer Layer 1: Network Interface layer (Physical + Data)
Layer 3 :Network Layer Layer 2: Internet Layer
Layer 4 :Transport Layer Layer 3: Transport Layer
Layer 5: Session Layer Layer 4: Application Layer (Session+Presentation+Application)
Layer 6: Presentation Layer
Layer 7: Application Layer
_____
For the Internet Protocol (IP) to successfully deliver traffic between any two systems on a
network, it has to use an addressing scheme
IP Addresses
Uniquely identify systems on a network
Written in dotted quad notation (ex- 192.168.1.100). Also known as IPv4
Means 4 numbers separated by periods
Each of these numbers may range between 0-255
Why 255?
Each number is represented by 8-bit binary numbers
Those bits can represent 2 to the power of 8 = 256 possible values
But we start at 0 so 256-1=255
No duplicates of IP addresses on Internet-connected systems (Just like your phone#)
Allow duplicates if on private networks
Your router or firewall takes care of translating private IP Addresses to public IP
addresses when you communicate over the internet
This translating process is called NAT (Network Address Translation)
IP Addresses are divided into 2 parts
1) Network Address
2) Host Address
The divide of the 2 parts can come in anywhere
This uses a concept called sub-netting
Sub-netting divides domains so traffic is routed efficiently
IPv4 (Containing 4 numbers) is running out so we are shifting to → IPv6
IPv6
Uses 128 bits (compared to 32 bits (8x4num bers = 32) for IPv4
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Consists of 8 groups of 4 hexadecimal numbers
ex= fd02:24c1:b942:01f3:ead2:123a:c3d2:cf2f
IP Addresses can be assigned in 2 ways
1. Static IPs
Manually assigned IP Address by an administrator
Must be unique
Must be within appropriate range for the network
2. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
Automatic assignment of IP Address from an administrator configured pool
Typically,
Servers are configured with Static IP Addresses
End-user devices are configured with Dynamically-Changing IP Addresses
_____
Network Ports
Like Apartment #s, guide traffic to the correct final destination
IP addresses uniquely identifies a system while the Network Ports uniquely identifies a
particular location of a system associated with a specific application
Think of it as
IP Addresses - Street # of an Apartment
Network Ports- Unit # of an Apartment
Network Port Numbers
16-bit binary numbers
2 to the power of 16 = 65,646 possible values
65,646-1 (for 0) = 0-65,535 possibilities
Port Ranges
0 - 1,023 = Well-known ports
Reserved for common applications that are assigned by internet
authorities
Ensures everyone on the internet will know how to find common services
such as : web servers, email servers
Web-servers use the Well-known port 80
Secure Web-servers use the Well-known port 443
Implementation of Attacks
Cryptographic systems may have flaws = vulnerability = attacks
Fault Injection Attacks
Use externally forced errors
Attacker attempts to compromise the integrity of a cryptic device by causing some type
of external fault
For example : Attacker might use high-voltage electricity to cause malfunction
that undermines security
These failures of security may cause systems to fail to encrypt data property.
Side Channel Attacks
Measure encryption footprints
Attackers use footprints monitor system activity and to retrieve information that is
actively being encrypted
For example : If a cryptographic system is improperly implemented, it may be
possible for an attacker to capture the electromagnetic radiation emanating from
that system and use the collected signal to determine the plain text information
that is being encrypted
Timing Attacks
A type of Side Channel Attack
Measure encryption time
Attackers precisely measures how long cryptographic operations take to
complete, gaining information about cryptographic process that may be
used to undermine security
_____
Threat Identification and Prevention
Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
Monitors network traffic for signs of malicious activity
MIS USE DETECTION AND ANOMALY DETECTION
Examples of malicious activity
SQL Injections
Malformed Packets
Unusual Logins
Botnet Traffic
Alerts administrators
Requires someone to take action
Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
Automatically block malicious activity
It is not a perfect system. They make 2 errors
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1) False Positive Error
IDS/IPS triggers an alert when an attack did not actually take place
2) False Negative Error
IDS/IPS fails to trigger an alert when an actual attack occurs
Technology used to identify suspicious traffic:
1. Signature Detection Systems
Contain databases with rules describing malicious activity
Alert admins to traffic matching signatures = Rule based Detection
Cannot detect brand new attacks
Reduce false positive rates
Reliable and time-tested technology
2. Anomaly Detection Systems
Builds models of “normal” activity, and finds an Outlier
Can detect brand ne attacks
But has high false positive rate
Anomaly Detection , Behavior-based Detection , Heuristic Detection = Same Thing
_____
Malware Prevention
Antimalware software protects against many different threats
Antimalware software protects against viruses, worms, Trojan Horses and spyware
Antivirus software uses 2 types of mechanisms to protect:
1. Signature Detection
Watches for known patterns of malware activity
2. Behavior Detection
Watches for deviations from normal patterns of activity
This type of mechanism is found in advanced malware protection tools like
the Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
Offer real-time, advanced protection
Goes beyond basic signature detection and performs deep
instrumentation of endpoints
They analyze:
Memory
Processor use
Registry Entries
Network Communications
Installed on Endpoint devices
Can perform Sandboxing
Isolates malicious content
_____
Port Scanners
Vulnerability Assessment Tools
1. Port Scanner
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Looks for open network ports
Equivalent of rattling all doorknobs looking for unlocked doors
nmap
Popular port scanning tool /command
2. Vulnerability Scanner
Looks for known vulnerabilities
Scans deeper than Port Scanner, actually looks at what services are using those
ports
Has a database for all known vulnerability exploits and tests server to see if it
contains any of those vulnerabilities
Nesssus
Popular vulnerability scanner
3. Application Scanner
Tests deep into application security flaws
_____
Network Security Infrastructure
Data Centers
Have significant cooling requirements
Current Standard of Temperatures
Maintain data center air temperatures between 64.6 F and 80.6
F = Expanded Environmental Envelope
Humidity is also important
Dewpoint says : Humidity 41.9 F and 50.0 F
This temperature prevents condensation and static electricity
HVAC is important (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems)
Must also look out for fire, flooding, electromagnetic interference
Fire Suppression Methods
1. Wet Pipe Systems
Contains water in the pipes ready to deploy when a fire strikes
High Risk for data center
2. Dry Pipe Systems
Do not contain water until the valve opens during a fire alarm.
Prevents burst pipes, by removing standby water
3. Chemical Systems
Removes oxygen
Always place MOUs
Memorandum of Understanding
Outlines the environmental requirements
_____
Security Zones
Firewalls divide networks into security zones to protect systems of differing security
models
Types of Security Zones
1. Network Border Firewall
Three network interfaces, connects 3:
Internet
Intranet
Data Center Network
Guest Network
Wireless Network
Endpoint Network
DMZ
You can place systems that must accept connections from the
outside world such as mail, web servers
Because it is open, higher risk of compromise
If the DMZ is compromised, firewalls will still protect
Zero Trust Approach : Systems do not gain any trust based solely upon their network location
3 Special-Purpose Networks
1. Extranet
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Special intranet segments that are accessible by outside parties like business
partners
2. Honeynet
Decoy networks designed to attract attackers
3. Ad Hoc Networks
Temporary networks that may bypass security controls
East-West Traffic
Network traffic between systems located in data center
North-South Traffic
Networks traffic between systems in the data center and systems on the Internet
_____
Firewalls
Often sit at the network perimeter
Between Router and Internet
Switch
I
I
I
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Switch —------------- Router —------------- Firewall —------------- Internet
I
I
I
Switch
Firewalls connect 3 networks together
1. Internet
2. Internal Network
3. DMZ
Contains systems that must accept direct external connections
Isolates those systems due to risk of compromise
Protects internal network from compromised DMZ systems
Older Firewalls use Stateless Firewalls
Evaluate each connection independently
Modern Firewalls use Stateful Inspection
Keeps track of established connection
Firewalls are basically rules to enter or exit.
Firewall rule must provide
1. Source system address
2. Destination system address
3. Destination port and protocol
4. Action (Allow or Deny)
Firewalls operate on the Principle of Implicit Deny
If the firewall receives traffic not explicitly allowed by a
firewall rule, then that traffic must be blocked
Basically saying, if you don’t have a passcard, you cannot get
in as the door is always closed
The Newest type of Firewalls are called New Generation Firewalls (NGFW)
Incorporate contextual information into their decision
making
Evaluate requests based on identity of user, nature of
application, time of day etc.
Other Firewall Roles
1. Network Address Translation (NAT) Gateway
The firewall translates between the public IP Addresses used on the internet and
private IP Addresses used on the local networks
2. Content/URL Filtering
3. Web application firewall
Understands how HTTP protocol works and dive deep into those application
connections, looking for signs of SQL Injection, Cross-site scripting, and other
web application attacks
Firewall Deployment Options
1. Choose deployment methodology
1. Network Hardware
Physical devices that sit on a network and regulate traffic
2. Host-Based software Firewalls
Software applications that reside on a server that performs other
functions
Most organizations choose to use both network firewalls
Internet of Things
Smart devices
IOT Security Challenges
Difficult to update
Connect to home and office wireless (Risk for malicious actors)
Connects back to cloud services for command and control, creating a pathway for
external attackers
Security of IOT
Check for weak default passwords
Make sure to regularly update and patch
Some have Automatic Updates and some require Manual Websites
If worried get Firmware Version Control
Updates are applied in orderly fashion
Security Wrappers (For organizations that must run vulnerable systems)
Mini firewall for devices
Device is not directly reached through network
Only process vetted requests
Most secure way is Network Segmentation - isolating network to a isolated section
where they will not have access to trusted networks
Application firewalls provide added protection for embedded devices
Network Segmentation is the most important control for embedded devices
_____
Cloud Computing
Cloud Computing
Delivering computing resources to a remote customer over a network
Official Definition: A model for enabling ubiquitous, convenient, on-demand network
access to shared pool of configurable computing resources (networks, servers, storage,
applications, services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with menial
management effort or service provider interaction
Cloud Service Categories
1. Software as a Service (SaaS)
Customer purchases an entire app
2. Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Customer purchase servers/storage and create their own IT solutions
3. Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Customer purchases app platform
Cloud Deployment Models
1. Private Cloud
Dedicated Cloud Infrastructure
2. Public Cloud
Organization uses a multi-tenancy infrastructure (Shared)
3. Hybrid Cloud
Uses both Private and Public
4. Multi Cloud
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Combines resources from two different public cloud vendors (AWS + Azure)
5. Community Cloud
Shared Consortium
No cloud model is inherently superior to other approaches. It all depends on
context
_____
Managed Service Providers (MSPs)
Offer information technology services to customers
Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs)
Provide security services for other organizations as a manage service
Must be carefully monitored
Lot of service
Manage an entire security infrastructure
Monitor system logs
Manage firewalls
Manage Access & Identity Management
MSSPs are also known as Security as a Service (SECaaS)
Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB)
Add a third-party security layer to the interactions that users have with other cloud
services
Works in 2 ways
1) Network-Based CASB
Broker intercepts traffic between the user and the cloud service,
monitoring for security issues
Broker can block request
2) API- Based CASB
Does not sit on traffic unlike Network-Based CASB
The broker queries the cloud service via API
Broker may not be able to block requests, depending upon API capabilities
_____
Vendor Agreements
Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDA)
Keep your mouth shut
Service-Level Requirements (SLR)
Document specific requirements that a customer has about any aspect of a vendor’s
service performance
Once agreed sign the Service Level Agreement (SLA)
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
A letter that documents aspects of relationship
Commonly used when a legal dispute is unlikely but customer and vendor wish to
document their relationship to avoid future misunderstanding
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Usually used when a department another company is dealing with another department
Business Partnership Agreement (BPA)
Partnership agreement to conduct business
Interconnection Security Agreement (ISA)
Details that two organizations will interconnect their network
Master Services Agreement (MSA)
Big project - documentation of expected services
Statement of Work (SOW) is used when another project comes up
SOW is governed by terms in MSA. SOW is like am abeyance or patch
Ensure Security Requirements are mentioned in all agreements
_____
Data Security
Encryption
Uses math to make data unreadable to unauthorized individuals
Transforms text from plaintext to ciphertext
Uses decryption algorithm key to read message
You can use Encryption in 2 different environments:
1. Data at Rest
Stored data
Can be in:
File
Disk
Device
2. Data in Transit
Data that is moving
HTTPS
Email
Mobile Applications
VPN (Network)
_____
Symmetric vs Asymmetric Cryptography
Symmetric Encryption
You encrypt and decrypt with the same shared secret key
It's like a password to a message
You will keep needing more keys as network populates
Asymmetric Encryption
You encrypt and decrypt with different keys from the same pair
Keys used for Asymmetric encryption and decryption (public & private) must be from the
same pair
Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) → Symmetric
Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) → Asymmetric
_____
Hash Functions
One-way function that transforms a variable length input into a unique, fixed-length
output
One-way function = Cannot be reversed
The output of a hash function will always be same length, regardless of input size
No two inputs to a hash function should produce the same output
All criterias above must be met to have an effective Hash Function
2 Ways Hash Function can fail:
1. If they are reversible
2. If they are not collision-resistant
Common Hash Functions
You must know which functions are considered insecure and which remain secure
1. Message Digest 5 (MD5)
Ron Rivest created MD5 in 1991
MD5 is the 5th series of hash functions
Message digest is another term for hash
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MD5 produces 128-bit hashes
MD5 is no longer secure
2. SHA-1
Produces a 160-bit hash value
Contains security flaws
SHA-1 is no longer secure
3. SHA-2
Replaced SHA-1
Consists of a family of 6 has functions
Produces output of 224, 256, 384 and 512 bits
Uses a mathematically similar approach to SHA-1 and MD5
SHA-2 is no longer secure
4. SHA-3
Designed to replace SHA-2
Uses a completely different has generation approach than SHA-2
Produces hashes of user-selected fixed strength
Some people do not trust SHA algorithms because NSA created it
5. RIPEMD
Created as an alternative to government-sponsored hash functions
Produces 128, 160, 256, and 320-bit hashes
Contains flaws in the 128-bit version
160 bit is widely used. Even in Bitcoin
Hash Based Message Authentication Code (HMAC)
Combines symmetric cryptography and hashing
Provides authentication and integrity
Create and verify message authentication code by using a secret key in conjunction
with a hash function
_____
Data Lifecycle
Explains the different stages of data in the cloud
Cycle
1. Create
2. Store
3. Use
4. Share
5. Archive
6. Destroy
Must be done in a secured manner
Data Sanitization Techniques
Clearing overwrites sensitive information to frustrate causal analysis
Purging
Destroying, shredding, pulverization, melting and burning
_____
Data Classification
Assign information into categories, known as classification, that
determine storage, handling, and access requirements
Assign Classification Based Upon:
1. Sensitivity of Information
2. Criticality of Information
Classification Levels
1. High, Medium, Low
2. Public vs Private
Labeling Requirements
Requirement to identify sensitive information
VLANs enhance network security by creating logical groupings of systems that prevent unauthorized communication between different network segments, effectively reducing the risk of cross-contamination from potential security breaches . Micro-segmentation, an extreme form of segmentation, further enhances security by limiting communication to even smaller groups within a VLAN, thereby restricting access and potential attack vectors even more tightly . These strategies, when combined, minimize exposure to threats by isolating sensitive data and systems.
Mandatory Access Control (MAC) systems enhance security through strict, system-enforced controls that prevent users from altering permissions, suitable for high-security environments needing rigorous data protection . Discretionary Access Control (DAC) allows resource owners to grant access, offering flexibility and ease of management in more collaborative environments . Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) assigns permissions based on roles, ensuring integrity by offering a balanced approach for organizations seeking efficient management and auditing . Each system's impact is determined by how they balance the needs for security, scalability, and ease of use in various organizational scenarios.
The primary role of first responders during a security incident is to contain the damage through isolation . This is critical because immediate containment prevents the spread of the incident, protecting additional systems and data, and allowing the organization to mitigate potential damage effectively.
Essential components of physical security in a data center include gates, bollards, and CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design), as well as implementing natural surveillance, access control, and territory reinforcement . These components contribute to overall security by preventing unauthorized access, deterring potential intruders through visibility and controlled entry points, and reinforcing the perception and protection of space . Together, they form a comprehensive approach that supports secure operations by addressing both physical and psychological aspects of security.
Hot sites are fully equipped and ready to run immediately in the event of a disaster, providing the fastest recovery time but at a higher cost . Warm sites, equipped with essential resources but not fully operational, require some setup time, offering a middle ground in cost and readiness . Cold sites, which are mostly empty facilities, require the most time to set up as they lack computing infrastructure, making them the most cost-effective but slowest option for recovery . These operational variances offer organizations different strategies based on their recovery objectives and budget.
Hot sites are considered a premier option for disaster recovery because they are fully operational data centers that can be activated quickly, often automatically, during a disaster . This allows organizations to minimize downtime and resume critical operations almost immediately, justifying their higher costs compared to other options like cold or warm sites, which take longer to become fully functional .
Stateful inspection in modern firewalls tracks and maintains a state table of active connections, allowing them to make decisions based on the state and context of a connection . This enhances security by allowing more informed decisions based on ongoing traffic patterns rather than evaluating each packet independently, as in older stateless firewalls . However, stateful firewalls require more resources to maintain state information, which can lead to increased complexity and performance overhead.
The TCP Three-Way Handshake establishes a reliable connection between a source and destination by using a sequence of SYN, SYN-ACK, and ACK packets to synchronize and acknowledge mutual consent to communicate . This handshake is crucial because it ensures that both parties are ready and able to start data exchange, establishing a session state necessary for detecting lost packets and ensuring reliable data transfer across networks . Without it, network communications could be fraught with data loss and degradation.
Differential backups include all data modified since the last full backup, simplifying restoration as only the last full and the latest differential backup are needed . Incremental backups, on the other hand, include all data modified since the last full or incremental backup; this requires restoring the last full backup plus all subsequent incremental backups, which can be slower but requires less storage . These differences affect system restoration by influencing the speed of recovery and storage requirements.
Disaster recovery plans focus specifically on restoring IT infrastructure and operations after a disaster to enable business processes to resume as soon as possible . In contrast, business continuity plans cover a broader scope, ensuring that critical business functions can continue during and after a disaster, often providing interim solutions until full recovery via disaster recovery plans is achieved. If a business continuity plan fails, the disaster recovery plan is activated to restore operations .