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Understanding Confidentiality Threats
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Today, we'll discuss the threats that primarily target confidentiality. Can anyone explain what confidentiality means in terms of cyber security?
It means keeping sensitive information accessible only to authorized people.
Exactly! Now, threats like eavesdropping and phishing can exploit this confidentiality. Does anyone know what eavesdropping entails?
It's when someone intercepts communication without altering the content.
Correct! Phishing is another method wherein cybercriminals deceive users into providing sensitive information. Remember the acronym 'SPEAK' to recall elements of confidentiality: Secure, Prevent, Encrypt, Access, Knowledge. Can someone give examples of phishing?
Like receiving an email that looks like itβs from a bank asking for your password.
Right! Always be cautious of such communications. Let's recap, threats like eavesdropping and phishing are central to breaching confidentiality. Can anyone summarize our key takeaways?
Confidentiality means protecting sensitive data, and eavesdropping and phishing are major threats to it.
Integrity Compromising Threats
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Moving onto integrity, which refers to the accuracy and trustworthiness of data. Can anyone explain why integrity is vital?
Because making decisions based on corrupted or altered data can lead to serious consequences.
Great point! Now, integrity can be threatened by various factors, including malware. What forms can this malware take?
Viruses and ransomware are common forms of malware that can alter data.
Correct! Remember the mnemonic 'MALWARE' for these malicious forms: Malicious, Active, Lethal, Wreaking havoc, Altering, Repeating, and Exfiltrating. Can someone describe how SQL injection would impact integrity?
It can manipulate a database to retrieve or alter sensitive data.
Exactly! In summary, integrity is compromised by malware and tactics like SQL injection, affecting the trustworthiness of information.
Availability Impacting Threats
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Finally, letβs examine threats aimed at availability. Why is it critical that data is available when needed?
Because if users can't access the information or services they need, it disrupts operations.
Exactly! Availability can be threatened by attacks like DDoS. Can anyone explain how these attacks function?
They flood a server with so much traffic that it crashes and canβt serve legitimate users.
Precisely! Think of 'HAAP' to remember key availability threats: Hardware failure, Attacks (DoS/DDoS), Applications issues, and Physical disasters. Can anyone illustrate the impact of ransomware on availability?
Ransomware can lock users out of their files, making them inaccessible until a ransom is paid.
Well stated! So, threats like DDoS and ransomware directly affect availability, which is vital for any organization. What can we glean from todayβs session as a whole?
Maintaining availability is crucial for operational stability, and various threats can severely disrupt that.
Introduction & Overview
Read a summary of the section's main ideas. Choose from Basic, Medium, or Detailed.
Quick Overview
Standard
The section identifies key cyber threats that specifically target the components of the CIA Triad. It explains threats to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, detailing the mechanisms used by attackers to exploit vulnerabilities in organizations' digital environments.
Detailed
Basic Cyber Threats to CIA
This section outlines critical cyber threats that undermine the CIA Triad, which consists of Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availabilityβfundamental aspects of cybersecurity. Understanding these threats is crucial for anticipating and effectively defending against cyber attacks.
2.1 Threats Targeting Confidentiality
- Eavesdropping/Wiretapping: Unauthorized interception of communications, discovering sensitive data through passive monitoring.
- Phishing & Spear Phishing: Attacks that use deceptive messages to encourage victims to reveal sensitive information or install malware.
- Spyware and Keyloggers: Malicious software that tracks user activity and collects sensitive data without consent.
- Shoulder Surfing & Dumpster Diving: Techniques to acquire confidential data through direct observation or sifting through discarded materials.
- Unauthorized Access/Privilege Escalation: Gaining access to systems or data without authorization or extending access privileges illicitly.
2.2 Threats Targeting Integrity
- Malware (Viruses, Worms, Trojans, Ransomware): Various forms of malicious software that alter or corrupt data.
- Tampering/Data Manipulation: Unauthorized changes to data to sabotage systems or commit fraud.
- SQL Injection: Exploiting application vulnerabilities to execute unauthorized SQL commands affecting databases.
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): Injecting malicious scripts into web pages to compromise user interactions and data.
- Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) Attacks: Intercepting and relaying communications between two parties without their knowledge.
2.3 Threats Targeting Availability
- Denial-of-Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attacks: Overwhelming a system or network with excessive traffic to render it unavailable.
- Ransomware: Locks access to data, impacting the ability to retrieve it until a ransom is paid.
- Logic Bombs: Hidden code that triggers harmful actions based on certain conditions.
- Hardware/Software Failures: Non-malicious but critical failures that can lead to system downtime.
- Environmental Factors: Real-world conditions (e.g., natural disasters) that can disrupt IT systems.
- Human Error/Misconfiguration: Mistakes made by users that can compromise system availability.
Audio Book
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Introduction to Cyber Threats
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Cyber threats are hostile actions or events that exploit vulnerabilities to compromise assets, potentially impacting the CIA Triad. Understanding these categories helps in anticipating and defending against attacks.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk introduces the concept of cyber threats, referring to hostile actions that take advantage of weaknesses in systems to compromise security. The focus is on the CIA Triad, which stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Understanding these threats is essential for effective defense strategies.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine leaving your house with all the doors unlocked. Just as a thief might take advantage of an open door to steal your valuables, cyber attackers exploit vulnerabilities in systems to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Threats Targeting Confidentiality
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2.1. Threats Primarily Targeting Confidentiality:
- Eavesdropping/Wiretapping/Network Sniffing: Passive interception of data communications over a network without altering the data. This includes intercepting unencrypted wireless traffic or network packets.
- Phishing & Spear Phishing: Social engineering attacks where attackers send fraudulent messages, masquerading as a reputable entity, to trick victims into revealing sensitive information (e.g., login credentials, financial data) or deploying malware. Spear phishing is highly targeted.
- Spyware and Keyloggers: Malicious software designed to secretly monitor and record a user's activities, including keystrokes, screenshots, and browse history, transmitting this sensitive data back to the attacker.
- Shoulder Surfing & Dumpster Diving: Low-tech methods to gain information.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk discusses various threats that primarily compromise confidentiality. Eavesdropping involves listening to communications without altering them, while phishing attempts to deceive users into providing sensitive information. Spyware monitors user activities covertly, and shoulder surfing or dumpster diving are physical methods of gathering confidential information.
Examples & Analogies
Think of it like this: if someone spies on you while you enter your PIN at an ATM, they can steal your money. Similarly, eavesdropping attacks capture sensitive data like passwords before they are sent. Just as itβs wise to cover your hand when entering a PIN, technology needs defenses against such threats.
Threats Targeting Integrity
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2.2. Threats Primarily Targeting Integrity:
- Malware (Viruses, Worms, Trojans, Ransomware):
- Viruses: Malicious code that attaches itself to legitimate programs and spreads when those programs are executed, often altering or corrupting files.
- Worms: Self-replicating malware that spreads independently across networks, consuming bandwidth or altering system configurations.
- Trojan Horses: Malicious programs disguised as legitimate software, performing harmful actions once executed.
- Ransomware: Encrypts a victim's files and demands a ransom for their decryption, denying access to data until payment.
- Tampering/Data Manipulation: Unauthorized modification, deletion, or corruption of data.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk outlines threats that mainly affect the integrity of data. For example, viruses manipulate files when executed, while ransomware locks users out of their own data until a ransom is paid. Tampering involves unauthorized alterations to critical information, compromising trust in that data.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine someone changes your answers on a test paper, so you get a lower score. This is like data tampering: the integrity of the information is compromised, leading to negative consequences. Just as you wouldn't want your test altered by someone else, systems must protect data integrity from unauthorized changes.
Threats Targeting Availability
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2.3. Threats Primarily Targeting Availability:
- Denial-of-Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Attacks: Overwhelming a system with a flood of illegitimate traffic, making it unavailable to legitimate users.
- Ransomware: This can block access to data/systems, impacting availability.
- Logic Bombs: Malicious code that lies dormant until specific conditions are met, designed to disrupt service.
- Hardware/Software Failures: Component breakdowns or system crashes can threaten availability.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk focuses on threats that impede the availability of services and systems. DDoS attacks flood networks with traffic so legitimate users cannot access resources, while ransomware can lock users out of their own data. Logic bombs and system failures are also critical as they can disrupt operations when least expected.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a busy restaurant where an unexpected surge of customers floods in all at once, overwhelming the kitchen. Just as the restaurant canβt serve everyone due to the sudden influx, a server under a DDoS attack can't handle legitimate requests. Systems need safeguards to ensure they can accommodate users during high demand.
Definitions & Key Concepts
Learn essential terms and foundational ideas that form the basis of the topic.
Key Concepts
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Phishing: A social engineering attack that deceives users into providing sensitive information.
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Ransomware: Malware that encrypts user data, making it inaccessible until a ransom is paid.
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DDoS Attack: An attack aimed at making a service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic.
Examples & Real-Life Applications
See how the concepts apply in real-world scenarios to understand their practical implications.
Examples
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Phishing emails tricking users into revealing their passwords.
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DDoS attacks targeting online retailers during high traffic events like Black Friday.
Memory Aids
Use mnemonics, acronyms, or visual cues to help remember key information more easily.
π΅ Rhymes Time
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To keep data safe and sound, with confidentiality around, unauthorized access must be drowned.
π Fascinating Stories
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Imagine a bank vault representing confidentiality. Only authorized personnel can access it, just as encryption protects valuable data from prying eyes.
π§ Other Memory Gems
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Remember 'CIA' as Protect, Assure, and Provide for the core principles of cybersecurity.
π― Super Acronyms
'C.I.A.' stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability, the pillars of security.
Flash Cards
Review key concepts with flashcards.
Glossary of Terms
Review the Definitions for terms.
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Term: Confidentiality
Definition:
Ensuring that information is accessible only to those authorized to have access.
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Term: Integrity
Definition:
The assurance that information is accurate and trustworthy, maintaining its completeness.
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Term: Availability
Definition:
The assurance that information and resources are available to authorized users when needed.
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Term: Eavesdropping
Definition:
Unauthorized interception of data transmitted over a network.
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Term: Phishing
Definition:
Fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity in electronic communications.
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Term: Malware
Definition:
Malicious software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems.
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Term: DDoS Attack
Definition:
Distributed Denial-of-Service attack; an attempt to make an online service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic.
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Term: SQL Injection
Definition:
A code injection technique that exploits a vulnerability in applications that interact with databases.