CHAPTER SIXTEEN: SOHO CONFIGURATION Flashcards
(54 cards)
What is Information Security?
Information security is all about protecting data — whether it’s on a computer, a phone, or printed on paper — from people who shouldn’t see it, change it, or destroy it.
To keep data safe, security focuses on three main goals, known as the CIA Triad:
- Confidentiality – Only the right people should be able to see the data.
- Integrity – The data should be accurate and not messed with unless it’s allowed.
- Availability – The data should be accessible to the people who are supposed to have access when they need it.
What is Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is like a special branch of information security that focuses on protecting computers, networks, and digital data from attacks — like hackers trying to get in.
How Do We Protect Systems?
We use security policies (rules) and controls (tools/settings) to protect systems. Making a system more secure is called hardening it — kind of like putting armor on it.
But to know how secure a system is, we do security assessments. These look for:
Vulnerabilities – Weak spots in the system (like unlocked doors).
Threats – Things or people that might take advantage of those weak spots (like hackers).
Risks – The chance that a threat will successfully exploit a vulnerability and what damage it could cause.
What Are Vulnerabilities?
A vulnerability is any weakness that a hacker (or even an accident) could use to break into a system. Examples include:
Badly installed software
What is a Non-Compliant System?
A configuration baseline is like a checklist for how a system should be securely set up.
A non-compliant system is one that no longer follows that secure checklist — it’s drifted from what’s considered safe. We use vulnerability scanners (tools that scan systems) to catch these.
What Are Unprotected Systems?
An unprotected system is missing some important security settings or tools. This means it has a bigger attack surface — more ways for hackers to get in.
What Are Software and Zero-Day Vulnerabilities?
A software vulnerability is a coding mistake that could let hackers crash the system or run their own code on it.
An exploit is the tool or method that takes advantage of that flaw.
A zero-day vulnerability is a brand-new flaw that the software maker doesn’t even know about yet. Hackers can use it before anyone has time to fix it — very dangerous!
What About Unpatched or End-of-Life Systems?
An unpatched system is one that hasn’t had the latest updates or security fixes.
An end-of-life (EOL) system is so old the company that made it no longer supports or fixes it.
What is BYOD and Why is it Risky?
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) means employees use their personal phones or laptops at work. It’s convenient, but super hard to keep secure:
So many different devices and versions
Harder for IT to control
Makes the attack surface bigger
What is Social Engineering?
Social engineering is when hackers trick people into giving up private information. Instead of hacking a computer, they “hack” the human.
Dumpster Diving
Hackers can go through trash to find helpful info like:
Names, job titles
Internal phone numbers
Old documents or USB drives
This helps them seem more legit when impersonating someone.
Shoulder Surfing
This is when a hacker watches someone type their password. It doesn’t have to be literally over the shoulder — they could use binoculars or cameras too.
Tailgating
Imagine someone walks through a secure door with a key card, and you slip in right behind them before the door closes. That’s tailgating — you’re sneaking in without being allowed.
Piggybacking
Similar to tailgating, but here, you ask someone to let you in. Maybe you pretend to be a janitor and say, “Can you hold the door while I bring in my cleaning cart?” — and they do. That’s piggybacking.
Phishing
Phishing messages pretend to be from trusted sources (like your bank or IT department). They might ask you to:
Click a link to a fake website.
Download a fake antivirus that’s actually malware.
Let someone “fix” your computer remotely, but they’re actually breaking in.
Types of phishing
Spear Phishing: Targeted. They know something about you — your name, job, or what you’re working on — to make it more convincing.
Whaling: Phishing aimed at top bosses (like CEOs) — the “big fish.”
Vishing: Phishing done by voice, like someone calling and pretending to be your bank, asking for your PIN.
Evil Twin
This is like phishing, but instead of using email, the attacker sets up a fake Wi-Fi network.
It might look like a legit network (like “Starbucks_WiFi”), but it’s fake.
When you connect, it might take you to a fake login page to steal your password.
They can even knock out the real Wi-Fi so you’re forced to connect to theirs.
Static Threats and Modern Threats
These are old-school viruses or malware that leave behind a “signature” or pattern. Antivirus software could easily detect them.
But attackers got smarter.
Modern threats are sneakier — they behave in ways that can’t be detected by looking for simple patterns. So now we study the behavior of the attack instead.
External vs. Internal Threats
External Threat Actor: Someone outside your organization — a hacker from the internet or someone breaking in physically.
Internal Threat Actor: Someone inside your organization — like an employee or contractor.
They might be malicious (on purpose) or non-malicious (made a dumb mistake).
Footprinting
This is the hacker doing recon (like a spy) — collecting info about your systems before attacking.
They might scan your website, ports, or search for leaked info to figure out how to break in.
Spoofing
Spoofing means pretending to be something or someone you’re not — kind of like wearing a mask.
It could mean faking an email address, IP address, or even a digital certificate (used to prove websites are secure).
If a hacker steals your token (a small bit of info that says you’re logged in), they might reuse it — this is called a replay attack.
On-Path Attacks (a.k.a. Man-in-the-Middle)
This is when a hacker secretly sits in the middle of two computers talking to each other.
They can see the data and maybe even change it without you knowing.
Evil Twin Wi-Fi is one example — it sits between you and the real internet.
Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks
These attacks flood a website or service with junk so it crashes or slows down.
Could be digital (sending tons of fake traffic) or physical (like cutting power).
Sometimes done just to cause trouble, or to distract security while the real attack happens elsewhere.
Distributed DoS (DDoS) and Botnets
A DDoS attack comes from lots of hacked devices at once — not just one.
These devices (could be hacked computers, webcams, etc.) form a botnet.
The hacker controls all these devices from a command & control center and launches massive attacks.
