information security for dummies

Ivo Depoorter

Whois I

Functions Sysadmin, DBA, CIO, ADP instructor, SSO,

Security consultant

Career (20 y) NATO – Local government – Youth care

Training Lots of Microsoft, Linux, networking,

programming… Security: Site Security Officer, CISSP, BCM,

Ethical Hacking, network scanning,…

Course outline Information security? Security Why? Security approach Vocabulary The weakest link Real life security sample

Information security?

According to Wikipedia, ISO2700x, CISSP, SANS,…. Confidentiality: Classified information must, be protected

from unauthorized disclosure.

Integrity: Information must be protected against unauthorized changes and modification.

Availability: the information processed, and the services provided must be protected from deliberate or accidental loss, destruction, or interruption of services.

Information security?

Security attributes according to the Belgian privacycommission Confidentiality Integrity Availability

+

Accountability Non-repudiation Authenticity Reliability

CIA Exercise Defacing of Belgian Army website

CIA Exercise Confidentiality

?? Webserver only hosting public information? Webserver separated from LAN?

Integrity

Availability

Unauthorized changes!

Information is no longer available

Security Why? Compliance with law

Protect (valuable) assets

Prevent production breakdowns

Protect reputation, (non-)commercial image

Meet customer & shareholder requirements

Keep personnel happy

Security approach Both technical and non-technical countermeasures.

Top-management approval and support!

Communicate!

Information security needs a

layered approach!!!

Best practices

COBIT

Control Objectives for Information and related Technology

ISO 27002 (ISO 17799) Code of practice for information security management

…..

ISO 27002 Section 0 Introduction Section 1 Scope Section 2 Terms and Definitions Section 3 Structure of the Standard Section 4 Risk Assessment and Treatment Section 5 Security Policy Section 6 Organizing Information Security Section 7 Asset Management Section 8 Human Resources Security Section 9 Physical and Environmental Security Section 10 Communications and Operations Management Section 11 Access Control Section 12 Information Systems Acquisition, Development and

Maintenance Section 13 Information Security Incident Management Section 14 Business Continuity Management Section 15 Compliance

ISO 27002 - Example

10 9 11 15 Procedures Physical access Logical access

Security audit local government > 500 employees Technique: Social Engineering

Internal audit

Security vocabulary - Threat A potential cause of an unwanted incident, which may

result in harm to individuals, assets, a system or organization, the environment, or the community. (BCI)

Samples: Fire

Death of a key person (SPOK or Single Point of Knowledge)

Crash of a critical network component e.g. core switch (SPOF: single

point of failure)

…

Security vocabulary - Damage Harm or injury to property or a person, resulting in loss of

value or the impairment of usefulness

Damage in information security: Operational Financial Legal Reputational

Damage defaced Belgian Army website? Operational: probably (temporary frontpage, patch management,….) Financial: probably (training personnel, hiring consultancy,….) Legal: probably (lawsuit against external responsible?) Reputational: certainly!

Security vocabulary - Risk Combination of the probability of an event and its

consequence.

Risk components Threat (probability) Damage (amount)

Example:

Damage

Process Threat O F L R Max impact Probability Risk

Food freezing Electricity Failure > 24 h 4 3 2 2 4 2 8

The Zen of Risk

What is just the right amount of security?

Seeking Balance between

Security (Yin) and Business (Yang)

Potential Loss Cost

Countermeasures Productivity

Security vocabulary - AAA Authentication: technologies used to determine the

authenticity of users, network nodes, and documents

Authorization: who is allowed to do what?

Accountability: is it possible to find out who has made any operations?

• Strong authentication

(two-factor or multifactor)

• Something you know (password, PIN,…) • Something you have (token,…) • Something you are (fingerprint, …)

The weakest link

SEC_RITY is not complete without U!

Countermeasures: • Force password policy on

server • Train personnel • Use strong authentication • …

The weakest link

Amateurs hack systems, professionals hack people!

Countermeasures: • Implement security & access

policies • Job rotation • Encryption • Employee awareness training • Audit trail of all accesses to

documents • ….

Hacking steps

Step Countermeasures (short list)

1. Reconnaissance Be careful with information

2. Network mapping Network IDS – block ICMP

3. Exploiting System hardening

4. Keeping access IDS – Antivirus – rootkit scanners

5. Covering Tracks

Reconnaissance (information gathering):

Searching interesting information on discussion groups/forum,

social networks, customer reference lists, Google hacks…

Logical security

• VLAN’s

• Password policy

• …

Real life security sample High security (war)zone

Illiterate (local) cleaning

personnel

(Use opportunities!!!)

Physical security:

• Personnel clearance

• Physical control

• Pc placement (shoulder surfing)

• Clean desk policy

• Shredder

• Lock screen policy

• Fiber to pc

WWW

> 2 m

LAN

Tempest!!!

We learned…. Security is CIA(+) Why: law, reputation, production continuity,… Approach: layered, technical & non-technical, support

from CEO, lots of communication Vocabulary: threat, damage, risk, (strong)authentication,

authorization, accountability Risk = threat * damage Security balance: loss vs. cost

& countermeasures vs. productivity The weakest link is personnel! A hacker starts with information gathering