Assignment 1
Subject Title: Information Security
Assignment Number: 1
Instructor Name: Muhammad Arslan Tariq
Submission Date: Before MID (Date will be Informed)
Activity 1
1.1 Types of Security Risks and Their Impacts
1. Data Breaches:
- Risk: Unauthorized access to sensitive data, including client information or business-
critical data.
- Impact: Breaches can lead to financial penalties, loss of customer trust, and legal
consequences due to non-compliance with data protection regulations.
2. Malware Attacks:
- Risk: Malware, such as ransomware, can encrypt files or disrupt operations.
- Impact: Downtime, data loss, and high costs for recovery or ransom payments.
3. Insider Threats:
- Risk: Employees or contractors might intentionally or unintentionally expose or damage
data.
- Impact: Loss of intellectual property, data leaks, or operational disruptions.
4. Physical Security Risks:
- Risk: Unrestricted access to the data center may result in hardware theft or sabotage.
- Impact: Damage to infrastructure, data loss, and extended downtime.
5. DDoS Attacks:
- Risk: Attackers flood the system with traffic, rendering services inaccessible.
- Impact: Service outages lead to loss of revenue and customer dissatisfaction.
6. Misconfigured Systems:
- Risk: Improper firewall rules or VPN setups expose the network to attackers.
- Impact: Unauthorized access to systems, making them vulnerable to exploitation.
1.2 Security Procedures
1. Access Control Policies:
- Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Restrict user access based on their roles.
- Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Add an extra layer of security for sensitive
systems.
2. Network Security Enhancements:
- Regularly update firewall configurations and review access logs.
- Deploy Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) to monitor and block
suspicious activities.
3. Data Protection Measures:
- Encrypt data both at rest (using AES-256) and in transit (using SSL/TLS protocols).
- Establish offsite backup routines to protect against data loss.
4. Physical Security Upgrades:
- Install surveillance cameras and biometric access systems for the data center.
- Use physical barriers, such as locked server rooms, for additional safety.
5. Employee Awareness and Training:
- Conduct regular training programs on phishing, social engineering, and security best
practices.
- Establish a security incident reporting procedure.
6. Incident Response Framework:
- Create and test a detailed incident response plan.
- Include steps for detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident
analysis.
Activity 2
2.1 Impact of Incorrect Configurations
1. Firewalls:
- Issue: Allowing open ports or unfiltered traffic exposes the network to external attacks.
- Impact: Unauthorized access, data breaches, or infiltration of malware.
2. VPNs:
- Issue: Poorly configured VPNs may use weak encryption protocols or expose IP
addresses.
- Impact: Eavesdropping on communications, unauthorized access, and compromised
client data.
2.2 Benefits of Technologies
1. DMZ (Demilitarized Zone):
- Description: A DMZ is a network segment that isolates public-facing services (e.g., web
and email servers) from the internal network.
- Benefits:
- Prevents attackers from directly accessing internal systems.
- Contains breaches within the DMZ, minimizing damage.
- Illustration:
[Internet] --> [Firewall] --> [DMZ with public servers] --> [Internal Network]
2. Static IP Addresses:
- Description: A fixed IP address assigned to servers.
- Benefits:
- Simplifies firewall rule configuration and ensures consistent server identification.
- Enhances traceability in logging and auditing processes.
3. NAT (Network Address Translation):
- Description: A process that translates private IP addresses to a public IP and vice versa.
- Benefits:
- Hides internal network details from external entities.
- Reduces the risk of direct attacks on internal systems.
2.3 Network Monitoring Systems
- Real-time alerts for suspicious activities or traffic anomalies.
- Ensures compliance with regulatory requirements through detailed logs.
- Facilitates proactive threat detection, enabling faster mitigation of potential breaches.
- Improves network performance by identifying bottlenecks and resource misuse.
Activity 3
3.1 Risk Assessment Procedure
1. Risk Identification:
- Identify assets (e.g., servers, client data) and potential threats (e.g., cyberattacks, natural
disasters).
2. Risk Analysis:
- Evaluate risks based on their likelihood and impact (e.g., High, Medium, Low).
3. Risk Prioritization:
- Focus on high-priority risks, like data breaches, to allocate resources effectively.
4. Risk Mitigation:
- Implement safeguards (e.g., firewalls, encryption) to reduce vulnerabilities.
5. Monitoring and Review:
- Continuously assess the effectiveness of implemented measures.
- Update risk assessments to account for emerging threats.
3.2 Data Protection Laws and Procedures
1. Mandatory Laws:
- GDPR: Requires secure handling of EU-based clients’ data.
- Sri Lankan Laws: Comply with the Computer Crimes Act and privacy regulations.
2. Data Protection Procedures:
- Perform regular data encryption.
- Ensure data retention policies align with legal requirements.
- Provide transparency to clients about how their data is stored and used.
3.3 Risk Management Methodology
1. Framework: Adopt a standard like ISO/IEC 27005 for structured risk management.
2. Steps:
- Identify risks, analyze their impact, implement controls, and monitor continuously.
3.4 IT Security and Organizational Policy
- Alignment with Business Goals:
- Ensure security policies do not hinder business processes but enhance reliability and
trust.
- Components of a Security Policy:
- Password management, acceptable use, incident response, and compliance requirements.
- Policy Review:
- Conduct regular audits and updates to align with evolving technologies and threats.
