What is Cybersecurity
Objectives
We would like to :
- Define the field of cybersecurity
Notes
- I am basing this mostly on Pfleeger chapter 1.
- What is your definition of cybersecurity?
- What do we mean by cyber?
- What do we mean by security?
- Asset:
- Something of value.
- What are your cyber assets?
- Hardware
- The computer
- Devices
- Network gear
- Software
- Operating system
- Utilities
- Applications (word, PowerPoint, games)
- Custom Software
- Data
- Documents
- Pictures
- Music, videos (commercial)
- Music, videos (personal)
- Email
- Projects, special personal work
- Would you add anything to the lists above?
- For the lists above, which have the most value?
- What do we mean by value
- Cost to purchase?
- Cost to replace?
- What is the value if something can't be replaced?
- Is value "universal"?
- Is every item equally valuable to all people?
- Is the value of an item constant to someone throughout time?
- Big question: Is there a precise measure of the value for every object at every time?
- Pfleeger points out that when you go to the beach, you leave some assets sit out (blanket, umbrella, drink) while others you keep with you, locked up or with a trusted friend (wallet, keys, phone).
- In the cyber security world, we frequently refer to the Vulnerability-Threat-Control paradigm
- A paradigm is a example, pattern or model
- In this case, we are discussing a framework
- This gives us a basis to discuss cybersecurity
- Vulnerability
- A weakness in a system that could be exploited to cause harm.
- When logging in frequently a user must supply a password.
- That password is a weakness or vulnerability.
- If someone other than the user gains access to that password, they could "become" the user.
- An unlocked and unattended computer account is a vulnerability
- Anyone walking by could gain user level access to a system.
- It would be very difficult to build a useful system with no vulnerabilities.
- Perhaps "What weaknesses could be taken advantage of?" is a good intuitive definition of a weakness.
- Threat
- A threat is a set of circumstances that could cause harm.
- A student attempting to change their grades in my grade book is a threat.
- A power outage not allowing access to my grade book is a threat.
- A student wishing to post my grade book for everyone to see is a threat.
- Perhaps, "What could go wrong?" is a good intuitive definition of a threat.
- Control
- A procedure, action, mechanism, ... that removes or reduces a vulnerability.
- An "screen lock" program that locks the computer after 5 minutes
- A locked door
- Training that says not to walk away from your computer unlocked.
- Perhaps "What can we do to detect, reduce or prevent a threat from exploiting a vulnerability?" is a reasonable intuitive definition of control.
- We will look at each of these in more detail later.
- But this paradigm describes the world of cybersecurity.
- The money in your wallet is an asset, use the threat-vulnerability-control paradigm to describe how you might protect your wallet.
- Vulnerabilities include
- The money needs to be accessable. This makes it easier for anyone to get at.
- Generally a wallet is a single point of failure, if it is taken, you have no backup.
- It has weak physical security
- Storage is predictable.
- Threats
- Pickpocket
- Dropped/lost/forgotten
- Controls
- Move to a more secure location
- Chain to self
- Habit of checking for presence
- If it describes how something is weak, it's probably a vulnerability.
- If it describes who or what causes harm, it's probably a threat.
- For now, at this level of discussion, please find a teammate and do homework 1.