Pass the ECCouncil Network Security ICS-SCADA Questions and answers with ExamsMirror

A data diode is known as a prebuilt directional gateway that is unidirectional, designed specifically to allow data to travel in only one direction, ensuring secure one-way communication. This feature makes data diodes ideal for environments where it iscritical to prevent any possibility of data leakage or unauthorized access from an external network back to a secure network. Data diodes are commonly used in military and industrial applications, including ICS/SCADA systems, to protect sensitive information.References:

U.S. Department of Energy, "Cybersecurity for SCADA Systems".

In the context of network security policies, a "Paranoid" stance typically means adopting a default-deny posture. This security approach is one of the most restrictive, where all access is blocked unless explicitly allowed.

A default deny strategy is considered best practice for securing highly sensitive environments, as it minimizes the risk of unauthorized access and reduces the attack surface.

This approach contrasts with more open stances such as Permissive or Promiscuous, which are less restrictive and generally allow more traffic by default.

References

"Network Security: Policies and Guidelines for Effective Network Management," by Jonathan Gossels.

"Best Practices for Implementing a Security Awareness Program," by Kaspersky Lab.

A Security Association (SA) in the context of IPsec is a one-way logical connection used for secure communication between two endpoints. IPsec requires two SAs to establish a secure, bidirectional communication channel—one for each direction (inbound and outbound). This arrangement ensures that each direction is independently secured, with its own set of security parameters.References:

RFC 4301, "Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol".

IPsec (Internet Protocol Security) primarily operates in two modes: Transport mode and Tunnel mode.

Transport mode: Encrypts only the payload of each packet, leaving the header untouched. This mode is typically used for end-to-end communication between two systems.

Tunnel mode: Encrypts both the payload and the header of each IP packet, which is then encapsulated into a new IP packet with a new header. Tunnel mode is often used for network-to-network communications (e.g., between two gateways) or between a remote client and a gateway.

References

"Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol," RFC 4301.

"IPsec Modes of Operation," by Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

One weakness of a vulnerability scanner is that it is not designed to go through filters or bypass security controls like firewalls or intrusion detection systems. Vulnerability scanners typically perform well in identifying known weaknesses within the perimeter of a network or system but might not effectively assess systems that are shielded by robust security measures, which can filter out the scanner's attempts to probe or attack.References:

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), "Technical Guide to Information Security Testing and Assessment".

Nmap (Network Mapper) is a network scanning and security auditing tool. Scripts used by Nmap for performing different network discovery and security auditing tasks are stored in/usr/share/nmap/scripts. This directory contains a collection of scripts for NSE (Nmap Scripting Engine), which enables Nmap to perform additional networking tasks, often used for detecting vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and security-related information about network services.References:

Nmap documentation, "Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE)".

Enumeration is a step in the information-gathering phase of a penetration test or cyber attack where an attacker actively engages with the target to extract detailed information, including IP addressing.

Enumeration: During enumeration, the attacker interacts with network services to gather information such as user accounts, network shares, and IP addresses.

Techniques: Common techniques include using tools like Nmap, Netcat, and Nessus to scan for open ports, services, and to identify the IP addresses in use.

Purpose: The goal is to map the network's structure, find potential entry points, and understand the layout of the target environment.

Because enumeration involves discovering detailed information including IP addresses, it is the correct answer.

References

"Enumeration in Ethical Hacking," GeeksforGeeks, Enumeration.

"Network Enumeration," Wikipedia,Network Enumeration.

Stuxnet is a highly sophisticated piece of malware discovered in 2010 that specifically targeted Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems used to control and monitor industrial processes.

The primary targets of Stuxnet were Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), which are critical components in industrial control systems.

Stuxnet was designed to infect Siemens Step7 software PLCs. It altered the operation of the PLCs to cause physical damage to the connected hardware, famously used against Iran's uranium enrichment facility, where it caused the fast-spinning centrifuges to tear themselves apart.

References

Langner, R. "Stuxnet: Dissecting a Cyberwarfare Weapon." IEEE Security & Privacy, May-June 2011.

"W32.Stuxnet Dossier," Symantec Corporation, Version 1.4, February 2011.

The Authentication Header (AH) is a component of the IPsec protocol suite that provides authentication and integrity to the communications. AH ensures that the contents of the communications have not been altered in transit (integrity) and verifies the sending and receiving parties (authentication). However, AH does not provide confidentiality, which would involve encrypting the payload data. Confidentiality is provided by the Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP), another component of IPsec.References:

RFC 4302, "IP Authentication Header".

Information management within the context of network security involves several critical functions that ensure data is correctly handled for security operations. These functions include:

Normalization: This process standardizes data formats from various sources to a common format, making it easier to analyze systematically.

Correlation: This function identifies relationships between disparate pieces of data, helping to identify patterns or potential security incidents.

Data enrichment: Adds context to the collected data, enhancing the information with additional details, such as threat intelligence.

All these functions are essential to effective information management in security systems, allowing for more accurate monitoring and faster response to potential threats.

References

"Data Enrichment and Correlation in SIEM Systems," Security Information Management Best Practices.

"Normalization Techniques for Security Data," Journal of Network Security.