Threats to the Local Area Network (38.1.7)
The local area network (LAN) is a collection of devices, typically in the same geographic area, connected by cables (wired) or airwaves (wireless).
Because users can access an organization’s systems, applications, and data from the LAN domain, it is critical that it has strong security and stringent access controls.
Examples of threats to the LAN include:
- Unauthorized access to wiring closets, data centers, and computer rooms
- Unauthorized access to systems, applications, and data
- Network operating system or software vulnerabilities and updates
- Rogue users gaining unauthorized access to wireless networks
- Exploits of data in transit
- Having LAN servers with different hardware or operating systems, which makes managing and troubleshooting them more difficult
- Unauthorized network probing and port scanning
- Misconfigured firewalls
Threats to the Private Cloud (38.1.8)
The private cloud domain includes any private servers, resources, and IT infrastructure available to members of a single organization via the Internet. While many organizations feel that their data is safer in a private cloud, this domain still poses significant security threats, including:
- Unauthorized network probing and port scanning
- Unauthorized access to resources
- Router, firewall, or network device operating system or software vulnerabilities
- Router, firewall, or network device configuration errors
- Remote users accessing an organization’s infrastructure and downloading sensitive data
Threats to the Public Cloud (38.1.9)
Where a private cloud domain hosts computing resources for a single organization, the public cloud domain is the entirety of computing services hosted by a cloud service or Internet provider that are available to the public or shared across organizations.
There are three models of public cloud services that organizations typically choose to use:
- Software as a Service (SaaS)—This is a subscription-based model that provides organizations with software that is centrally hosted and accessed by users via a web browser, app, or other software. In other words, this is software that is not stored locally but instead is run from the cloud.
- Platform as a Service (PaaS)—This subscription-based model provides a platform that allows an organization to develop, run, and manage its applications on the service’s hardware, using tools that the service provides. This platform is accessed via the public cloud.
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)—This subscription-based model provides virtual computing resources such as hardware, software, servers, storage, and other infrastructure components over the Internet. An organization will buy access to this infrastructure and use it via the public cloud.
Threats to Applications (38.1.10)
The application domain includes all of the critical systems, applications, and data used by an organization to support operations. Increasingly, organizations are moving applications such as email, security monitoring, and database management to the public cloud.
Common threats to applications include:
- Someone gaining unauthorized access to data centers, computer rooms, wiring closets, or systems
- Server downtime during maintenance periods
- Network operating system software vulnerabilities
- Data loss
- Client-server or web application development vulnerabilities
Practice Item—Threats and Vulnerabilities (38.1.11)
Refer to the online course to complete this activity.