Security Principles to Secure Enterprise Infrastructure

As you delve into CompTIA Security+ certification, Domain 3, “Security Architecture,” emerges as a pivotal aspect. Within this domain, section 3.2, “Applying Security Principles to Secure Enterprise Infrastructure,” focuses on the foundational security principles essential for protecting an organization’s infrastructure. The security of enterprise infrastructure is a broad and multifaceted challenge that encompasses physical hardware, network systems, software applications, and data handling practices.

This section helps you understand how to apply security principles to protect and secure enterprise infrastructure effectively.

3.2: Given a Scenario, Apply Security Principles to Secure Enterprise Infrastructure

In this section, you will explore various scenarios that test your ability to implement, assess, and manage the appropriate security controls for different types of infrastructure. This includes dealing with network, server, and application security challenges, as well as newer technologies.

• Infrastructure Considerations
  • Device Placement: This refers to the strategic positioning of network devices that can
    bolster security, such as placing servers within a
    locked room or situating firewalls at the network perimeter.
  • Security Zones: These are segmented network areas with distinct security needs. For
    example, a public zone for web servers is accessible
    from the Internet, and a restricted zone for databases is inaccessible from external networks.
  • Attack Surface: This represents the varied entry points for potential attackers to
    infiltrate a system. For example, multiple access
    methods such as unpatched software, open ports, or weak passwords increase the attack surface, providing
    more
    opportunities for exploitation.
  • Connectivity: This involves how network devices are connected and communicate securely.
    For example, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
    use encryption across public networks, securing transmitted data between distant devices or locations.
  • Failure Modes: This refers to the behavior of security devices when they encounter a
    malfunction or loss of normal operational
    capability. Two common failure modes are “Fail-open” and “Fail-closed.”
    • Fail-open occurs when a security device defaults to an open state during a
      malfunction, allowing all traffic and potentially
      compromising security.
    • Fail-closed activates the device’s secure state upon failure, blocking all
      traffic and ensuring a more secure environment despite
      the device’s malfunction.
  • Device Attribute
    • Active vs. Passive: Active and passive attributes categorize the operational
      nature of security devices.
    • Active devices, such as firewalls or Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS),
      interact directly with the network traffic passing through
      them. They can modify, block, or manipulate the data they process based on predefined security
      rules.
    • Passive devices, like network taps or monitoring tools, do not interfere with
      the traffic passing through them. They
      monitor and analyze network packets without directly intervening.
    • Inline vs. Tap/Monitor: The distinction between inline and tap/monitor devices
      concerns their placement and
      interaction with network traffic.
    • Inline devices are directly integrated into the network path and actively
      process and
      control traffic. They can block,
      filter, or reroute packets based on security policies.
    • Tap/Monitor devices operate separately from the primary traffic flow, usually
      connected
      via a mirror port or network
      tap. They “listen” to copies of network packets, enabling monitoring, analysis, and
      reporting without directly impacting
      live traffic.
  • Network Appliances Network appliances serve distinct functions in managing and securing
    network operations:
    • Jump Server (Bastion Host):Acts as the entry point for administrators,
      enforcing a controlled access gateway to other
      network servers and enhancing security through centralized access control.
    • Proxy Server: Serves as a mediator between clients’ requests and servers. It
      filters content, hides IP addresses, and
      temporarily stores data to speed up frequent requests, improving both privacy and performance.
    • Intrusion Prevention/Detection Systems (IPS/IDS):IDSs monitor network traffic,
      flagging suspicious activities for
      administrator attention. IPSs go further by actively blocking or halting identified threats and
      bolstering network
      defense.
    • Load Balancer: By evenly distributing workloads among
      servers,
      load balancers optimize resource utilization, enhance
      throughput, reduce response times, and prevent server overloads, ensuring efficient performance.
    • Sensor: Often paired with security systems, sensors detect various events and
      trigger alerts or actions, contributing
      to early threat identification and response and fortifying overall network security.
  • Port Security
    • 802.1X:A network access control protocol that provides an authentication
      mechanism to devices intending to attach to
      a LAN or WLAN.
    • Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP):A framework for transporting
      authentication protocols that includes the
      authentication methods used in wireless networks and PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol).
  • Firewall Types
    • Web Application Firewall (WAF): Protects web
      applications by filtering and monitoring HTTP traffic between a web
      application and the Internet, blocking SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and other known
      vulnerabilities.
    • Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW):Combines the capabilities of a traditional
      firewall
      with additional functionalities
      like encrypted traffic inspection, application awareness, integrated intrusion prevention,
      and cloud-delivered threat
      intelligence.
    • Layer 4 (Transport Layer): Firewalls operating at
      this layer can make
      decisions based
      on the source and destination IP
      addresses, ports, and protocols.
    • Layer 7 (Application Layer): Firewalls at this
      layer can make more sophisticated decisions based on the actual content of the network packets,
      such
      as URLs, the payload of a web page, or the specifics of incoming and outgoing emails.
• Secure Communication/Access: Secure communication and access methods are pivotal in safeguarding
  network interactions:
  • Virtual Private Network (VPN): A technology that allows
    secure access to a corporate network
    via the Internet. For
    example, remote employees can securely connect to their company’s intranet, ensuring data privacy
    and network integrity,
    and mimicking an office environment.
  • Remote Access: Allows access to a system or network from a distant location or remotely.
    For example, IT support
    utilizes remote access tools to troubleshoot issues on an employee’s system from a different location.
  • Tunneling: Involves enclosing a network protocol within packets transported by another
    network. For example, VPNs
    utilize secure tunnels over the Internet, safeguarding transmitted data by encapsulating it within a
    secure protocol.
    • Transport Layer Security (TLS):Safeguards privacy between Internet applications
      and users. Websites using “https” use
      TLS to secure connections, ensuring encrypted and protected data exchange.
    • Internet Protocol Security (IPSec): Secures
      Internet communications by encrypting and authenticating each IP packet. Frequently used in
      VPNs, IPSec
      fortifies data protection during transmission, bolstering network security.
  • Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN): This is a
    method for managing and optimizing a Wide Area Network (WAN). For example, a company with multiple
    branches
    can use SD-WAN to control its network traffic and ensure high performance for critical applications.
  • Secure Access Service Edge (SASE):A network architecture that combines VPN and SD-WAN
    capabilities with cloud-native security functions. For example, a
    business might adopt SASE to enable secure and efficient access to cloud services for its distributed
    workforce.
• Selection of Effective Controls: This refers to the process of identifying and implementing security measures that effectively mitigate risks to the enterprise infrastructure. For example, this might involve an IT security team conducting a risk assessment and then choosing appropriate security controls like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and multi-factor authentication to protect the network

In conclusion, domain 3.2 of the CompTIA Security+ certification equips individuals with the knowledge to evaluate and implement secure architectural models, considering the unique security challenges and requirements of each. This knowledge is vital for IT professionals tasked with safeguarding an organization’s digital assets and ensuring the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of data.

Related Articles:

Domain 1: General Security Concepts (12%)
Domain 2: Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (22%)

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By mastering this section, you will gain insights into the multifaceted nature of enterprise security, learning how to tailor your approach to fit the unique needs of different environments. So, join InfosecTrain‘s CompTIA Security+ certification training course to understand the security implications inherent in various architecture models. This course is tailored to address the complexities of modern IT environments, ranging from cloud computing to IoT and serverless architectures.

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