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

In the context of monitoring and alerts within cybersecurity, the classification of alerts includes true positives, false positives, true negatives, and false negatives.

A false negative is considered the most dangerous type of alert because it occurs when an actual security threat is present but the monitoring system fails to detect and alert it. This allows malicious activities to occur undetected, potentially leading to significant damage or data loss.

The risk with false negatives is that they provide a false sense of security, assuming that systems are secure while in reality, they are compromised.

References

"Security and Network Monitoring Basics," Cisco Systems.

"Understanding Alert Classifications in Cybersecurity," Journal of Information Security.

The first generation of ICS/SCADA systems is considered monolithic, primarily characterized by standalone systems that had no external communications or connectivity with other systems. These systems were typically fully self-contained, with all components hard-wired together, and operations were managed without any networked interaction.References:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security, "Recommended Practice: Improving Industrial Control System Cybersecurity with Defense-in-Depth Strategies".

The Modbus protocol was developed by Modicon, now a brand of Schneider Electric.

It was originally designed in 1979 for use with its programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in industrial applications.

Modbus is a serial communications protocol that has become a de facto standard communication protocol and is now commonly used to connect industrial electronic devices. The main reasons for its use are its simplicity and the fact that it is open-source, which allows manufacturers to build their own implementations of the standard.

References

"Modbus Protocol Reference Guide," Modicon, Inc., 1979.

"A Guide to the Modbus Protocol," Schneider Electric.

A network switch typically operates at Layer 2 of the OSI model, which is the Data Link layer. This layer is responsible for node-to-node data transfer—a function that involves handling data frames between physical devices on the same network or link. The switch uses MAC addresses to forward data to the appropriate destination within the network.References:

Andrew S. Tanenbaum, "Computer Networks".

Port mirroring (also known as SPAN - Switched Port Analyzer) is considered one of the best ways to counter packet monitoring on a switch. This technique involves copying traffic from one or more switch ports (or an entire VLAN) to another port where the monitoring device is connected. Port mirroring allows administrators to monitor network traffic in a non-intrusive way, as it does not affect network performance and is transparent to users and endpoints on the network.References:

Cisco Systems, "Catalyst Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN) Configuration Example".

In the Modbus protocol, the function code is used to tell the slave device what kind of action to perform, such as reading or writing data.

Modbus function codes specify the type of operation to be performed on the registers. For example, function code 03 is used to read holding registers, and function code 06 is used to write a single register.

Each function code is a single byte in size and is positioned at the start of the PDU (Protocol Data Unit) in the Modbus message structure, directly influencing how the slave interprets and executes the request.

References

"Modbus Application Protocol Specification V1.1b," Modbus Organization.

"The Modbus Protocol Explained," by Schneider Electric.

In network security, the stance on managing and assessing risk can vary widely depending on the security policies of an organization.

A "Permissive" stance, often referred to as a default permit approach, allows all traffic unless it has been specifically blocked. This approach can be easier to manage from a usability standpoint but is less secure as it potentially allows unwanted or malicious traffic unless explicitly filtered.

This is in contrast to a more restrictive policy, which denies all traffic unless it has been explicitly permitted, typically seen in more secure environments.

References

"Network Security Basics," by Cisco Systems.

"Understanding Firewall Policies," by Fortinet.

A masquerade attack involves an attacker pretending to be an authorized user of a system, thus compromising the authentication component of the IT security model. Authentication ensures that the individuals accessing the system are who they claim to be. By masquerading as a legitimate user, an attacker can bypass this security measure and gain unauthorized access to the system.References:

William Stallings, "Security in Computing".

In the context of physical to logical asset protection in network security, several threats can be directed against the network, including:

Elevation of Privileges: Where unauthorized users gain higher-level permissions improperly.

Flood the Switch: Typically involves a DoS attack where the switch is overwhelmed with traffic, preventing normal operations.

Crack the Password: An attack aimed at gaining unauthorized access by breaking through password security. All these threats can potentially compromise the network's security and the safety of its physical and logical assets.References:

CompTIA Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals.

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.