Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 12-3 shows a DoS threat on availability. The attacker is performing a DoS attack on
the network and servers using a flood of packets. Keep in mind that this is an external at-
tack; however, an internal attack is also certainly possible.
DMZ/E-Commerce
Enterprise Campus
Building Access
Attacker
Internet
Building Distribution
Internet
Campus Core
Flooding Network and
Servers with Packets
Remote Access VPN
WAN/MAN
Data Center/Server Farm
Figure 12-3
DoS Threat
Integrity Violations and Confidentiality Breaches
When attackers change sensitive data without the proper authorization, this is called an
integrity violation. For example, an attacker might access financial data and delete critical
information. The effect of this change might not be felt for some time or until a significant
loss has occurred. Integrity attacks like this are considered by many companies to be one
of the most serious threats to their business. Furthermore, identifying these attacks can be
difficult, and the effects can be devastating.
Confidentiality breaches occur when the attacker attempts to read sensitive information.
It is difficult to detect these types of attacks, and loss of data can happen without the
owner's knowledge.
It is important to use restrictive access controls to prevent integrity violations and confi-
dentiality attacks. Here are some ways to enforce access control to reduce risks:
■
Restrict access with OS-based controls in both Windows and UNIX.
■
