Page 11 - StudyBook.pdf

Foreword xvii
■ General Security Concepts: Attacks This section introduces readers to some of the more
commonly used exploits used by hackers to attack or intrude upon systems, including Denial of
Service (DoS), backdoor attacks, spoofing, man-in-the-middle attacks, replay,TCP/IP hijacking,
weak key and mathematical exploits, password-cracking methods, and software exploits.The
reader will not only learn the technical details of how these attacks work but also become aware
of how to prevent, detect, and respond to such attacks.
■ General Security Concepts: Malicious Code This section deals with computer viruses,
Trojan horse programs, logic bombs, worms, and other destructive “malware” that can be intro-
duced—either deliberately or accidentally—into a system, usually via the network.
■ General Security Concepts: Social Engineering This section examines the phenomenon
of using social skills (playacting, charisma, persuasive ability) to obtain information (such as pass-
words and account names) needed to gain unauthorized access to a system or network. Readers
will learn how these “human exploits” work and how to guard against them.
■ General Security Concepts: Auditing This section covers the ways that security profes-
sionals can use logs and system scanning tools to gather information that will help detect
attempted intrusions and attacks, and to detect security holes that can be plugged before out-
siders have a chance to find and exploit them.

■ Communications Security: Remote Access This section deals with securing connections
that come via phone lines, dedicated leased lines, wireless technology, and the Internet.The reader
will learn about the 802.1x standards that govern implementation of wireless networking and the
use of VPNs to create a secure “tunnel” from one site to another through the Internet. Popular
remote authentication methods, such as Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS)
and Terminal Access Controller Access System (TACACS+) will be discussed, and readers will
learn about tunneling protocols such as Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) and Layer 2
Tunneling Protocol (L2TP), as well as Secure Shell (SSH). Readers will also learn about Internet
Protocol Security (IPSec), which can be used either as a tunneling protocol or for encryption of
data as it moves across the network (IPSec will be a standard part of the next generation of IP,
IPv6).Vulnerabilities related to all these technologies will be covered, as well.
■ Communication Security: E-mail This section will discuss how e-mail can be secured,
including both client-side and server-side technologies. Use of Secure Multipurpose Internet
Mail Extensions (MIME) and Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) will be discussed, as will spam
(unwanted e-mail advertising) and e-mail hoaxes.
■ Communications Security:Web This section discusses World Wide Web-based vulnerabili-
ties and how Web transactions can be secured using Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer
Security (SSL/TLS) and Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP/S).The reader will get a
good background in how the Web works, including naming conventions and name resolution.
Modern Web technologies that present security or privacy vulnerabilities will also be covered,
including JavaScript,ActiveX, buffer overflows, cookies, signed applets, CGI script, and others.
■ Communications Security: Directory This section will introduce the reader to the con-
cept of directory services and will discuss the X.500 and Lightweight Directory Access Protocol
(LDAP) standards upon which many vendors’ directory services (including Novell’s NDS and
Microsoft’s Active Directory) are built.
■ Communications Security: File Transfer This section discusses the File Transfer Protocol
(FTP), how files are shared and the vulnerabilities that are exposed through file sharing, the
dangers of blind/anonymous FTP, and how protections can be implemented using Secure FTP.

www.syngress.com