Apply Resource Protection Techniques
One of the important aspects of cyber security is resources protection techniques. In this part of this tutorial, we’ll take a look at resources protection techniques to help you understand the different aspects of resources protection.. We will look at some tips for managing media and use asset management for software and hardware in this section. Resource protection is the broad category of controls that protect information assets and information infrastructure. Resources that require protection include
- Communications hardware and software: Routers, switches, firewalls, IPSs, fax machines, VPN servers, and so on, as well as the software that these devices use.
- Computers and their storage systems: All corporate servers and client workstations, SANs, NASs, DASs, cloud based storage, and backup devices
- Business data: All stored information (such as financial data, sales and marketing information, personnel and payroll data, customer and supplier data, and process data)
- System data: Operating systems, utilities, user IDs and password files, audit trails, and configuration files.
- Backup media: Tapes, tape cartridges, removable disks, and off-site replicated disk systems.
- Software: Application source code, programs, tools, libraries, vendor software, and other proprietary software.
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Media Management
Media management is the act of maintaining media for software and data. This includes operating system images, installation files, and backup media. There are some important media management concepts:
- Source Files: An organization must be able to install/ reinstall all applied and important software required any time. Furthermore, many organizations rely on legacy software that they purchased on disk years ago, while that disk is no longer available for purchase. So, to protect organization, they need to maintain copies of the media along with copies of any license keys. In general, every organization should always have access to the softwares installation resources it needs, as well as their license keys.
- Operating System Images: These images require various method to manage it to always 1- be clean 2- be update regulars 3- be usable for deployments on network.
- Backup Media: This media is a sensitive media. Many organizations usually encrypt backups on media and still need to treat the backup media especially to reduce the risk of media being stolen and compromised. As mentioned several times in this training course, the organization should back up its sensitive data – at least – on two storage media. Keep one medium in the same location as the organization and the second medium in another geographic location. It is recommended that the backups in these two media be the sync. It is common to use third-party companies to store backup media securely in off-site facilities.
- Hardware and Software Asset Management: Organizations usually perform routine inventories to track their hardware and software.
- Hardware Inventories: Many organizations use databases and inventory applications to perform inventories and track hardware assets through the equipment life cycle. Obviously, the data in this database must be provided and updated from somewhere. There are two common method to provide and update this data: Bar-code and RFID. Bar-code systems can be very useful. These systems are available that can print bar codes to place on equipment. The bar-code database includes relevant details on the hardware, such as the model, serial number, and location. Then, on a regular basis, personnel scan all of the bar codes with a bar-code reader to verify that the organization still controls the hardware. RFID is another helpful method. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, can transmit information to RFID readers up to several miles away. So, Personnel place the RFID tags on the equipment and use the RFID readers to inventory all the equipment. Using RFID systems is much easier than using bar-code systems. They’re also easier to manage, but RFID tags and readers are more expensive than bar codes and bar-code readers.
- Software Licensing: Organizations pay for software, and license keys are routinely used to activate the software. If the license keys are leaked outside the organization, it can invalidate the user key within the organization. Any type of license key is therefore highly valuable to an organization and should be protected. Many tools are available that can inspect systems remotely to detect the system’s details. Software vendors use these tools to detect and identify software that lacks an activation key because this software may have been used illegally. Microsoft’s System Center Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr) is an example of these tools.