Security Topics

Kerberos

• Authentication server that gives “Ticket Granting Tickets” (TGTs)


• Works on the basis of tickets to allow nodes communicating over a non-secure network to prove their identity to one another in a secure manner.


• Primarily client-server model; provides mutual authentication.


• Uses UDP port 88 by default


• Windows first started using this as a default authentication method in Windows 2000.


• Many Unix-like operating systems include software for Kerberos authentication of users/services.


• Additional research https://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/definition/Kerberos

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Data Integrity

• Unix File Protection

  
  Tripwire: Security and data integrity tool for monitoring and alerting on specific file changes on a range of systems.




• Windows File Protection

  
  Data Execution Prevention (DEP): System level memory protection that prevents the execution of data.

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Cryptography

• PGP – Pretty Good Privacy

  
  
An encryption program that provides cryptographic privacy and authentication for data communication. Used for signing, encrypting, and decrypting texts, emails, files, directories, and whole disk partitions, as well as to increase security for email communications. Follows OpenPGP standard.

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Types of Malware

• Worm: Targets vulnerabilities in operating systems to install themselves into networks. Often used to launch DDoS attacks, steal data, etc. Can copy itself and spread through a network by exploiting security vulnerabilities.


• Trojan: Disguises itself as legitimate, desirable code or software. Once downloaded, a Trojan can take control of victims’ systems for malicious purposes. May be embedded in attachments in emails, or in games, apps, software patches, modified firmware, etc.


• Virus: Piece of code that inserts itself into an application and executes when the app is run.


• Rootkit: Software that gives malicious actors remote control of a victim’s computer with full admin privileges. May be injected into applications, kernels, hypervisors, or firmware.

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