Security+ Cyber Range

Because of the need to be public-facing and the information they provide, websites and web servers are a common target of attacks. The path to exploiting these attacks is most commonly created by logical errors in development or using vulnerable software to aid in building up the website. What adds to the pool of possible weak points is the need to integrate several technologies to create an interactive and responsive user experience, usage of legacy systems and failure to keep up with security patches. All these factors amount to a vast number of threats, all specific to different versions and programming languages.

Security by design is an approach to software and hardware development that aims to construct systems free of vulnerabilities by implementing best practices and safeguards. However, it is relatively new as a notion, and prior to it, the aim of software developers was more oriented in functionality than security. The same principle can be seen in protocols such as HTTP, FTP, or POP. Because they apply no data encryption, these protocols are often referred to as clear-text protocols. Anyone who is intercepting the traffic between two entities that communicate using clear-text protocols can see the data flowing through the network in plain text. These protocols gave rise to attacks such as Man-in-the-middle (a malicious actor impersonating legitimate users) and sensitive data exposure. To cover the security holes of clear-text protocols, versions that applied encryption to data were developed.

CompTIA Security+ establishes the core knowledge required of any cybersecurity role and provides a jumping point to intermediate-level cybersecurity jobs. Security+ Lab incorporates best practices in hands-on trouble-shooting to ensure security professionals have practical security problem-solving skills. This Lab aids the CompTIA Security+ training set by providing several challenges specially crafted to convey the concept of Authentication Management and Access Control Schemes clearly and comprehensively.“AAA is a framework for intelligently controlling access to computer resources, enforcing policies, auditing usage, and providing the information necessary to bill for services.”

A layered approach must be designed and implemented to secure a system or infrastructure. Each critical component should be individually assessed on the risks it faces. In all scenarios, for all types of systems, network security is always a crucial component. Being the backbone of communication and the carrier of sensitive and proprietary information, once compromised, it allows unauthorized parties access on a large scale.

When using the Internet, users retrieve or share information. Depending on the application, purpose, and implementation methods, the need to provide data confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity emerges. To ensure these requirements are fulfilled and that only authorized parties have access to the data, the information transmitted over the Internet is obfuscated.