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CSSLP: Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional

Subjects : certifications, csslp, it-skills

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. ISO/IEC 27006:2007
Risk calculation and rating methodology that are often used with STRIDE - Rating performed accross 5 dimensions: Damage potential - Reproducibility - Exploitability - Affected users - Discoverability
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)
Access Control Models - Access Matrix - Take-Grant - BLP (Bell La-Padula) - State machine - Integrity Models - Biba Model - Clark-Wilson Model - Information Flow Models - Non-Interference - Chinese Wall (Brewer and Nash) model
Support for accreditation and certification bodies that audit and certify ISMS

2. Integrity
Protection against improper data alteration. It is a measure of software resiliency and pertains to the modification of data and the reliable function of the software - Data is internally and externally consistent
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks
Provides Common Criteria to evaluate IT security product
Replacement of ISO 17799 standards - Provide guidelines for effective security management practices - Outlines control objectives and controls in diverse areas of ISMS

3. Counter measures
Aims at controlling the access of a subject to an object based on rights and privileges granted to the requestor by the owner of the data or system - or according to a policy - Layered on top authentication and must not precede authentication unless
Mechanisms by which threats to software and systems can be mitigated. These mechanisms may be technical - administrative or physical. Improper implementation of these mechanism may become a threat to the system
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized
Aims at mitigating session hijacking (MITM attack). Requires that session token is unique and that user session is tracked to detect and prevent session hijacking

4. STRIDE
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible
Software or data it processed must be accessible by only those who are authorized - It must be accessible only at the time that it is required.
Threat modeling methodology performed in the design phase of software development - Categories of threats: Spoofing - Tampering - Repudiation - Information Disclosure - Denial of Service - Elevation of privileges
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system

5. FIPS 197 (Advance Cryptographic standards - AES)
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized
Mechanisms by which threats to software and systems can be mitigated. These mechanisms may be technical - administrative or physical. Improper implementation of these mechanism may become a threat to the system
Specifies an approved cryptographic algorithm to ensure the confidentiality of electronic data

6. Security Standards
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
Support policies at a granular and specific level - Can be characterized as internal and external
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
Aims at mitigating session hijacking (MITM attack). Requires that session token is unique and that user session is tracked to detect and prevent session hijacking

7. FIPS 201
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors
Security controls applied to mitigate a threat before it materializes
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy
Predetermined number of user error allowed before recording it as a security violation

8. Single point failure
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy
Provides Common Criteria to evaluate IT security product
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
OWASP - ITIL

9. Information Security Models
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks
Access Control Models - Access Matrix - Take-Grant - BLP (Bell La-Padula) - State machine - Integrity Models - Biba Model - Clark-Wilson Model - Information Flow Models - Non-Interference - Chinese Wall (Brewer and Nash) model
estimate potential loss of a single incident: SLE = Asset value * EF(%)
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible

10. Security profile of a software
Development guide - Code Review Guide - Testing Guide
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
The incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC - include: - Confidentiality - integrity - availability - authentication - authorization - auditing - Session management - Error/exc

11. ISO/IEC 27002:2005
Replacement of ISO 17799 standards - Provide guidelines for effective security management practices - Outlines control objectives and controls in diverse areas of ISMS
Use directed graph to specify the rights that a subject can transfer to an object or that a subject can take from another subject
Predetermined number of user error allowed before recording it as a security violation
Threat modeling methodology performed in the design phase of software development - Categories of threats: Spoofing - Tampering - Repudiation - Information Disclosure - Denial of Service - Elevation of privileges

12. ISO/IEC 15408
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
Provides Common Criteria to evaluate IT security product
Development guide - Code Review Guide - Testing Guide
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS

13. Vulnerability
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
A weakness or flaw that could be accidentally triggered or intentionally exploited by an attacker - resulting in the breach or breakdown of the security policy
Mechanisms by which threats to software and systems can be mitigated. These mechanisms may be technical - administrative or physical. Improper implementation of these mechanism may become a threat to the system
Software or data it processed must be accessible by only those who are authorized - It must be accessible only at the time that it is required.

14. Authentication
Security concept aims at: identity of an entity (person or resource) is specified in the format that the software is expecting it - Validates or verifies the identity information that has been supplied
Likely to be replaced by ISO/IEC 30001 under development - Provides standards for IS risk Management
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
OWASP - ITIL

15. DREAD
OWASP - ITIL
Risk calculation and rating methodology that are often used with STRIDE - Rating performed accross 5 dimensions: Damage potential - Reproducibility - Exploitability - Affected users - Discoverability
Opportunity for a threat to cause loss. It plays an important role in the computation of risk.
Predetermined number of user error allowed before recording it as a security violation

16. OWASP testing guide
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites
Access Control Models - Access Matrix - Take-Grant - BLP (Bell La-Padula) - State machine - Integrity Models - Biba Model - Clark-Wilson Model - Information Flow Models - Non-Interference - Chinese Wall (Brewer and Nash) model

17. Common best practices significant to Sofware Security
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.
OWASP - ITIL
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met

18. Implementation challenges
Iron triangle constraint (schedule - scope - budget) - Security as an afterthought - Security versus usability
Provides Common Criteria to evaluate IT security product
Technical - Management - Operational
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent

19. Challenges in implementing auditing/logging
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
Security Concepts that need to be considered when designing and architecting software: Least privilege - Compartmentalization (separation of duties) - Defense in depth - Fail Secure - Keep it simple - Complete mediation - Open Design - Least common m

20. Operation Controls
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
Functionally tested - Structurally tested - Methodically tested and checked - Methodically designed - tested and reviewed - Semiformally designed - and tested - Semiformally verified design and tested - Formally verified designed and tested
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
Addresses the deniability of actions taken by either a user or the software on behalf of the user - Can be accomplished by auditing access information

21. Economy of mechanism
Protection against improper data alteration. It is a measure of software resiliency and pertains to the modification of data and the reliable function of the software - Data is internally and externally consistent
A weakness or flaw that could be accidentally triggered or intentionally exploited by an attacker - resulting in the breach or breakdown of the security policy
Keep it simple principle to reduce the attack surface. Number of vulnerabilites increase with the complexity of the software design and code
Provides a common glossary of terms and definitions - Overview and introduction to the ISMS family of standards that covered: Requirement definitions - Detailed guidance of PDCA process - Sector Specific guidelines and conformity assessement for ISMS

22. ISO/IEC 21827:2008
Uses comprehensive penetration testing to test the strength of the security software in order to predict and analyze vulnerabilities
Specifies an approved cryptographic algorithm to ensure the confidentiality of electronic data
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
SSE - CMM De-facto standard metric for evaluating security engineering practices for the organization or customer

23. Compartmentalization
Disallow the sharing of mechaniss that are common to more than one user or process with different levels of privilege
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks
Concept aims at ensuring that the appropriate levels of protection are provided to secure configurable parameters that are needed for the software to run

24. PCI DSS
Concept aims at ensuring that unintended and unreliable behavior of the software is explicitly handled - while maintaining a secure state and protection against CIA threats - Errors and exception messages should be non verbose and explicit - Software
A set of comprehensive requirements aimed at protecting payment account data security - 12 foundational requirements mapped into 6 control objectives - Requirement 6 and its subrequirements are directly related to software security - develop and main
Use directed graph to specify the rights that a subject can transfer to an object or that a subject can take from another subject
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual

25. After identification step is...
Authentication
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
A weakness or flaw that could be accidentally triggered or intentionally exploited by an attacker - resulting in the breach or breakdown of the security policy
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year

26. ISO/IEC 27003
Risk based information security strategy assessment methodology - developed by SEI in conjunction of US-CERT - Performed in 3 phases: Build asset based threat profile - Identify infrastructure vulnerabilities - develop security strategy and plans
Still under development - aimsto address ISMS implementation guidance
Specifies an approved cryptographic algorithm to ensure the confidentiality of electronic data
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance

27. Categories of controls
SSE - CMM De-facto standard metric for evaluating security engineering practices for the organization or customer
Provides Common Criteria to evaluate IT security product
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors
Technical - Management - Operational

28. ISO/IEC 9216
Specifies at a high level the 'what' and 'why' for security - Provides the framework and point of reference that can be used to measure an organization's posture - requires support of executive management to be effective and enforceable
Concept aims at ensuring that unintended and unreliable behavior of the software is explicitly handled - while maintaining a secure state and protection against CIA threats - Errors and exception messages should be non verbose and explicit - Software
Guidelines for quality software products - Six external quality characteristics to measure quality of software: functionality - reliability - usability - efficiency - maintainability - portability
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.

29. OCTAVE
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
Risk based information security strategy assessment methodology - developed by SEI in conjunction of US-CERT - Performed in 3 phases: Build asset based threat profile - Identify infrastructure vulnerabilities - develop security strategy and plans
Supporting Controls: Identification - crptographic key management - security administration - system protections - Preventive Controls: authentication - authorization - access control enforcement - non repudiation - Detection and recovering controls:

30. OWASP development guide
Comprehensive guides for degining - developing and deploying secure Web applications and Web Services - Intended audiences are architects - developers - consultant - and auditors
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.
Aims at controlling the access of a subject to an object based on rights and privileges granted to the requestor by the owner of the data or system - or according to a policy - Layered on top authentication and must not precede authentication unless
Authentication

31. Least privilege
Likely to be replaced by ISO/IEC 30001 under development - Provides standards for IS risk Management
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
Entity should have the minimum access level access right to do the jo- The right is given for a minimum amount of time necessary to complete the job

32. FIPS140-2 (Security requirement for cryptographic modules)
Risk calculation and rating methodology that are often used with STRIDE - Rating performed accross 5 dimensions: Damage potential - Reproducibility - Exploitability - Affected users - Discoverability
Indicator of magnitude risk in a year ALE = SLE * ARO
Specified requirements for a cryptographic module for 4 increasing qualitative level (1-4) intended to cover a wide range of potential application and environment
Coding Standards (internal) - PCI DSS - NIST Standards - ISO Standards - Federal Information Processing Standards

33. OWASP Top 10
Specifies an approved cryptographic algorithm to ensure the confidentiality of electronic data
Concept aims at ensuring that the appropriate levels of protection are provided to secure configurable parameters that are needed for the software to run
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites
Support policies at a granular and specific level - Can be characterized as internal and external

34. Availability
Specified requirements for a cryptographic module for 4 increasing qualitative level (1-4) intended to cover a wide range of potential application and environment
Indicator of magnitude risk in a year ALE = SLE * ARO
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.
Software or data it processed must be accessible by only those who are authorized - It must be accessible only at the time that it is required.

35. Annual Loss Expectancy (ALE)
Concept aims at ensuring that the appropriate levels of protection are provided to secure configurable parameters that are needed for the software to run
Indicator of magnitude risk in a year ALE = SLE * ARO
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)
OWASP - ITIL

36. Vulnerabilities repositories
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Addresses the deniability of actions taken by either a user or the software on behalf of the user - Can be accomplished by auditing access information
Specifies at a high level the 'what' and 'why' for security - Provides the framework and point of reference that can be used to measure an organization's posture - requires support of executive management to be effective and enforceable
A possibility that an unwanted - unintended - or harmful event may occur and resulted in an incident. The source can be a vulnerability.

37. Total Risk
Likely to be replaced by ISO/IEC 30001 under development - Provides standards for IS risk Management
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS

38. Complete mediation
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
Concept aims at ensuring that unintended and unreliable behavior of the software is explicitly handled - while maintaining a secure state and protection against CIA threats - Errors and exception messages should be non verbose and explicit - Software

39. Management Controls
Preventive Controls: Detection Controls: e.g background checks - periodic review of security controls - Recovery controls:
Guidelines for quality software products - Six external quality characteristics to measure quality of software: functionality - reliability - usability - efficiency - maintainability - portability
Software or data it processed must be accessible by only those who are authorized - It must be accessible only at the time that it is required.
Authentication

40. Security Policies

41. Open design
Uses comprehensive penetration testing to test the strength of the security software in order to predict and analyze vulnerabilities
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible
Implementation detail of the design is independent of the design itself. Reviewing the design itself will not result in the compromise of the sageguards of the software
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual

42. Risk management process
Consistency in style - Maintainability - Less prone to error and exposure when security is taken into consideration in the standards
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.
Balancing act between the protection of IT assets and the cost of implementing software security controls so that the risk is handled approprietely. It includes: Preliminary assessement for the need of security controls - Identification of security c
Aims at mitigating session hijacking (MITM attack). Requires that session token is unique and that user session is tracked to detect and prevent session hijacking

43. NIST standards related to software security
SP800-12 : Introduction to computer security handbook - SP800-14: Generally accepted principles and practices for securing IT systems - SP800-30: Risk Management Guide for IT - SP800-64: Security Considerations in the information systems development
A set of comprehensive requirements aimed at protecting payment account data security - 12 foundational requirements mapped into 6 control objectives - Requirement 6 and its subrequirements are directly related to software security - develop and main
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
Concept aims at ensuring that unintended and unreliable behavior of the software is explicitly handled - while maintaining a secure state and protection against CIA threats - Errors and exception messages should be non verbose and explicit - Software

44. Authorization
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
Support for accreditation and certification bodies that audit and certify ISMS
Aims at controlling the access of a subject to an object based on rights and privileges granted to the requestor by the owner of the data or system - or according to a policy - Layered on top authentication and must not precede authentication unless

45. Safeguards
Security controls applied to mitigate a threat before it materializes
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual
A possibility that an unwanted - unintended - or harmful event may occur and resulted in an incident. The source can be a vulnerability.

46. Holistic Security in software
Risk remains after the implementation of mitigating security controls
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)

47. Security Controls
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them
Opportunity for a threat to cause loss. It plays an important role in the computation of risk.
Mechanisms by which threats to software and systems can be mitigated. These mechanisms may be technical - administrative or physical. Improper implementation of these mechanism may become a threat to the system

48. Develop hack resilient software
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC
The incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC - include: - Confidentiality - integrity - availability - authentication - authorization - auditing - Session management - Error/exc
SSE - CMM De-facto standard metric for evaluating security engineering practices for the organization or customer
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent

49. Accountability
Supporting Controls: Identification - crptographic key management - security administration - system protections - Preventive Controls: authentication - authorization - access control enforcement - non repudiation - Detection and recovering controls:
Risk based information security strategy assessment methodology - developed by SEI in conjunction of US-CERT - Performed in 3 phases: Build asset based threat profile - Identify infrastructure vulnerabilities - develop security strategy and plans
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met

50. Access Matrix model