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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.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

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. Software security risk management methodologies
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized
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
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods
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

2. Complete mediation
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.
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year

3. OWASP testing guide
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
Specified requirements for a cryptographic module for 4 increasing qualitative level (1-4) intended to cover a wide range of potential application and environment
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
Technical - Management - Operational

4. Holistic Security in software
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
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
Technical - Management - Operational
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network

5. Safeguards
Authentication
Support policies at a granular and specific level - Can be characterized as internal and external
Security controls applied to mitigate a threat before it materializes
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA

6. Security Standards
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy
Guidelines for quality software products - Six external quality characteristics to measure quality of software: functionality - reliability - usability - efficiency - maintainability - portability
Support policies at a granular and specific level - Can be characterized as internal and external
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

7. Technical Controls
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
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:
Support DAC - Subject's capabilities are defined by the triple (object - rights and random numbers) - Random number in the triple is used to prevent a replay or spoofing of the triple's source - Column of the access matrix are called ACLs - Rows are

8. Common best practices significant to Sofware Security
OWASP - ITIL
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
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
Support policies at a granular and specific level - Can be characterized as internal and external

9. Session Management
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
Development guide - Code Review Guide - Testing Guide
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
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

10. Popular guides developed by OWASP
Iron triangle constraint (schedule - scope - budget) - Security as an afterthought - Security versus usability
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
Development guide - Code Review Guide - Testing Guide
Support DAC - Subject's capabilities are defined by the triple (object - rights and random numbers) - Random number in the triple is used to prevent a replay or spoofing of the triple's source - Column of the access matrix are called ACLs - Rows are

11. Operation Controls
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual
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.
Security controls applied to mitigate a threat before it materializes

12. ISO/IEC 27006:2007
Still under development - aimsto address ISMS implementation guidance
Support for accreditation and certification bodies that audit and certify ISMS
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
Provides Common Criteria to evaluate IT security product

13. Develop hack resilient software
Supporting Controls: Identification - crptographic key management - security administration - system protections - Preventive Controls: authentication - authorization - access control enforcement - non repudiation - Detection and recovering controls:
Confidentiality - Integrity - Availability
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC
Risk remains after the implementation of mitigating security controls

14. Non Repudiation
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
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
Security controls applied to mitigate a threat before it materializes
estimate potential loss of a single incident: SLE = Asset value * EF(%)

15. 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
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
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
Comprehensive guides for degining - developing and deploying secure Web applications and Web Services - Intended audiences are architects - developers - consultant - and auditors

16. Auditing
Passive detective control - security concepts in which critical and business transactions are logged to build a history of events to be used in troubleshooting and forensic evidence - At a minimum - audit fields should include who - where - when - a
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
Specifies an approved cryptographic algorithm to ensure the confidentiality of electronic data
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

17. Categories of controls
Technical - Management - Operational
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
Specified requirements for a cryptographic module for 4 increasing qualitative level (1-4) intended to cover a wide range of potential application and environment

18. Authentication
Disallow the sharing of mechaniss that are common to more than one user or process with different levels of privilege
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized
Consistency in style - Maintainability - Less prone to error and exposure when security is taken into consideration in the standards
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

19. Least privilege
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
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
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)
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

20. DREAD
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors
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
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
Risk calculation and rating methodology that are often used with STRIDE - Rating performed accross 5 dimensions: Damage potential - Reproducibility - Exploitability - Affected users - Discoverability

21. FIPS140-2 (Security requirement for cryptographic modules)
Specified requirements for a cryptographic module for 4 increasing qualitative level (1-4) intended to cover a wide range of potential application and environment
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible
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
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

22. Information Security Models
Support policies at a granular and specific level - Can be characterized as internal and external
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
Iron triangle constraint (schedule - scope - budget) - Security as an afterthought - Security versus usability
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

23. After identification step is...
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized
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
Authentication
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

24. Challenges in implementing auditing/logging
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
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
Concept aims at ensuring that the appropriate levels of protection are provided to secure configurable parameters that are needed for the software to run
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

25. Authorization
Still under development - aimsto address ISMS implementation guidance
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
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
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

26. Annual Rate of Occurence (ARO)
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
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
Confidentiality - Integrity - Availability
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

27. Annual Loss Expectancy (ALE)
Supporting Controls: Identification - crptographic key management - security administration - system protections - Preventive Controls: authentication - authorization - access control enforcement - non repudiation - Detection and recovering controls:
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
Indicator of magnitude risk in a year ALE = SLE * ARO
Coding Standards (internal) - PCI DSS - NIST Standards - ISO Standards - Federal Information Processing Standards

28. General security concept
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
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
estimate potential loss of a single incident: SLE = Asset value * EF(%)

29. FIPS 201
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
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network

30. ISO /IEC 27000:2009
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
SSE - CMM De-facto standard metric for evaluating security engineering practices for the organization or customer
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
A possibility that an unwanted - unintended - or harmful event may occur and resulted in an incident. The source can be a vulnerability.

31. Vulnerabilities repositories
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
Technical - Management - Operational
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
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)

32. Error and exception management
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
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
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
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible

33. ISO/IEC 15408
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
Specifies an approved cryptographic algorithm to ensure the confidentiality of electronic data
Support for accreditation and certification bodies that audit and certify ISMS
Provides Common Criteria to evaluate IT security product

34. NIST standards related to software security
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
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
Uses comprehensive penetration testing to test the strength of the security software in order to predict and analyze vulnerabilities
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods

35. Residual Risk
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent
Guidelines for quality software products - Six external quality characteristics to measure quality of software: functionality - reliability - usability - efficiency - maintainability - portability
Risk remains after the implementation of mitigating security controls

36. Take-Grant Model
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods
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.
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them
Use directed graph to specify the rights that a subject can transfer to an object or that a subject can take from another subject

37. Implementation challenges
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
Iron triangle constraint (schedule - scope - budget) - Security as an afterthought - Security versus usability
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

38. Phsychological acceptability
Comprehensive guides for degining - developing and deploying secure Web applications and Web Services - Intended audiences are architects - developers - consultant - and auditors
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors

39. Management Controls
Preventive Controls: Detection Controls: e.g background checks - periodic review of security controls - Recovery controls:
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
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
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

40. Risk management process
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
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
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
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

41. Properties of secure software
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites
Predetermined number of user error allowed before recording it as a security violation

42. Integrity
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual
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
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent

43. Open design
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
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them
Replacement of ISO 17799 standards - Provide guidelines for effective security management practices - Outlines control objectives and controls in diverse areas of ISMS
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise

44. Single Loss Expectancy (SLE)
estimate potential loss of a single incident: SLE = Asset value * EF(%)
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)
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

45. Benefits of coding standards
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
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
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC
Consistency in style - Maintainability - Less prone to error and exposure when security is taken into consideration in the standards

46. Single point failure
Indicator of magnitude risk in a year ALE = SLE * ARO
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
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
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise

47. Availability
Support for accreditation and certification bodies that audit and certify ISMS
Concept aims at ensuring that the appropriate levels of protection are provided to secure configurable parameters that are needed for the software to run
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.
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual

48. EALs levels
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual
Indicator of magnitude risk in a year ALE = SLE * ARO
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
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

49. ISO/IEC 27002:2005
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites
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
Replacement of ISO 17799 standards - Provide guidelines for effective security management practices - Outlines control objectives and controls in diverse areas of ISMS
Risk remains after the implementation of mitigating security controls

50. Least common mechanism
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
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
Disallow the sharing of mechaniss that are common to more than one user or process with different levels of privilege
Coding Standards (internal) - PCI DSS - NIST Standards - ISO Standards - Federal Information Processing Standards