Test your basic knowledge |

CSSLP: Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional

Subjects : certifications, csslp, it-skills

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
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. STRIDE
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them
Authentication
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

2. 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
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
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.
Consistency in style - Maintainability - Less prone to error and exposure when security is taken into consideration in the standards

3. Availability
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.
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
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 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

4. Error and exception management
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
Development guide - Code Review Guide - Testing Guide
Risk calculation and rating methodology that are often used with STRIDE - Rating performed accross 5 dimensions: Damage potential - Reproducibility - Exploitability - Affected users - Discoverability
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized

5. Authorization
Consistency in style - Maintainability - Less prone to error and exposure when security is taken into consideration in the standards
A possibility that an unwanted - unintended - or harmful event may occur and resulted in an incident. The source can be a vulnerability.
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
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors

6. Access Matrix model

7. Clipping level
Specifies an approved cryptographic algorithm to ensure the confidentiality of electronic data
Predetermined number of user error allowed before recording it as a security violation
Confidentiality - Integrity - Availability
Supporting Controls: Identification - crptographic key management - security administration - system protections - Preventive Controls: authentication - authorization - access control enforcement - non repudiation - Detection and recovering controls:

8. ISO/IEC 27005:2008
Likely to be replaced by ISO/IEC 30001 under development - Provides standards for IS risk Management
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites

9. Accountability
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual
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
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.
Support policies at a granular and specific level - Can be characterized as internal and external

10. ISO/IEC 21827:2008
Confidentiality - Integrity - Availability
SSE - CMM De-facto standard metric for evaluating security engineering practices for the organization or customer
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
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. Develop hack resilient software
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods
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
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met

12. Counter measures
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
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized
Preventive Controls: Detection Controls: e.g background checks - periodic review of security controls - Recovery controls:

13. Risk management process
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks
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
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
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors

14. Vulnerability
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized
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

15. OWASP Code Review Guide
Technical - Management - Operational
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
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them

16. Integrity
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
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
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

17. Safeguards
Guidelines for quality software products - Six external quality characteristics to measure quality of software: functionality - reliability - usability - efficiency - maintainability - portability
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 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

18. Management Controls
Still under development - aimsto address ISMS implementation guidance
SSE - CMM De-facto standard metric for evaluating security engineering practices for the organization or customer
Keep it simple principle to reduce the attack surface. Number of vulnerabilites increase with the complexity of the software design and code
Preventive Controls: Detection Controls: e.g background checks - periodic review of security controls - Recovery controls:

19. OWASP Top 10
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy
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
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites

20. ISO/IEC 9216
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
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites
Guidelines for quality software products - Six external quality characteristics to measure quality of software: functionality - reliability - usability - efficiency - maintainability - portability

21. Economy of mechanism
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors
Keep it simple principle to reduce the attack surface. Number of vulnerabilites increase with the complexity of the software design and code
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

22. OWASP testing guide
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors
Predetermined number of user error allowed before recording it as a security violation

23. Annual Rate of Occurence (ARO)
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
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
Support policies at a granular and specific level - Can be characterized as internal and external
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

24. Take-Grant Model
Authentication
Use directed graph to specify the rights that a subject can transfer to an object or that a subject can take from another subject
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
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors

25. Single Loss Expectancy (SLE)
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
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
estimate potential loss of a single incident: SLE = Asset value * EF(%)
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual

26. Non Repudiation
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met
Development guide - Code Review Guide - Testing Guide
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

27. Information Security Models
estimate potential loss of a single incident: SLE = Asset value * EF(%)
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
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them
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

28. Categories of controls
Uses comprehensive penetration testing to test the strength of the security software in order to predict and analyze vulnerabilities
Concept aims at ensuring that the appropriate levels of protection are provided to secure configurable parameters that are needed for the software to run
Replacement of ISO 17799 standards - Provide guidelines for effective security management practices - Outlines control objectives and controls in diverse areas of ISMS
Technical - Management - Operational

29. FIPS 201
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
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.
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
Specifies the architecture and technical requirements for a common identified standard for federal employee and contractors

30. EALs levels
Technical - Management - Operational
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks
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

31. Open design
Preventive Controls: Detection Controls: e.g background checks - periodic review of security controls - Recovery controls:
Opportunity for a threat to cause loss. It plays an important role in the computation of risk.
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
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods

32. Phsychological acceptability
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent
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
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
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.

33. Exposure factor (EF)
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.
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
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites
Opportunity for a threat to cause loss. It plays an important role in the computation of risk.

34. Authentication
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
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
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
Supporting Controls: Identification - crptographic key management - security administration - system protections - Preventive Controls: authentication - authorization - access control enforcement - non repudiation - Detection and recovering controls:

35. Vulnerabilities repositories
Concept aims at ensuring that the appropriate levels of protection are provided to secure configurable parameters that are needed for the software to run
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
Risk remains after the implementation of mitigating security controls

36. Residual Risk
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
Risk remains after the implementation of mitigating security controls
Authentication
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy

37. Complete mediation
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
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 controls applied after a threat has been materialized
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.

38. Holistic Security in software
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)
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
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network

39. Security design principles
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
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
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
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

40. NIST standards related to software security
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
Opportunity for a threat to cause loss. It plays an important role in the computation of risk.
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
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

41. Security Controls
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
Consistency in style - Maintainability - Less prone to error and exposure when security is taken into consideration in the standards
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

42. Operation Controls
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks
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
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met

43. General security concept
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them
Authentication
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

44. Examples of Security Standards
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
Coding Standards (internal) - PCI DSS - NIST Standards - ISO Standards - Federal Information Processing Standards
Consistency in style - Maintainability - Less prone to error and exposure when security is taken into consideration in the standards
estimate potential loss of a single incident: SLE = Asset value * EF(%)

45. Software security risk management methodologies
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
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
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods
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

46. Threat
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites
Risk remains after the implementation of mitigating security controls
A possibility that an unwanted - unintended - or harmful event may occur and resulted in an incident. The source can be a vulnerability.
Coding Standards (internal) - PCI DSS - NIST Standards - ISO Standards - Federal Information Processing Standards

47. ISO/IEC 15408
Provides Common Criteria to evaluate IT security product
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 remains after the implementation of mitigating security 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

48. Annual Loss Expectancy (ALE)
Risk calculation and rating methodology that are often used with STRIDE - Rating performed accross 5 dimensions: Damage potential - Reproducibility - Exploitability - Affected users - Discoverability
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
Indicator of magnitude risk in a year ALE = SLE * ARO
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods

49. Common best practices significant to Sofware Security
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
OWASP - ITIL
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

50. Total Risk
Still under development - aimsto address ISMS implementation guidance
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
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 to mitigate a threat before it materializes