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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. Develop hack resilient software
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC
Risk calculation and rating methodology that are often used with STRIDE - Rating performed accross 5 dimensions: Damage potential - Reproducibility - Exploitability - Affected users - Discoverability
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.
OWASP - ITIL

2. 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
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
Uses comprehensive penetration testing to test the strength of the security software in order to predict and analyze vulnerabilities

3. Popular guides developed by OWASP
Development guide - Code Review Guide - Testing Guide
Supporting Controls: Identification - crptographic key management - security administration - system protections - Preventive Controls: authentication - authorization - access control enforcement - non repudiation - Detection and recovering 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

4. Technical Controls
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)
Supporting Controls: Identification - crptographic key management - security administration - system protections - Preventive Controls: authentication - authorization - access control enforcement - non repudiation - Detection and recovering controls:
Specifies an approved cryptographic algorithm to ensure the confidentiality of electronic data

5. Accountability
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
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual

6. Authorization
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
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
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
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

7. Annual Loss Expectancy (ALE)
Indicator of magnitude risk in a year ALE = SLE * ARO
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy
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
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks

8. Categories of controls
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 for accreditation and certification bodies that audit and certify ISMS
Uses comprehensive penetration testing to test the strength of the security software in order to predict and analyze vulnerabilities
Technical - Management - Operational

9. OWASP testing guide
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
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
Coding Standards (internal) - PCI DSS - NIST Standards - ISO Standards - Federal Information Processing Standards

10. Availability
SSE - CMM De-facto standard metric for evaluating security engineering practices for the organization or customer
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
Use directed graph to specify the rights that a subject can transfer to an object or that a subject can take from another subject
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.

11. ISO/IEC 15408
Provides Common Criteria to evaluate IT security product
Keep it simple principle to reduce the attack surface. Number of vulnerabilites increase with the complexity of the software design and code
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC

12. Risk management process
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
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
Support for accreditation and certification bodies that audit and certify ISMS

13. Annual Rate of Occurence (ARO)
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
Technical - Management - Operational

14. Safeguards
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
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
Security controls applied to mitigate a threat before it materializes
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system

15. Security Risk Management Discipline
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
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
Uses comprehensive penetration testing to test the strength of the security software in order to predict and analyze vulnerabilities
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks

16. ISO/IEC 27005:2008
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Likely to be replaced by ISO/IEC 30001 under development - Provides standards for IS risk Management
SSE - CMM De-facto standard metric for evaluating security engineering practices for the organization or customer
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

17. STRIDE
Confidentiality - Integrity - Availability
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
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise

18. PCI DSS
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
Confidentiality - Integrity - Availability
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
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites

19. Core Security Concept
Still under development - aimsto address ISMS implementation guidance
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
Confidentiality - Integrity - Availability
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)

20. Security profile of a software
Risk calculation and rating methodology that are often used with STRIDE - Rating performed accross 5 dimensions: Damage potential - Reproducibility - Exploitability - Affected users - Discoverability
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
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
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

21. Implementation challenges
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network
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
Iron triangle constraint (schedule - scope - budget) - Security as an afterthought - Security versus usability

22. Challenges in implementing auditing/logging
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
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
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites

23. Access Matrix model

24. Benefits of coding standards
SSE - CMM De-facto standard metric for evaluating security engineering practices for the organization or customer
Consistency in style - Maintainability - Less prone to error and exposure when security is taken into consideration in the standards
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
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

25. DREAD
Guidelines for quality software products - Six external quality characteristics to measure quality of software: functionality - reliability - usability - efficiency - maintainability - portability
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
Risk remains after the implementation of mitigating security controls
Risk calculation and rating methodology that are often used with STRIDE - Rating performed accross 5 dimensions: Damage potential - Reproducibility - Exploitability - Affected users - Discoverability

26. Single Loss Expectancy (SLE)
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
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
estimate potential loss of a single incident: SLE = Asset value * EF(%)

27. OWASP Top 10
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
Authentication
Indicator of magnitude risk in a year ALE = SLE * ARO
Periodic publication by OWASP for top 10 Web application security vulnerabilites

28. Economy of mechanism
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection
Keep it simple principle to reduce the attack surface. Number of vulnerabilites increase with the complexity of the software design and code
Risk remains after the implementation of mitigating security controls

29. Session Management
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 an approved cryptographic algorithm to ensure the confidentiality of electronic data
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
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

30. OCTAVE
Number of incidents that can be expected in a year
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
Iron triangle constraint (schedule - scope - budget) - Security as an afterthought - Security versus usability

31. Vulnerabilities repositories
US-CERT Vulnerability Notes - Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) - Open Source Vulnerability Database - Common Vulnerabilities and exposure (CVE) - Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance
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
Likely to be replaced by ISO/IEC 30001 under development - Provides standards for IS risk Management

32. Configurations Parameters Management
Concept aims at ensuring that the appropriate levels of protection are provided to secure configurable parameters that are needed for the software to run
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
Coding Standards (internal) - PCI DSS - NIST Standards - ISO Standards - Federal Information Processing Standards
Uses comprehensive penetration testing to test the strength of the security software in order to predict and analyze vulnerabilities

33. Single point failure
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
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
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
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods

34. ISO /IEC 27000:2009
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent
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 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
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.

35. Threat
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
A possibility that an unwanted - unintended - or harmful event may occur and resulted in an incident. The source can be a vulnerability.
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
Performance impact - Information Overload - Capacity impact - Configuration Interfaces protection - Audit log protection

36. Auditing
Preventive Controls: Detection Controls: e.g background checks - periodic review of security controls - Recovery controls:
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods
Ability to determine the actions and behaviors of a single individual within a system and to identify that particular individual
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

37. Examples of Security Standards
Comprehensive guides for degining - developing and deploying secure Web applications and Web Services - Intended audiences are architects - developers - consultant - and auditors
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
Coding Standards (internal) - PCI DSS - NIST Standards - ISO Standards - Federal Information Processing Standards
Microsoft SRMD (Security Risk Management Discipline) - Vulnerability oriented risk management - Charles Le Grand - Morana Risk Management Activities - Cigital Risk Management Methods

38. ISO/IEC 9216
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
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
Covers the necessary procedures and tools to validate software assurance

39. Least common mechanism
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
Preventive Controls: control of media access and disposal - securing wiring closets etx. - Detection Controls: cameras and motion detectors
Disallow the sharing of mechaniss that are common to more than one user or process with different levels of privilege
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

40. OWASP Code Review Guide
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
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
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy

41. Properties of secure software
Iron triangle constraint (schedule - scope - budget) - Security as an afterthought - Security versus usability
Microsoft Methodologies of Risk Management and it comprised the following steps: Assessment of assets - security risks
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible
Keep it simple principle to reduce the attack surface. Number of vulnerabilites increase with the complexity of the software design and code

42. ISO/IEC 27001:2005
Technical - Management - Operational
Specifies the requirements for establishing - implementing - operating - monitoring - reviewing - maintaining and improving a documented ISMS
Is recommended for validating access to system containing sensitive or critical information (FFIEC guidance on authentication)
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

43. NIST standards related to software security
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
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
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

44. Holistic Security in software
Support policies at a granular and specific level - Can be characterized as internal and external
Supporting Controls: Identification - crptographic key management - security administration - system protections - Preventive Controls: authentication - authorization - access control enforcement - non repudiation - Detection and recovering controls:
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
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network

45. General security concept
Still under development - aimsto address ISMS implementation guidance
Concepts aim at mitigating disclosure - alteration - and destruction threats. These are supporting concepts to the core security objectives of CIA
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them
Successful completion of a critical task is dependent on 2 or more conditions that need to be met

46. Total Risk
Opportunity for a threat to cause loss. It plays an important role in the computation of risk.
The likelihood that a threat can result into an incident. This is the overall risk of a system
Technical - Management - Operational
Access request by a subject to an object is mediated each time and every time.

47. Common best practices significant to Sofware Security
Dependability - Trustworthiness : MInimum number or no vulnerabilities - Resilience : Resistant or tolerant of attacks and able to recover quickly with as little harm as possible
Design to mitigate any single source of complete compromise
OWASP - ITIL
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

48. Counter measures
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent
Replacement of ISO 17799 standards - Provide guidelines for effective security management practices - Outlines control objectives and controls in diverse areas of ISMS
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
Security controls applied after a threat has been materialized

49. Phsychological acceptability
Requires the incorporation of security concept in the requirements - design - code - release - and disposal phases of the SDLC
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
Secure applicatios running on secure hosts (systems) in a secure network
Security functionality is easy to use and transparent

50. Confidentiality
Protection against unauthorized information disclosure. It helps maintaining privacy
Manual that provides understanding on how to detect Web application vulnerabilities in code review and what safeguards can be taken to address them
Consistency in style - Maintainability - Less prone to error and exposure when security is taken into consideration in the standards
Iron triangle constraint (schedule - scope - budget) - Security as an afterthought - Security versus usability