InfoSec COMPTIA Security+ > Module 7: Networking Devices > Flashcards

Module 7: Networking Devices Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a proxy server?

A

acts as a middle person between users and the internet. handles requests on users’ behalves. user requests go to proxy first, then proxy forwards it to site.

useful for:
content filtering (block sites)
caching (store copies of pages to load faster)
anonymity (hide your internal IP)
access control (only allow certain users/traffic out)

The reason it’s called a Proxy Firewall is that it completely breaks the connection between your computer and the target.

Connection A: Your computer connects to the Proxy.

The Inspection: The Proxy looks at your request at Layer 7.

Connection B: If the request is safe, the Proxy starts a brand new connection to the website.

Direct communication between your PC and the outside world never actually happens.

The Trade-off
Since the firewall has to “unwrap” and “re-wrap” every single request at the highest level of the OSI model, it is slower than a Layer 3 or 4 firewall. This is likely why your Nmap scans or Hashcat downloads might feel sluggish if a proxy is involved—every packet is being scrutinized.

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2
Q

Load Balancing algorithms: what is the advantage of sticky sessions and how are they managed?

A

advantage: keeps user data on one server (eg cart items, login info) on one server to avoid losing context

managed by caching IP addresses, using cookies, or tracking a session ID

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3
Q

Load Balancing algorithms: load balancing with sticky sessions

A

all requests from a user are sent to the same server (not randomly distributed).

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4
Q

Load Balancing algorithms: fastest response time

A

chooses the server that replies to the quickest to requests

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5
Q

Load Balancing algorithms: weighted round robin

A

stronger servers get more requests, based on assigned ‘weight’

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6
Q

Load Balancing algorithms: least connections

A

sends new requests to the server with the fewest active connections

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7
Q

Load Balancing algorithms: round robin

A

assigns traffic to servers in order, one by one, in a loop; doesn’t account for server load

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8
Q

Load Balancing: clustering

A

running redundant systems together to provie continuous service in case one fails (i.e. high availability)

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9
Q

What’s the difference between IDS & IPS?

A

IDS monitors and alerts (passive), IPS actively blocks (inline [in the path of network traffic]/active)

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10
Q

Wireless Security: Cryptographic Protocols: WEP

A

Wired Equivalent Privacy
- cryptographically insecure
- NOTE: name gives the impression of wired network-level safety, but this is NOT true. Wired networks are very hard to listen in on

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11
Q

Wireless Security: Cryptographic Protocols: WPA3 (5)

A

Wifi Protocol Access 3
- patches weaknesses in WPA 2
- easy connection: join network w. QR code
- AES + GCMP (Galois/Counter Mode Protocol)
- SAE replaces pre-shared key exchange protocol from WPA2
- encrypts traffic between endpoints without a password

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12
Q

Wireless Security: Cryptographic Protocols: WPA2

A

Wifi Protocol Access 2
- used now instead of WPA
- uses AES and CCMP

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13
Q

Wireless Security: Cryptographic Protocols: WPA (2)

A

Wifi Protocol Access
- crated to replace WEP when it was found insecure
- uses RC4 with TKIP which uses an encrypted has w. a sequence counter and a 48-bit IV to avoid problems WEP had

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14
Q

Email Security: Mail Gateway

A

a server that allows a network to send/receive email communications from other networks. generally used to receive mail from OUTSIDE the org

checkpoint for inspection of emails/attachments (malicious links, content, and ensureing confidential info isn’t being mailed out) — ALL email is passed thru this point

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15
Q

Email Security: Steps (in my notes but idk what the steps are for)

A
  1. SPF, DKIM, & DMARC records get put on DNS entry. DNS query for DNS rcord gets created for an org’s DNS record
  2. spammer SPOOFS domain name of a sender using their own server
  3. legit senders MTA forwards msg with SPF/DKIM header
  4. recipient’s server requests the public key from sender’s server, then use it to decrypt the email that’s een signed using sender’s private key…SO the only way to decrypt a message sent from the legit host is if it’s been ENCRYPTED using legit sender’s private key
  5. legit msg ends up in inbo
  6. spammer msg rejected for failing DMARC
  7. failure report is sent to sender’s MTA
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16
Q

Email Security: SPF

A

Sender Policy Framework
- 3 responses: instructions on how server will handle messages NOT specified in DNS SPF record
+ all = accept
- all = reject
~ all = flag

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17
Q

Email Security: DKIM

A

Domain Keys Identified Mail
- digital signature added to outgoing mail, allowing recipient to confirm msg origin

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18
Q

Email Security: DMARC Framework

A

Domain-Based MessageAuthentication, Reporting & Conformance Framework
- used to identify suspicioius mail that originates from unauthorized mail servers
- uses DKIM + SPF

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19
Q

VPNs: tunneling (TLS & IPSEC)

A
  • encrypts data as it flows between sites
  • lets us connect over an untrusted and secure data ther
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20
Q

VPNs: tunneling: TLS

A

-Transpoet layer security
- cryptographic protocol that gives privacy + integrity over VPN
- designed to encapsulate other protocols like HTTP
- replaced SSL

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21
Q

VPNs: tunneling: IPSEC (4)

A
  • Internet Protocol Security (IPsec)
  • network protocol suite that enables secure communications between two devices over IP networks
  • encrypts entire packet + appends a new IP header (AH or ESP)
  • authentication header =AH = integrity. ppl can see your communications but cannot change
  • ESP = encapsulating security payload = provides confidentiality
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22
Q

VPNs: site-to-site

A

VPN gateways that tunnel traffic for entire networks. Hardware installed on network, transparent to users. many computers

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23
Q

VPNs: remote access

A

clients use their local network to connect to the VPN, usually by authenticating at a VPN gateway, software installed on end user’s comp. user authenticates when connecting (work from home model)

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24
Q

Wireless Security: Authentication Protocols

A

Personal: WPa@

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25
Wireless Security: Cryptographic Protocols: chronology & history
WEP WPA WPA2 WPA3
26
Intrusion Prevention System (network + host-based)
intrusion Protection System HIPS: host-based IPS: watches & prevents attacks on a single system NIPS: network IPS: sits inline in the data flow & can block malicious traffic
27
IDS (network + host-based)
intrusion Detection System HIDS: host-based IDS: watches a single system’s bhavior but takes no action NIDS: network IDS: monitors network traffic from outside; logs but doesn’t block
28
Load Balancing: Active-Active vs. Active-Passive
active active: all servers are client-facing and share the load. most common, cheapest active-passive: backup server is idle until active one fails. more costly but used when instant switching is harder. WAS useful when flipping a computer switch was so much work that keeping it on was easier
29
Load Balancing: scheduling algorithms (5)
1 round robin: incoming requests passed by order of list, no alt servers involved if 1 is overloaded 2 weighted round robin: still list-based but assigns more requests to stronger servers 3 least connections algorithm: assigns requests to server with fewest active connections 4 fastest response time: selects server that responds fastest 5 affinity/sticky sessions: user requests always go to same server instead of random distribution for session duration. also useful for keeping sensitive data on one server instead of many. can be done via cookies, caching client IP addresses, or session identifiers.
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Load Balancing: load balancer
device that helps distribute traffic evenly among a server cluster. main job is to distribute client requests across multiple servers to avoid overload/ensure availability
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Load Balancing: how do we maintain high availability?
1. clustering: operating redundant systems to provide service in case one system fails 2. load balancing: shceduling algo to distribute client requests among pool of available servers
32
Firewalls: Rules
evaluated top to bottom, so order matters - last rule is generally an implicit deny rule—”if i haven’t explicitly allowed the packet via any of the above rules, then DENY IT - conditions include: 1. source IP 2. destination IP 3. source/destination port 4. protocol
33
Firewalls: NGFW
- can make filter decisions based on current network activity - combines traditional firewall technology w network device filtering fxns eg an app firewall w. deep packet inspection - can also use TLS/SSL encrypted traffic inspexn web filtering, bandwidth mgmt, etc
34
Firewalls: WAF
uses signatures & pattern-matching — only accepts traffic from WAF - looks for injection & Dos attacks, XSS, malicious requests - can help protect backend database associated w. web server & server itself
35
Firewalls: basic and host-based
firewall = device or software that filters internet/local network traffic from other devices based on a set of rules host-based = installed on a single system (host) to monitor/control incoming/outgoing traffic ifmalware infects one machine, it’ll have a harder time infecting other machines
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What is the HTTP - web server port?
80 transmits hypertext (web traffic) between client & server
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What is the HTTPS network port?
443 same as HTTP but utilizes transport layer security (TLS) to encrypt the data
38
what is the FTP port?
21 sends files between servers, but OLD - not used much anymore bc unencrypted
39
What is the Telnet port?
23 sends everything plaintext, unencrypted. lets you remotely access a system (via command line?)
40
What is the Secure Shell (SSH) port?
22 ENCRYPTED command line access to the remote system
41
what is the SMTP port?
25 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol transports mail from sender to rcipient’s mail servers. old
42
What is the DNS port?
53 resolves an IP address from a given host name additional info: hostnames _ services when querying a domain name for info about host
43
What is the RDP port?
3389 encrypted Graphical User Interface (GUI) access to remote system
44
What is the POP3 port?
110 Post office Protocol.3 port - used by email clients to receive/download emails from mail server. once downloade, mail is often removed from server
45
iDS
intrusion detection system - monitors network traffic for malicious activity. logs.+ reports activity - monitors traffic but traffic does NOT flow THROUGH it
46
IPS
intrusion prevention system - rather than alerting someone it engages directly with the threat. - connected INLINE so traffic flows THRU it - MAIN DRAWBACK: can be trigger-happy and act prematurely
47
TKIP
Temporal Key Integrity Protocol
48
RC4 Cipher
old encryption method. Rivest-4 Cipher. deprecated, found insecure
49
hash with sequence counter
hash = integrity. sequence counter = checks if data is new. must be new. together they ensure that the message is authentic, untampered, and current
50
48-bit IV
48-bit initialization vector = salt for encryption, added to the beginning not the end
51
AES
Advanced Encryption Standard: replaced RC4. encryption algo
52
CCMP
Counter Mode Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol - protocol that works with AES to protect wifi data
53
GCMP
Galois/Counter Mode Protocol - faster and stronger than CCMP
54
site survey
push a laptop around to measure location vs signal strength
55
heat map
color visualization of measured signal strength to easily interpret site survey
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CDN
content delivery network
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reverse proxy server
sits in front of one or more web servers, intercepting client requests to improve performance, security, and reliability by performing functions like load balancing, caching, and SSL termination
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forward proxy server
forwards requests without editing
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Ngix
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61
What is an IP header?
crucial metadata attached to each IP packet, acting like an envelope for internet data. Routers and network devices use this information to correctly send the packet to its destination, ensuring the smooth and ordered delivery of data across networks
62
stateless firewall
operates on layer 3 and layer 4 of the OSI model and works solely by filtering the data based on predetermined rules without taking note of the state of the previous connections. This means it will match every packet with the rules regardless of whether it is part of a legitimate connection. It maintains no information on the state of the previous connections to make decisions for future packets
63
stateful firewall
Stateful firewalls operate at layer 3 and layer 4 of the OSI model. Suppose the firewall accepts a few packets from a source address based on its rules. In that case, it will take note of this connection in its stated table and allow all the future packets for this connection to automatically get allowed without inspecting each of them. Similarly, the stateful firewalls take note of the connections for which they deny a few packets, and based upon this information, they deny all the subsequent packets coming from the same source.
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