Question

Difficulty: MediumCIA Triad & Core Security Concepts

A network security administrator is mapping recently deployed enterprise security controls to core security principles. Match each technical implementation on the left with the primary security concept or CIA triad pillar it addresses on the right.

  • Configuring redundant uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and dual ISP links for core network switchesAvailability
  • Calculating and comparing cryptographic SHA-256 checksums of network device firmware images prior to installationIntegrity
  • Deploying IPsec Encapsulating Security Payload (ESP) encryption for inter-site router traffic over public transitConfidentiality
  • Requiring asymmetric digital signatures on administrative audit log transfers to verify sender origin and prevent denial of actionNon-repudiation

Answer

Redundant power and dual links match Availability. Cryptographic SHA-256 firmware checksums match Integrity. IPsec ESP traffic encryption matches Confidentiality. Asymmetric digital signatures on audit logs match Non-repudiation.
Each control aligns directly with a core security concept: power and link redundancy maintain system availability during outages; SHA-256 checksum comparisons confirm integrity by validating that software files were not altered; IPsec ESP encryption protects confidentiality by hiding payload contents from eavesdroppers; and asymmetric digital signatures enforce non-repudiation by providing indisputable cryptographic proof of log transmission origin.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the objective of redundant power supplies and ISP connectivity
These controls prevent downtime and ensure hardware and link resilience
Maintaining continuous access to network resources maps directly to Availability.
2
Analyze cryptographic hashing of firmware images
Hashes verify that data has not been modified or corrupted during transfer
Ensuring data remains unaltered and trustworthy maps directly to Integrity.
3
Analyze IPsec ESP encryption for transit traffic
Payload encryption hides data from unauthorized listeners over public networks
Protecting sensitive information from unauthorized exposure maps directly to Confidentiality.
4
Analyze digital signatures on administrative audit log transfers
Asymmetric signing binds the action to the private key of the sender
Preventing an entity from denying its actions or communications maps directly to Non-repudiation.

Key Concept

Mapping Security Mechanisms to the CIA Triad and Core Principles
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