Information Systems Assignment 3

GEORGE USHINDI
2100906
ASSIGNMENT 3
QUESTION 1:
EXPLAIN THE KEY PRINCIPLES OF SECURE SYSTEMS DESIGN AND
THEIR IMPORTANCE IN THE CONTEXT OF MODERN INFORMATION
SYSTEMS SECURITY. PROVIDE EXAMPLES TO ILLUSTRATE EACH
PRINCIPLE.
- Secure systems design is an approach that integrates security considerations
throughout the entire development lifecycle.
- The following are principles and their importance in modern information
systems security:
1. Least Privilege: dictates that users and processes should be granted the
minimum level of access rights necessary to perform their intended tasks.
Importance: Reduces the potential damage caused by compromised accounts or

accidental misuse.
Example: A web server process shouldn't have full administrative access to the
system, it only needs permissions to read files and respond to requests.
2. Fail-Safe Defaults: Systems should be configured to deny access by

default and only grant access explicitly based on permissions.
Importance: Mitigates the risk of vulnerabilities being exploited due to

misconfigurations.
Example: A database by default shouldn't allow connections from everyone. It

should require authentication and authorization.
3. Complete Mediation: Every access attempt to a resource should be

checked for authorization, regardless of user or source.
Importance: Ensures all access is monitored and controlled, preventing

unauthorized modifications or data breaches.
Example: An operating system enforces access control lists that dictate who can
read, write, or execute files and programs.
4. Separation of Duties: Critical tasks should be divided among multiple

users or processes, preventing a single point of failure or compromise.
Importance: Reduces the risk of internal threats or unauthorized access through

collusion.
Example: The person approving financial transactions shouldn't also be the one
reconciling bank statements.
5. Defense in Depth: Implement multiple layers of security controls to

create redundancy and make it harder for attackers to succeed.
Importance: Increases the overall security posture by providing multiple barriers

to overcome.
Example: A secure system might have firewalls, intrusion detection systems,

encryption, and user authentication working together.
6. Economy of Mechanism: Keep the security mechanisms of a system as

simple and small as possible. Complex mechanisms are more prone to
errors and harder to analyze for vulnerabilities.
Importance: Reduces the risk of introducing vulnerabilities through complex code

and simplifies security audits.
Example: Use well-established cryptographic algorithms with strong

implementations instead of developing custom encryption schemes.
7. Open Design: The security of a system shouldn't rely on the secrecy of

its design.
Importance: Enables security experts to review and identify potential flaws in the
system's security architecture.
Example: Secure protocols like HTTPS publish their specifications allowing for
open analysis and improvement.
8. Psychological Acceptability: Security controls should be designed to be
usable and not overly cumbersome for legitimate users. Complex and
frustrating security measures can lead to workarounds or bypasses.
Importance: Encourages users to adhere to security policies and reduces the risk
of them taking shortcuts that could compromise the system.
Example: Multi-factor authentication can be implemented with a balance of

security and usability, using methods like fingerprint scanners or one-time codes.
9. Work Factor: Security measures should impose a significant cost (time,

resources) on attackers, making it less attractive to target the system.
Importance: Discourages casual attacks and makes it more likely that attackers
will focus on easier targets.
Example: Using strong password hashing algorithms with high iteration counts
makes it computationally expensive to crack passwords through brute-force
attacks.
10.Security as Code: Integrate security best practices into the development

process by automating security checks and configurations.
Importance: Ensures consistent security implementation throughout the

development lifecycle and reduces the risk of human error.
QUESTION 2:
DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC

ENCRYPTION, AND PROVIDE A USE CASE FOR EACH IN NETWORK
SECURITY. {10marks}
Symmetric Encryption:
• Uses a single secret key for both encryption and decryption.

• Faster and more efficient for encrypting large amounts of data.
• Requires secure sharing of the key between all communicating parties.
Use Case: Secure communication channels Virtual Private Networks. In a VPN, a
shared secret key encrypts data traveling between a user's device and the remote
network, ensuring confidentiality.
Asymmetric Encryption:
• Uses a pair of mathematically linked keys: a public key and a private key.
• Public key is widely distributed for encryption, while the private key is kept
secret.
• Slower than symmetric encryption due to complex mathematical operations.
Use Case: Securely sending confidential information. You can publish your public
key for anyone to use for encryption. Only your private key can decrypt the
message, ensuring only you can read it. This is commonly used in digital
signatures and secure file transfer protocols.
QUESTION 3:
IDENTIFY THREE MAJOR THREATS TO NETWORK SECURITY AND
DESCRIBE HOW SPECIFIC NETWORK SECURITY DEVICES OR
TECHNOLOGIES CAN MITIGATE THESE THREATS.
1. Unauthorized Access and Intrusions
• Attackers attempt to gain unauthorized access to a network or its resources,

potentially leading to data breaches, malware infections, or system
disruption.
• Mitigation:
o Firewalls: Act as a barrier between trusted and untrusted networks,
inspecting incoming and outgoing traffic and blocking unauthorized
access attempts based on pre-defined rules.
2. Malware and Phishing Attacks
• Malicious software like viruses, ransomware, or spyware can infect devices

and steal data, disrupt operations, or demand ransom payments. Phishing
attacks attempt to trick users into revealing sensitive information or clicking
malicious links.
• Mitigation:
o Antivirus and Anti-malware Software: Scans devices for malware
and removes threats. Regularly updated antivirus software is crucial
for real-time protection.
o Email Security Gateways: Scan incoming emails for phishing
attempts, malware attachments, and spam, preventing them from
reaching user inboxes.
o Security Awareness Training: Educating users about phishing
tactics and safe browsing practices helps them identify and avoid
these threats.
3. Distributed Denial-of-Service Attacks
• Attackers overwhelm a network with a flood of traffic, causing websites or

applications to become unavailable to legitimate users. This can disrupt
business operations and cause financial losses.
• Mitigation:
o DDoS Mitigation Services: Cloud-based services can absorb and
redirect DDoS attacks away from your network, ensuring your
website or application remains accessible.
QUESTION 4:
DISCUSS THE ROLE OF CRYPTOGRAPHIC PROTOCOLS IN
SECURING COMMUNICATIONS, AND PROVIDE EXAMPLES OF
SUCH PROTOCOLS USED IN PRACTICE. {10marks}
Key Roles of Cryptographic Protocols:
1. Confidentiality:
o Ensures that data is accessible only to authorized parties.
o Example: Encryption protocols, such as SSL/TLS, encrypt data
transmitted over the internet, preventing eavesdroppers from reading
the content.
2. Integrity:
o Ensures that data has not been altered during transmission.
o Example: Protocols like Hash-based Message Authentication Code
add a cryptographic hash to data, allowing the receiver to verify that
the data has not been tampered with.
3. Authenticity:
o Verifies the identities of the communicating parties.
o Example: SSL/TLS uses certificates issued by trusted Certificate
Authorities to authenticate the identity of websites, ensuring that users
are communicating with legitimate entities.
4. Non-repudiation:
o Ensures that a party cannot deny having sent or received a message.
o Example: Digital signatures provide non-repudiation by allowing the
recipient to prove that a message was indeed sent by the claimed
sender.
Examples of Cryptographic Protocols
1. Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security:

o Provides secure communication over the internet by encrypting data
and authenticating the communicating parties.
o Use Case: Used in HTTPS to secure web traffic, ensuring that
sensitive data like login credentials and payment information is
encrypted and protected from eavesdroppers.
2. IPsec (Internet Protocol Security):
o Secures Internet Protocol communications by authenticating and
encrypting each IP packet in a communication session.
o Use Case: Commonly used to create secure, allowing remote users to
securely access a private network over the internet.
3. SSH (Secure Shell):
o Provides a secure channel over an unsecured network by encrypting
the data transmitted between two networked devices.
o Use Case: Widely used for secure remote login and command
execution on networked devices, ensuring that login credentials and
session data are protected.
4. Kerberos:
o Function: Provides secure authentication for user identities over a
non-secure network.
o Use Case: Often used in enterprise environments to authenticate users
to network services, ensuring that both the user and the server can
trust each other's identity.

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GEORGE USHINDI

Importance: Reduces the potential damage caused by compromised accounts or

2. Fail-Safe Defaults: Systems should be configured to deny access by

Importance: Mitigates the risk of vulnerabilities being exploited due to

Example: A database by default shouldn't allow connections from everyone. It

3. Complete Mediation: Every access attempt to a resource should be

Importance: Ensures all access is monitored and controlled, preventing

4. Separation of Duties: Critical tasks should be divided among multiple

Importance: Reduces the risk of internal threats or unauthorized access through

5. Defense in Depth: Implement multiple layers of security controls to

Importance: Increases the overall security posture by providing multiple barriers

Example: A secure system might have firewalls, intrusion detection systems,

6. Economy of Mechanism: Keep the security mechanisms of a system as

Importance: Reduces the risk of introducing vulnerabilities through complex code

Example: Use well-established cryptographic algorithms with strong

7. Open Design: The security of a system shouldn't rely on the secrecy of

Example: Multi-factor authentication can be implemented with a balance of

9. Work Factor: Security measures should impose a significant cost (time,

10.Security as Code: Integrate security best practices into the development

Importance: Ensures consistent security implementation throughout the

DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN SYMMETRIC AND ASYMMETRIC

• Uses a single secret key for both encryption and decryption.

1. Unauthorized Access and Intrusions

• Attackers attempt to gain unauthorized access to a network or its resources,

2. Malware and Phishing Attacks

• Malicious software like viruses, ransomware, or spyware can infect devices

3. Distributed Denial-of-Service Attacks

• Attackers overwhelm a network with a flood of traffic, causing websites or

Key Roles of Cryptographic Protocols:

Examples of Cryptographic Protocols

1. Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security:

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