312-40 Questions and Answers

• Security Command Center: Google Cloud’s Security Command Center is designed to provide centralized visibility into the security state of cloud resources1.
• Native Scanners: It includes native scanners that assess the security state of virtual machines, containers, networks, and storage, along with identity and access management policies1.
• Security Health Analytics: Security Health Analytics is a native scanner within the Security Command Center. It automatically scans your Google Cloud resources to help identify misconfigurations and compliance issues with Google security best practices2.
• Functionality: Security Health Analytics can detect various misconfigurations and vulnerabilities, such as open storage buckets, instances without SSL/TLS, and resources without an enabled Web UI, which aligns with Tara Reid’s requirements2.
• Exclusion of Other Options: The other options listed do not serve as native scanners within the Security Command Center for the purposes described in the question1.

References:

• Google Cloud’s documentation on Security Command Center1.
• Medium article on Google Cloud’s free vulnerability scanning with Security Command Center2.

SaaS, or Software as a Service, is the ideal cloud service model for a BPO company looking to expand its business and provide 24/7 customer service with minimal maintenance and administration. SaaS provides a complete software solution that is managed by the service provider and delivered over the internet, which aligns with the needs of a BPO company for several reasons:

• Fully Managed Service: SaaS offers a fully managed service, which means the provider is responsible for the maintenance, updates, and security of the software.
• Accessibility: It allows employees to access the software from anywhere at any time, which is essential for 24/7 customer service operations.
• Scalability: SaaS solutions are highly scalable, allowing the BPO company to easily adjust its usage based on business demands without worrying about infrastructure limitations.
• Cost-Effectiveness: With SaaS, the BPO company can avoid upfront costs associated with purchasing, managing, and upgrading hardware and software.
• Integration and Customization: Many SaaS offerings provide options for integration with other services and customization to meet specific business needs.

References:

• An article discussing how cloud computing services are becoming the new BPO style, highlighting the benefits of SaaS for BPO companies1.
• A report on the impact of cloud services on BPOs, emphasizing the advantages of SaaS in terms of cost savings and quick response to customers1.

AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) is the service that enables an AWS security expert to manage SSL/TLS certificates provided by AWS or an external certificate authority. It allows the deployment of the certificate on AWS services such as an Application Load Balancer (ALB) and also handles the renewal and rotation of certificates.

Here’s how ACM would be used for the web application:

• Certificate Provisioning: The security expert can import an SSL/TLS certificate issued by an external certificate authority into ACM.
• Integration with ALB: ACM integrates with ALB, allowing the certificate to be easily deployed to encrypt the application at the edge.
• Automatic Renewal: ACM can be configured to automatically renew certificates provided by AWS. For certificates from external authorities, the expert can manually import a new certificate before the old one expires.
• Yearly Rotation: While ACM does not automatically rotate externally provided certificates, it simplifies the process of replacing them by allowing the expert to import new certificates as needed.

References:

• AWS documentation on ACM, which explains how to import certificates and use them with ALB1.
• AWS blog post discussing the importance of rotating SSL/TLS certificates and how ACM facilitates this process2.

Amazon Route 53 uses geolocation routing to route traffic based on the geographic location of the users, meaning the location from which DNS queries originate1. When a user located in London visits Thomas’s domain, Amazon Route 53 will likely route the user request to the location that provides the best latency or is geographically closest among the available options.

• Geolocation Routing: Route 53 will identify the geographic location of the user in London and route the request to the nearest or most appropriate endpoint.
• Routing Decision: Given the locations mentioned (Florida, Paris, and Singapore), Paris is geographically closest to London compared to Florida and Singapore.
• Latency Consideration: If latency-based routing is also configured, Route 53 will route the request to the region that provides the best latency, which is likely to be Paris for a user in London2.
• Final Routing: Therefore, the user request from London will be routed to the machines in Paris, ensuring a faster and more efficient response.

References:Amazon Route 53’s routing policies are designed to optimize the user experience by directing traffic based on various factors such as geographic location, latency, and health checks12. The geolocation routing policy, in particular, helps in serving traffic from the nearest regional endpoint, which in this case would be Paris for a user located in London1.

• Cloud Platform Components: Cloud platforms typically consist of several components, including compute, storage, networking, virtualization, and management1.
• Management Component: The management component of a cloud platform provides the necessary tools and interfaces for configuring and maintaining the platform, infrastructure, and applications2.
• Tools and Interfaces: These tools and interfaces allow cloud security engineers like Samuel and his team to manage resource allocation, monitor system performance, configure network settings, and ensure security compliance2.
• Role in Cloud Environments: In cloud environments, the management component is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency, ensuring that resources are used optimally, and that the cloud infrastructure aligns with organizational goals2.
• Exclusion of Other Components: While the physical and environment component, compute component, and virtualization component are essential parts of cloud infrastructure, they do not primarily provide tools for configuration and maintenance. The management component is specifically designed for this purpose1.

References:

• IBM’s explanation of cloud service models1.
• AWS’s overview of the cloud adoption framework2.

The decision to take the website and database server offline falls under the Containment phase of the incident response lifecycle. Here’s how the process typically unfolds:

• Detection: The incident response team detects a potential security breach, such as an SQL injection attack, through network access logs using SIEM.
• Analysis: The team analyzes the incident to confirm the breach and understand its scope and impact.
• Containment: Once confirmed, the team moves to contain the incident to prevent further damage. This includes making the affected website and database server offline to stop the attack from spreading or causing more harm1.
• Eradication and Recovery: After containment, the team works on eradicating the threat and recovering the systems to normal operation.
• Post-Incident Activity: Finally, the team conducts a post-mortem analysis to learn from the incident and improve future response efforts.

References:The containment phase is critical in incident response as it aims to limit the damage of the security incident and isolate affected systems to prevent the spread of the attack12. Taking systems offline is a common containment strategy to ensure that attackers can no longer access the compromised systems1.

Vendor lock-in in cloud computing refers to a scenario where a customer becomes dependent on a single cloud service provider and faces significant challenges and costs if they decide to switch to a different provider.

• Dependency: The customer relies heavily on the services, technologies, or platforms provided by one cloud service provider.
• Switching Costs: If the customer wants to switch providers, they may encounter substantial costs related to data migration, retraining staff, and reconfiguring applications to work with the new provider’s platform.
• Business Disruption: The process of switching can lead to business disruptions, as it may involve downtime or a learning curve for new services.
• Strategic Considerations: Vendor lock-in can also limit the customer’s ability to negotiate better terms or take advantage of innovations and price reductions from competing providers.

References:Vendor lock-in is a well-known issue in cloud computing, where customers may find it difficult to move databases or services due to high costs or technical incompatibilities. This can result from using proprietary technologies or services that are unique to a particular cloud provider12. It is important for organizations to consider the potential for vendor lock-in when choosing cloud service providers and to plan accordingly to mitigate these risks1.

Azure Information Protection (AIP) is a cloud-based solution that helps organizations classify and protect documents and emails by applying labels. AIP can be used to protect both data at rest and in transit, making it suitable for securely sharing classified information.

Here’s how AIP secures document sharing:

• Classification and Labeling: AIP allows administrators to classify data based on sensitivity and apply labels that carry protection settings.
• Protection: It uses encryption, identity, and authorization policies to protect documents and emails.
• Access Control: Only authorized users with the right permissions can access protected documents, even if the document is shared outside the organization.
• Tracking and Revocation: Administrators can track activities on shared documents and revoke access if necessary.
• Integration: AIP integrates with other Microsoft services and applications, ensuring a seamless protection experience across the organization’s data ecosystem.

References:

• Microsoft’s overview of Azure Information Protection, which details how it helps secure document sharing1.
• A guide on how to configure and use Azure Information Protection for protecting sensitive information2.

Computer-Assisted Audit Techniques (CAATs) are tools and methods used by auditors to analyze large volumes of data efficiently and effectively. The use of spreadsheets, databases, and data analyzing software to scrutinize a large volume of data and collect objective evidence is indicative of CAATs.

Here’s how CAATs operate in this context:

• Data Analysis: CAATs enable auditors to handle and analyze large datasets that would be impractical to assess manually.
• Efficiency: These techniques improve audit efficiency by automating certain parts of the audit process.
• Effectiveness: CAATs enhance the effectiveness of audits by allowing auditors to identify trends, anomalies, and patterns in the data.
• Software Utilization: The use of specialized audit software is a hallmark of CAATs, enabling auditors to perform complex analyses.
• Objective Evidence: CAATs help in collecting objective evidence by providing a transparent and systematic approach to data analysis.

References:

• An article defining CAATs and discussing their advantages and disadvantages1.
• A resource explaining the role and benefits of CAATs in auditing information systems2.
• A publication detailing how CAATs allow auditors to independently access and test the reliability of client systems3.

Chris Noth is looking to manage user identities and automate the provisioning and de-provisioning of users in cloud-based services and applications. The IAM standard that supports this functionality is SCIM (System for Cross-domain Identity Management).

• SCIM Overview: SCIM is an open standard designed to manage user identity information across different domains. It simplifies user management in cloud-based applications and services by allowing for automated user provisioning and de-provisioning1.
• Automated Provisioning: With SCIM, when new users are added to an organization’s system, their identities can be automatically provisioned across various cloud services without manual intervention1.
• Automated De-provisioning: Similarly, when users leave the organization or their roles change, SCIM can ensure that their access is automatically revoked or adjusted across all connected services. This reduces the risk of former employees retaining access to sensitive systems and data1.
• Why Not the Others?:

References:

• MajorKey Tech: What is Provisioning and De-provisioning in IAM1.
• SailPoint: What is automated provisioning?2.
• Nestmeter: Streamlining Security: User Provisioning and Deprovisioning with IAM3.

The Warm Standby approach in disaster recovery involves running a scaled-down version of a fully functional environment in the cloud. This method is activated quickly in case of a disaster, ensuring that the Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO) are within minutes.

• Scaled-Down Environment: A smaller version of the production environment is always running in the cloud. This includes a minimal number of resources required to keep the application operational12.
• Quick Activation: In the event of a disaster, the warm standby environment can be quickly scaled up to handle the full production load12.
• RTO and RPO: The warm standby approach is designed to achieve an RTO and RPO within minutes, which is essential for business-critical functions12.
• Business Continuity: This approach ensures that core business functions continue to operate with minimal disruption during and after a disaster12.

References:Warm Standby is a disaster recovery strategy that provides a balance between cost and downtime. It is less expensive than a fully replicated environment but offers a faster recovery time than cold or pilot light approaches12. This makes it suitable for organizations that need to ensure high availability and quick recovery for their critical systems.

Rufus has created a RAID 0 array, which is characterized by the following features:

• Performance: RAID 0 is known for its high performance in both read and write operations because it uses striping, where data is split evenly across two or more disks without parity information.
• No Overhead by Parity Control: RAID 0 does not use parity control, which means there is no redundancy in the data. This contributes to its high performance but also means there is no fault tolerance.
• Storage Capacity: The total storage capacity of a RAID 0 array is equal to the sum of all the disk capacities in the set, as there is no disk space used for redundancy.
• Lack of Fault Tolerance: RAID 0 is not fault-tolerant; if one disk fails, all data in the array is lost. Therefore, it is not recommended for critical data storage.
• Use Case: It is ideal for non-critical data that requires high-speed reading and writing, such as temporary files or cache data.

References:RAID 0 is often used to improve the performance of disk I/O (input/output) and is suitable for environments where speed is more critical than data redundancy. However, due to its lack of fault tolerance, it is not recommended for storing critical data that cannot be easily replaced or recovered.

According to the data protection laws of Central and South American countries, the primary responsibility for ensuring the security and privacy of personal data typically lies with the entity that owns the data, in this case, Terra Soft. Pvt. Ltd.

• Data Ownership: Terra Soft. Pvt. Ltd, as the data owner, is responsible for the security and privacy of the personal data it collects and processes. This includes data transferred to cloud environments1.
• Cloud Service Provider’s Role: While VoxCloPro, as a cloud service provider, is responsible for the security of the cloud infrastructure, Terra Soft. Pvt. Ltd retains the responsibility for its data within that infrastructure2.
• Legal Compliance: Terra Soft. Pvt. Ltd must ensure compliance with relevant data protection laws, which may include implementing appropriate security measures and maintaining control over how personal data is processed3.
• Shared Responsibility Model: In cloud computing, there is often a shared responsibility model where the cloud service provider manages the security of the cloud, while the customer is responsible for security in the cloud. This means that Terra Soft. Pvt. Ltd is responsible for ensuring that its use of VoxCloPro’s services complies with applicable data protection laws2.

References:

• Determination and Directive on the Usage of Cloud Computing Services2.
• Privacy in Latin America and the Caribbean - Bloomberg Law News1.
• Cloud Services Contracts and Data Protection - PPM Attorneys3.

In the event of a security issue on the cloud, such as a DDoS attack or illegal activities, Incident Handlers are typically the first responders. Their role is to manage the initial response to the incident, which includes identifying, assessing, and mitigating the threat to reduce damage and recover from the attack.

Here’s the role of Incident Handlers as first responders:

• Incident Identification: They quickly identify the nature and scope of the incident.
• Initial Response: Incident Handlers take immediate action to contain and control the situation to prevent further damage.
• Communication: They communicate with internal stakeholders and may coordinate with external parties like law enforcement if necessary.
• Evidence Preservation: Incident Handlers work to preserve evidence for forensic analysis and legal proceedings.
• Recovery and Documentation: They assist in the recovery process and document all actions taken for future reference and analysis.

References:

• Industry best practices on incident response, highlighting the role of Incident Handlers as first responders.
• Guidelines from cybersecurity frameworks outlining the responsibilities of Incident Handlers during a cloud security incident.

To restrict access to Google Cloud Platform (GCP) resources to a specified IP range, the client can use VPC Service Controls. VPC Service Controls provide additional security for data by allowing the creation of security perimeters around GCP resources to help mitigate data exfiltration risks.

• VPC Service Controls: This service allows the creation of secure perimeters to define and enforce security policies for GCP resources, restricting access to specific IP ranges.
• Trust-List Implementation: By using VPC Service Controls, the client can configure access policies that only allow access from trusted IP ranges, ensuring that only users within the specified network can access the resources.
• Granular Access Control: VPC Service Controls can be used in conjunction with Identity and Access Management (IAM) to provide fine-grained access controls based on IP addresses and other conditions.

References

• Google Cloud VPC Service Controls Overview

VPC Service Controls enable clients to define a security perimeter around Google Cloud Platform resources to control communication to and from those resources. By using VPC Service Controls, the client can restrict access to GCP resources to a specified IP range.

• Create a Service Perimeter: The client can create a service perimeter that includes the GCP resources they want to protect.
• Define Access Levels: Within the service perimeter, the client can define access levels based on attributes such as IP address ranges.
• Enforce Access Policies: Access policies are enforced, which restrict access to the resources within the service perimeter to only those requests that come from the specified IP range.
• Grant Access to Auditors: The client can grant access to company auditors by including their IP addresses in the allowed range.

References:VPC Service Controls provide a way to secure sensitive data and enforce a perimeter around GCP resources. It is designed to prevent data exfiltration and manage access to services within the perimeter based on defined criteria, such as source IP address12. This makes it the appropriate service for the client’s requirement to restrict access to a specified IP range.

Incident Handlers are typically the first line of defense against cloud security attacks, with their primary role being to respond immediately to any type of security incident. In the context of a cybersecurity attack such as a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service), incident handlers are responsible for the initial response, which includes identifying, managing, recording, and analyzing security threats or incidents in real-time.

Here’s how Incident Handlers function as the first line of defense:

• Immediate Response: They are trained to respond quickly to security incidents to minimize impact and manage the situation.
• Incident Analysis: Incident Handlers analyze the nature and scope of the incident, including the type of attack and its origin.
• Mitigation Strategies: They implement strategies to mitigate the attack, such as rerouting traffic or isolating affected systems.
• Communication: They communicate with relevant stakeholders, including IT professionals, management, and possibly law enforcement.
• Forensics and Recovery: After an attack, they work on forensics to understand how the breach occurred and on recovery processes to restore services.

References:

• An ISACA journal article discussing the roles of various functions in information security, highlighting the first line of defense1.
• An Australian Cyber Security Magazine article emphasizing the importance of identity and access management (IAM) as the first line of defense in securing the cloud2.

When an IT company suspects that a VM called Ubuntu18 in the Production-group has been compromised, it is essential to perform a forensic investigation. The process of taking a snapshot and ensuring its integrity and accessibility involves several steps:

• Snapshot Creation: First, create a snapshot of the OS disk of the suspect VM, named ubuntudisksnap. This snapshot is a point-in-time copy of the VM's disk, ensuring that all data at that moment is captured.
• Snapshot Security: Next, to transfer this snapshot securely to a storage account under the Security-group, a shared access signature (SAS) needs to be generated. A SAS provides delegated access to Azure storage resources without exposing the storage account keys.
• Data Transfer: With the SAS token, the snapshot can be securely copied to a storage account in the Security-group. This method ensures that only authorized personnel can access the snapshot for further investigation.
• Further Analysis: After copying the snapshot, it can be mounted onto a forensic workstation for detailed examination. This step involves examining the contents of the snapshot for any malicious activity or artifacts left by the attacker.

Generating a shared access signature is a critical step in ensuring that the snapshot can be securely accessed and transferred without compromising the integrity and security of the data.

References:

• Microsoft Azure Documentation on Shared Access Signatures (SAS)
• Azure Security Best Practices and Patterns
• Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Security Guidance for Critical Areas of Focus in Cloud Computing

AWS Shield Standard is a managed Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection service that is automatically included with AWS services such as Amazon CloudFront and Elastic Load Balancing (ELB). It provides protection against common, most frequently occurring network and transport layer DDoS attacks.

Here’s how AWS Shield Standard works to mitigate such attacks:

• Automatic Protection: AWS Shield Standard provides always-on detection and automatic inline mitigations that minimize application downtime and latency.
• Layer 7 Protection: It offers protection against layer 7 DDoS attacks, which target the application layer and are typically more complex than infrastructure attacks.
• Integration with AWS Services: Shield Standard is integrated with other AWS services like ELB and CloudFront, providing a seamless defense mechanism.
• Real-Time Visibility: Customers get real-time visibility into attacks via AWS Management Console and CloudWatch.
• Cost-Effectiveness: There is no additional charge for AWS Shield Standard; it comes included with AWS services, making it a cost-effective solution for DDoS protection.

References:

• AWS Shield’s official page detailing how it provides managed DDoS protection1.
• AWS documentation on best practices for DDoS resiliency, mentioning AWS Shield’s role in mitigation2.

• Amazon CloudTrail: AWS CloudTrail is a service that enables governance, compliance, operational auditing, and risk auditing of your AWS account1.
• API Call History: It provides an event history of your AWS account activity, including actions taken through the AWS Management Console, AWS SDKs, command line tools, and other AWS services1.
• Security Analysis: The AWS API call history produced by CloudTrail enables security analysis, resource change tracking, and compliance auditing1.
• Operational Auditing: CloudTrail continuously monitors and logs account activity across all AWS services, including actions taken by a user, role, or AWS service1.
• Compliance Auditing: CloudTrail logs provide detailed records of all API calls, which can be used to audit compliance with regulatory standards like HIPAA and PCI2.

References:

• AWS Security Hub documentation on CloudTrail controls1.
• Medium article on exploring AWS CloudTrail2.

Scanning Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) templates is a preventive measure that can identify misconfigurations and potential security issues before the templates are deployed. This process involves analyzing the code to ensure it adheres to best practices and security standards.

Here’s how scanning IaC templates could have prevented the security breach:

• Early Detection: Scanning tools can detect misconfigurations in IaC templates early in the development cycle, before deployment.
• Automated Scans: Automated scanning tools can be integrated into the CI/CD pipeline to continuously check for issues as code is written and updated.
• Security Best Practices: Scanning ensures that IaC templates comply with security best practices and organizational policies.
• Vulnerability Identification: It helps identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited if the infrastructure is deployed with those configurations.
• Remediation Guidance: Scanning tools often provide guidance on how to fix identified issues, which can prevent exploitation.

References:

• Microsoft documentation on scanning for misconfigurations in IaC templates1.
• Orca Security’s blog on securing IaC templates and the importance of scanning them2.
• An article discussing common security risks with IaC and the need for scanning templates3.

To monitor the organization’s cloud logging stream and detect security breaches, Veronica Lauren can utilize the Event Threat Detection service within Google Security Command Center.

• Event Threat Detection: This built-in service of Google Security Command Center is designed to monitor cloud logs across multiple projects and detect threats such as malware, brute force SSH attempts, and cryptomining1. It uses threat intelligence and advanced analytics to identify and alert on suspicious activity in real time.
• Functionality:
• Why Not the Others?:

References:

• Security Command Center overview | Google Cloud1.

When Shannon Elizabeth enables Just-In-Time (JIT) VM access on the myprodvm virtual machine from the Azure Security Center dashboard, the following happens:

• Inbound Traffic Control: JIT VM access locks down the inbound traffic to the virtual machine.
• Azure Firewall Rule: It creates a rule in the Azure firewall to control this inbound traffic, allowing access only when required and for a specified duration.
• Enhanced Security: This approach minimizes exposure to potential attacks by reducing the time that the VM ports are open.

References:

• Azure Security Center Documentation: Just-In-Time VM Access
• Microsoft Learn: Configure Just-In-Time VM Access in Azure

To establish a fast and secure private connection between multiple on-premises or shared infrastructures with Azure virtual private network, Curtis Morgan should opt for Azure ExpressRoute.

• Azure ExpressRoute: ExpressRoute allows you to extend your on-premises networks into the Microsoft cloud over a private connection facilitated by a connectivity provider1. With ExpressRoute, you can establish connections to Microsoft cloud services, such as Microsoft Azure and Office 365.
• Benefits of ExpressRoute:
• Why Not the Others?:

References:

• Azure Virtual Network – Virtual Private Cloud1.

The CSA CCM (Cloud Controls Matrix) Framework is a cybersecurity control framework for cloud computing, developed by the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA). It is designed to provide a structured and standardized set of security controls that help organizations assess the overall security posture of their cloud infrastructure and services.

Here’s how the CSA CCM Framework serves as a tool for cloud risk management:

• Comprehensive Controls: The CCM consists of 197 control objectives structured in 17 domains covering all key aspects of cloud technology.
• Risk Assessment: It can be used for the systematic assessment of a cloud implementation, providing guidance on which security controls should be implemented.
• Alignment with Standards: The controls framework is aligned with the CSA Security Guidance for Cloud Computing and other industry-accepted security standards and regulations.
• Shared Responsibility Model: The CCM clarifies the shared responsibility model between cloud service providers (CSPs) and customers (CSCs).
• Monitoring and Measurement: The CCM includes metrics and implementation guidelines that help define what should be measured and the acceptable variance for risks.

References:

• CSA’s official documentation on the Cloud Controls Matrix (CCM), which outlines its use as a tool for cloud risk management1.
• An article providing a checklist for CSA’s Cloud Controls Matrix v4, which discusses how it can be used for managing risk in cloud environments2.

In Google Cloud Virtual Private Cloud (VPC), network tags are used to apply firewall rules to specific instances. Scott can use these tags to control the traffic flow between the tiers of the web application. Here’s how he can configure the network:

• Assign Network Tags: Assign unique network tags to the instances in each tier – for example, ‘ui-tag’ for the web interface, ‘api-tag’ for the API, and ‘db-tag’ for the database.
• Create Firewall Rules: Create firewall rules that allow traffic from the API tier to the database tier by specifying the ‘api-tag’ as the source filter and ‘db-tag’ as the target filter.
• Restrict Direct Access: Ensure that there are no rules allowing direct traffic from the ‘ui-tag’ to the ‘db-tag’, effectively blocking any direct requests from the web interface to the database.
• Apply Rules: Apply the firewall rules to the respective instances based on their tags.

By using network tags and firewall rules, Scott can ensure that the database is only accessible via the API, and direct access from the UI is not permitted.

References:

• Google Cloud documentation on setting up firewall rules and using network tags1.

• Bucket Naming Guidelines: Google Cloud Storage requires that bucket names must be unique, contain only lowercase letters, numbers, dashes (-), underscores (_), and dots (.), and start and end with a number or letter1.
• Valid Bucket Name: Based on these guidelines, the valid bucket name from the options provided is ‘company-storage-data’ because it only contains lowercase letters, numbers, and dashes1.
• Invalid Bucket Names: The other options are invalid because:

References:

• Google Cloud’s documentation on bucket naming guidelines1.

Daffod, as an American cloud service provider complying with the cloud computing law that emphasizes the importance of information security for economic and national security interests, adheres to the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA). Here's why:

• FISMA Overview: FISMA is a US law enacted to protect government information, operations, and assets against natural or man-made threats.
• Importance of Information Security: FISMA requires that all federal agencies develop, document, and implement an information security and protection program.
• Relevance to Daffod: As Daffod complies with this law, it ensures that its cloud services are secure and adhere to national security standards, making it a trusted provider for secure and cost-effective cloud services.

References:

• NIST SP 800-53: Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations
• Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA)

To investigate the errors reported by customers during the payment process on their website, the cloud forensic team at ShopZone should examine the Platform logs in GCP.

• Platform Logs: These are service-specific logs that can help debug and troubleshoot issues related to Google Cloud services. Since the payment processing system is likely integrated with various GCP services, platform logs will contain information about the operations and interactions of these services1.
• Relevance to Payment Processing System: Platform logs will include detailed records of all activities and operations that occur within the GCP services used by the payment processing system. This can help identify any anomalies or errors that may be disrupting the payment process.
• Investigation Process:

References:

• Google Cloud Documentation: Understanding and managing platform logs1.
• Google Cloud Blog: Best practices for operating containers2.

Azure AD Pass-Through Authentication (PTA) allows users to sign in to both on-premises and cloud-based applications using the same passwords. This feature is part of Azure Active Directory (AD) and helps organizations enforce their on-premises AD security and password policies in the cloud, thereby providing a seamless user experience while maintaining security.

Here’s how Azure AD PTA works:

• Integration with On-Premises AD: Azure AD PTA integrates with an organization’s on-premises AD to apply the same security and password policies to cloud resources.
• Authentication Request Handling: When a user signs in, the authentication request is passed through to the on-premises AD for validation.
• Brute-Force Attack Protection: By enforcing the on-premises AD security policies, Azure AD PTA helps to filter out brute-force attacks.
• No Passwords Stored in the Cloud: User passwords remain on-premises and are not stored in Azure AD, which enhances security.
• Simple Sign-On Experience: Users enjoy a simple sign-on experience with the same set of credentials across on-premises and cloud services.

References:

• Microsoft’s documentation on deploying on-premises Microsoft Entra Password Protection, which works with Azure AD PTA1.
• A step-by-step guide on implementing Azure AD Password Protection on-premises, which complements the PTA feature2.
• An overview of Azure AD Password Protection and Smart Lockout features, which are part of the broader Azure AD security framework3.

When Ray Nicholson, the senior cloud security engineer, identifies that an attacker has compromised a particular virtual machine (VM) using an Intrusion Detection System (IDS), his priority is to limit the scope of the incident and protect other resources in the cloud environment. Turning off the compromised VM may seem like an immediate protective action, but it has significant implications:

• Shutdown Impact: When a VM is turned off, its current state and all volatile data in the RAM are lost. This includes any data that might be crucial for forensic analysis, such as the attacker's tools and running processes.
• Forensic Data Loss: Critical evidence needed for a thorough investigation, such as memory dumps, active network connections, and ephemeral data, will no longer be accessible.
• Data Persistence: While some data is stored in the Virtual Hard Disk (VHD), not all of the forensic data can be retrieved from the disk image alone. Live analysis often provides insights that cannot be captured from static data.

Thus, by turning off the VM, Ray risks losing essential forensic data that is necessary for a complete investigation into the incident.

References:

• NIST SP 800-86: Guide to Integrating Forensic Techniques into Incident Response
• AWS Cloud Security Best Practices
• Azure Security Documentation