About Me
CompTIA PenTest+
1 Threats, Attacks, and Vulnerabilities
1-1 Common Threat Actors
1-2 Threat Intelligence Sources
1-3 Threat Actors and Motives
1-4 Threat Actor Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs)
1-5 Vulnerability Types
1-6 Exploit Types
1-7 Attack Types
1-8 Threat Detection and Monitoring
1-9 Threat Hunting
1-10 Incident Response
2 Architecture and Design
2-1 Security Controls
2-2 Network Architecture
2-3 Cloud and Virtualization
2-4 Web Application Security
2-5 Wireless Security
2-6 Mobile Security
2-7 IoT Security
2-8 Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Security
2-9 Physical Security
2-10 Secure Software Development
3 Tools and Code
3-1 Penetration Testing Tools
3-2 Exploitation Tools
3-3 Post-Exploitation Tools
3-4 Reporting Tools
3-5 Scripting and Automation
3-6 Programming Languages
3-7 Code Analysis
3-8 Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Tools
4 Planning and Scoping
4-1 Penetration Testing Methodologies
4-2 Legal and Compliance Considerations
4-3 Scope Definition
4-4 Risk Assessment
4-5 Threat Modeling
4-6 Information Gathering
4-7 Asset Identification
4-8 Data Classification
4-9 Business Impact Analysis
4-10 Penetration Testing Objectives
5 Information Gathering and Vulnerability Identification
5-1 Passive Reconnaissance
5-2 Active Reconnaissance
5-3 Vulnerability Scanning
5-4 Network Mapping
5-5 Service Identification
5-6 Web Application Scanning
5-7 Wireless Network Scanning
5-8 Social Engineering Techniques
5-9 OSINT Techniques
5-10 Vulnerability Databases
6 Attacks and Exploits
6-1 Exploit Development
6-2 Buffer Overflows
6-3 SQL Injection
6-4 Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
6-5 Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
6-6 Command Injection
6-7 Privilege Escalation
6-8 Lateral Movement
6-9 Evasion Techniques
6-10 Exploit Delivery Methods
7 Penetration Testing Process
7-1 Pre-Engagement Activities
7-2 Reconnaissance
7-3 Scanning and Enumeration
7-4 Exploitation
7-5 Post-Exploitation
7-6 Reporting
7-7 Remediation
7-8 Retesting
7-9 Documentation and Evidence Collection
7-10 Communication and Coordination
8 Reporting and Communication
8-1 Report Structure
8-2 Executive Summary
8-3 Technical Findings
8-4 Risk Assessment
8-5 Remediation Recommendations
8-6 Legal and Compliance Considerations
8-7 Presentation Skills
8-8 Communication with Stakeholders
8-9 Documentation Standards
8-10 Continuous Improvement
9 Security and Compliance
9-1 Regulatory Requirements
9-2 Industry Standards
9-3 Compliance Audits
9-4 Data Protection
9-5 Privacy Laws
9-6 Incident Response Planning
9-7 Disaster Recovery Planning
9-8 Business Continuity Planning
9-9 Risk Management
9-10 Security Awareness Training
Incident Response

Incident Response

Key Concepts

Incident response is the process of identifying, analyzing, and mitigating security incidents to minimize damage and restore normal operations as quickly as possible. It involves a structured approach to handling security breaches, malware infections, and other cyber threats.

1. Preparation

Preparation is the first step in incident response. It involves creating a plan, assembling a response team, and ensuring that all necessary tools and resources are in place. This phase also includes training staff and conducting drills to ensure readiness.

Example: A company might develop an incident response plan that outlines roles and responsibilities, communication protocols, and the steps to take in the event of a security breach.

2. Identification

Identification is the process of detecting and recognizing that a security incident has occurred. This involves monitoring systems for unusual activity and using tools like intrusion detection systems (IDS) and security information and event management (SIEM) systems.

Example: An IDS might detect a spike in network traffic that indicates a potential DDoS attack, prompting the incident response team to investigate further.

3. Containment

Containment is the process of limiting the impact of an incident. This can involve isolating affected systems, blocking malicious IP addresses, or taking other measures to prevent the incident from spreading.

Example: If a malware infection is detected on a server, the incident response team might isolate the server from the network to prevent the malware from spreading to other systems.

4. Eradication

Eradication involves removing the root cause of the incident. This can include deleting malware, patching vulnerabilities, or resetting compromised accounts.

Example: After containing a ransomware attack, the response team might use antivirus software to remove the ransomware from affected systems and apply patches to prevent future infections.

5. Recovery

Recovery is the process of restoring affected systems and services to normal operation. This can involve restoring data from backups, reconfiguring systems, and ensuring that all security measures are in place.

Example: Following a data breach, the recovery process might include restoring compromised databases from backups and reconfiguring access controls to prevent future breaches.

6. Lessons Learned

Lessons learned is the final phase of incident response, where the response team reviews the incident to identify what went well and what could be improved. This involves documenting the incident, analyzing the response, and making recommendations for future improvements.

Example: After resolving a phishing attack, the response team might review the incident to identify gaps in employee training and update the training program to better prepare staff for future phishing attempts.

Analogies

Think of incident response as a fire drill in a building. Preparation involves having a plan and knowing the evacuation routes. Identification is like detecting smoke and realizing there's a fire. Containment is like closing doors to prevent the fire from spreading. Eradication is like extinguishing the fire. Recovery is like cleaning up the damage and restoring the building. Lessons learned are like reviewing the drill to improve future responses.

© 2024 Ahmed Baheeg Khorshid. All rights reserved.