You can’t eliminate risk to an organization’s assets. However, you can reduce the impact of many threats by implementing security controls. If you’re planning to take the SY0-501 Security+ exam, you should have a basic understanding of security controls. This includes physical security controls that help protect access to secure areas and asset management systems that can help reduce several vulnerabilities.
For example, can you answer this question?
Q. Management within your organization wants to create a small network used by executives only. They want to ensure that this network is completely isolated from the main network. Which of the following choices BEST meets this need?
A. Airgap
B. Mantrap
C. Control diversity
D. Infrared motion detectors
More, do you know why the correct answer is correct and the incorrect answers are incorrect? The answer and explanation is available at the end of this post.
Physical Security Controls
A physical security control is something you can physically touch, such as a hardware lock, a fence, an identification badge, and a security camera. Physical security access controls attempt to control entry and exits, and organizations commonly implement different controls at different boundaries, such as the following:
- Perimeter. Military bases and many other organizations erect a fence around the entire perimeter of their land. They often post security guards at gates to control access. In some cases, organizations install barricades to block vehicles.
- Buildings. Buildings commonly have additional controls for both safety and security. For example, guards and locked doors restrict entry so only authorized personnel enter. Many buildings include lighting and video cameras to monitor the entrances and exits.
- Secure work areas. Some companies restrict access to specific work areas when employees perform classified or restricted access tasks. In some cases, an organization restricts access to all internal work areas. In other words, visitors can enter the lobby of a building, but they are not able to enter internal work areas without an escort.
- Server and network rooms. Servers and network devices such as routers and switches are normally stored in areas where only the appropriate IT personnel can access them. These spaces may be designated as server rooms or wiring closets. It’s common for an organization to provide additional physical security for these rooms to prevent attackers from accessing the equipment. For example, locking a wiring closet prevents an attacker from installing illicit monitoring hardware, such as a protocol analyzer, to capture network traffic.
- Hardware. Additional physical security controls protect individual systems. For example, server rooms often have locking cabinets to protect servers and other equipment installed in the equipment bays. Cable locks protect laptop computers, and smaller devices can be stored in safes.
- Airgap. An airgap is a physical security control that ensures that a computer or network is physically isolated from another computer or network. As an example, you can isolate a computer from a network by ensuring that it is not connected to any other system in the network. This lack of connectivity provides an airgap. This is often done to separate classified networks from unclassified networks.
Each of the eleven chapters presents topics in an easy to understand manner and includes real-world examples of security principles in action. You’ll understand the important and relevant security topics for the Security+ exam, without being overloaded with unnecessary details. Additionally, each chapter includes a comprehensive review section to help you focus on what’s important. Over 300 realistic practice test questions with in-depth explanations will help you test your comprehension and readiness for the exam. The book includes: Each practice test question includes a detailed explanation to help you understand the content and the reasoning behind the question. You’ll be ready to take and pass the exam the first time you take it. If you plan to pursue any of the advanced security certifications, this guide will also help you lay a solid foundation of security knowledge. Learn this material, and you’ll be a step ahead for other exams. This SY0-601 study guide is for any IT or security professional interested in advancing in their field, and a must-read for anyone striving to master the basics of IT security.The 601 Version of the Study Guide
The CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-601 Study Guide is an update to the top-selling SY0-201, SY0-301, SY0-401, and SY0-501 study guides, which have helped thousands of readers pass the exam the first time they took it. It includes the same elements readers raved about in the previous four versions.
Asset Management
Asset management is the process of tracking valuable assets throughout their life cycles. For example, organizations commonly implement processes to track hardware such as servers, desktop computers, laptop computers, routers, and switches. An effective asset management system can help reduce several vulnerabilities:
- Architecture and design weaknesses. Asset management helps reduce architecture and design weaknesses by ensuring that purchases go through an approval process. The approval process does more than just compare costs. It also evaluates the purchase to ensure it fits in the overall network architecture. Unapproved assets often weaken security by adding in additional resources that aren’t managed.
- System sprawl and undocumented assets. System sprawl occurs when an organization has more systems than it needs, and systems it owns are underutilized. Asset management begins before the hardware is purchased and helps prevent system sprawl by evaluating the purchase. Additionally, after the purchase is completed, asset management processes ensure hardware is added into the asset management tracking system. This ensures that the assets are managed and tracked from cradle to grave.
Many organizations use automated methods for inventory control. For example, radio- frequency identification (RFID) methods can track the movement of devices. These are the same types of devices used in stores to prevent shoplifting. If someone exits without paying, the RFID device transmits when the shoplifter gets close to the exit door and sounds an alarm. Organizations won’t necessarily have an alarm, but they can track the movement of devices.
Mobile devices are easy to lose track of, so organizations often use asset-tracking methods to reduce losses. For example, when a user is issued a mobile device, asset-tracking methods record it. Similarly, if the user leaves the company, asset-tracking methods ensure the user returns the device.
Q. Management within your organization wants to create a small network used by executives only. They want to ensure that this network is completely isolated from the main network. Which of the following choices BEST meets this need?
A. Airgap
B. Mantrap
C. Control diversity
D. Infrared motion detectors
Answer is A. An airgap ensures that a computer or network is physically isolated from another computer or network.
A mantrap helps prevent unauthorized entry and is useful for preventing tailgating.
Control diversity is the use of different controls such as technical, administrative, and physical, but it doesn’t necessarily isolate networks.
Infrared motion detectors sense motion from infrared light, but they don’t isolate networks.
See Chapter 8 of the CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead: SY0-501 Study Guide for more information on implementing controls to protect assets.
