Fundamentals of InfoSecintermediate
Select ALL examples that the lesson identifies as demonstrations of an attack on a Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability (CIA) goal in the controlled lab.
Answer
Accessing the target system's files, Modifying a file on the target system, Shutting down the target system
Explanation
### Why this is right
- **Accessing the target system's files** demonstrates a confidentiality impact because information becomes available to someone who should not see it.
- **Modifying a file on the target system** demonstrates an integrity impact because the information is changed without authorization.
- **Shutting down the target system** demonstrates an availability impact because authorized users lose access to the system while it is unavailable.
### The concept
The lesson uses three direct examples to distinguish the CIA goals. Confidentiality protects against unauthorized viewing or disclosure. Integrity protects against unauthorized modification. Availability protects timely, uninterrupted access for authorized users. These are categories of impact, not labels for particular software or commands. An extra copy of a file does not, by itself, demonstrate one of the listed attacks if the original remains unchanged and access is authorized. In a real incident, copying information without permission could still breach confidentiality because the copy may expose protected data. The key is to assess the permissions and effects described, not to treat every copy operation as harmless. The classroom demonstrations are restricted to authorized, isolated virtual machines.
### The other options
- **D. Creating an extra copy of a file without changing the original**: This is not one of the lesson's three demonstrations as stated. It could harm confidentiality if information were copied or disclosed without authorization, but the option does not say that access was unauthorized.
### Terms
- **CIA**: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. The three security goals used to classify the examples.
- **Confidentiality**: Protection against unauthorized viewing or disclosure.
- **Integrity**: Protection against unauthorized modification.
- **Availability**: Timely access to resources for authorized users.
- **Virtual machine**: A software-based computer used here to keep the exercise in an isolated lab.
### Remember
Map viewing to confidentiality, changing to integrity, and service interruption to availability.
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