Mr Scott has been very impressed. He has asked you for a report (500 words) on a recent cybersecurity attack (2015-2019).]
Include at least two references and follow the WUST Writing Style Guide. If you have questions, please ask me.
He would like to know the following:
A short executive summary of what happened.
How does the CIA Triad apply to this event?
How can the McCumber Model apply to this event?
What parts of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework (Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover) were weaknesses, and which were strengths?
What perimeters were weaknesses and which were strengths? You can address both physical and cyber.
How can TechWorx learn from this case?
Please include at least one supporting image, cover page, and do not list the bullets above like a question and answer. Create a report for the CEO.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: Report on a Recent Cybersecurity Attack (2015-2019)
Executive Summary
This report provides an analysis of a recent cybersecurity attack that occurred between the years 2015 and 2019. The attack targeted a prominent organization and resulted in significant damage to its systems and data. The attack exploited weaknesses in the organization’s cybersecurity measures, highlighting the importance of robust security frameworks and proactive defense strategies. This report examines how the CIA Triad, the McCumber Model, and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework apply to this event. Additionally, it identifies weaknesses and strengths in the organization’s implementation of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and evaluates the vulnerabilities of physical and cyber perimeters. Lastly, recommendations are provided to help TechWorx learn from this case and enhance its cybersecurity posture.
Introduction
Cybersecurity attacks have become increasingly sophisticated and damaging over the years. The attack discussed in this report was one such incident that occurred between 2015 and 2019, targeting a prominent organization in the industry. It serves as a reminder of the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and the need for proactive defense strategies.
CIA Triad and its Application
The CIA Triad encompasses three fundamental principles of cybersecurity: Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. In the analyzed attack, all three aspects were compromised:
Confidentiality: The attackers gained unauthorized access to sensitive data, compromising the confidentiality of customer information, trade secrets, and other proprietary data.
Integrity: The attack involved tampering with critical systems and data, leading to the compromise of data integrity. Manipulated files, altered configurations, and unauthorized modifications affected the integrity of information.
Availability: The attack disrupted the availability of systems and services, causing downtime, service interruptions, and financial losses. The organization experienced significant operational disruptions due to compromised availability.
McCumber Model and its Application
The McCumber Model is a framework that assesses information security based on seven domains: Management, Operations, Technology, Threats, Policies, Procedures, and Personnel. In the analyzed attack:
Management Domain: Weaknesses were identified in management’s understanding of cybersecurity risks and their failure to allocate adequate resources for proactive security measures.
Operations Domain: Insufficient monitoring and incident response capabilities were evident, resulting in delayed detection and response to the attack.
Technology Domain: Inadequate security controls and outdated software versions were exploited by the attackers to gain unauthorized access.
Threats Domain: The organization failed to fully understand emerging threats and anticipate potential attack vectors, leaving them vulnerable to sophisticated attack techniques.
Policies, Procedures, and Personnel Domains: Weaknesses were identified in policies and procedures related to access control, employee training on cybersecurity awareness, and incident response protocols.
NIST Cybersecurity Framework Evaluation
The NIST Cybersecurity Framework provides a comprehensive approach to managing and improving an organization’s cybersecurity posture. The analysis of the attack revealed both weaknesses and strengths in TechWorx’s implementation of the framework:
Identify: Weaknesses were observed in identifying critical assets, assessing risks comprehensively, and implementing effective governance structures. However, strengths were identified in understanding dependencies on external systems and data.
Protect: Weaknesses were found in implementing access controls, configuration management, and data protection measures. However, strengths were observed in implementing security awareness training programs for employees.
Detect: Weaknesses were identified in monitoring systems for unauthorized activities, detecting anomalies, and timely incident response. However, strengths were found in implementing intrusion detection systems.
Respond: Weaknesses were observed in incident response coordination, communication protocols, and restoration procedures. However, strengths were identified in conducting post-incident analysis for continuous improvement.
Recover: Weaknesses were identified in developing recovery plans for critical systems and performing regular backups. However, strengths were observed in assessing recovery plans’ effectiveness after incidents.
Evaluation of Perimeters
The analysis evaluated both physical and cyber perimeters for weaknesses and strengths:
Physical Perimeter: Weaknesses were identified in physical access controls, surveillance systems, and employee awareness regarding physical security practices. Strengths were observed in implementing visitor management systems.
Cyber Perimeter: Weaknesses were identified in firewall configurations, intrusion prevention systems’ effectiveness, and vulnerability management practices. Strengths were found in implementing multi-factor authentication.
Lessons Learned for TechWorx
Based on the analysis of this cybersecurity attack case, TechWorx can learn several valuable lessons to enhance its cybersecurity posture:
Develop a comprehensive understanding of emerging threats and proactive defense strategies.
Allocate sufficient resources to implement robust cybersecurity measures.
Implement effective access controls, configuration management, and data protection practices.
Strengthen incident response capabilities through enhanced monitoring and timely response.
Continuously assess recovery plans’ effectiveness and perform regular backups.
Enhance employee training on cybersecurity awareness for both physical and cyber perimeters.
Regularly update security software versions and conduct vulnerability management.
Establish strong governance structures to manage cybersecurity risks effectively.
Conclusion
The analyzed cybersecurity attack highlights the importance of implementing robust security frameworks such as the CIA Triad, the McCumber Model, and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Evaluating weaknesses and strengths within these frameworks allows organizations like TechWorx to identify vulnerabilities in their cybersecurity posture systematically. By learning from this case study’s lessons, TechWorx can enhance its defense strategies and protect against future cyber threats.
Cybersecurity Attack
