PII and SPII

PII stands for Personally Identifiable Information. It refers to any information that can be used to identify an individual, such as a name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or biometric records. PII is often sensitive and requires protection to prevent identity theft and other forms of fraud.

SPII stands for Sensitive Personally Identifiable Information. It refers to a subset of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) that requires a higher level of protection due to its sensitive nature. SPII includes information such as financial account numbers, health information, and government-issued identification numbers. Protecting SPII is crucial to prevent identity theft, fraud, and other forms of misuse.

Security Framework

A security framework is a structured set of guidelines, best practices, standards, and processes that help organizations manage and improve their cybersecurity posture. These frameworks provide a systematic approach to identifying, assessing, and mitigating cybersecurity risks. They can be used to establish a baseline of security controls, ensure compliance with regulations and industry standards, and enhance overall cybersecurity resilience.

Some common security frameworks include the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO/IEC 27001, CIS Controls, and PCI DSS. These frameworks are often used by organizations to: A security framework involves the following key steps:

1. Identifying and Documenting Security Goals: Establishing the objectives and priorities of the security program. For ex, you might want to implement a security policy that aligns with GDPR in EU region.

2. Setting Guidelines to Achieve Security Goals: Defining the policies, standards, and procedures needed to achieve the security goals.

3. Implementing Security Processes: Putting in place the necessary controls, technologies, and measures to protect against security threats.

4. Monitoring and Communicating Results: Continuously assessing security posture, detecting and responding to security incidents, and communicating outcomes to stakeholders.

These steps help organizations manage cybersecurity risks effectively and ensure alignment with business objectives. Overall, security frameworks provide a structured approach to cybersecurity that helps organizations better protect their data, systems, and networks from cyber threats.

SIEM

SIEM stands for Security Information and Event Management. SIEM tools are software solutions that provide real-time analysis of security alerts generated by applications and network hardware. They collect, aggregate, and analyze security data from various sources across an organization’s infrastructure, such as servers, networks, applications, and devices, to detect and respond to security incidents.

Here are a few examples of popular SIEM tools:

• Splunk: Splunk is a widely used SIEM tool that offers a comprehensive platform for searching, monitoring, and analyzing machine-generated big data, including logs and security events. It provides real-time visibility into an organization’s security posture.

• IBM QRadar: IBM QRadar is a SIEM solution that provides security intelligence for detecting, investigating, and responding to threats. It collects log data and network flow data from various sources, applies real-time analytics to identify security incidents, and provides insights into potential threats.

• Chronicle: Chronicle is a cybersecurity platform offered by Google Cloud. It provides capabilities for storing, analyzing, and correlating security telemetry data at scale. Chronicle leverages Google’s infrastructure and expertise in data analytics to help organizations detect and respond to security threats effectively.

Low, Moderate and High Risk

Low Risk: Definition: Low-risk situations are those where the potential impact of a security breach or incident is minimal, and the likelihood of such an event occurring is relatively low. Example: An organization with basic security measures in place, such as antivirus software, regular software updates, and employee security awareness training.

Medium Risk: Definition: Medium-risk situations are those where the potential impact of a security breach or incident is moderate, and the likelihood of such an event occurring is higher than low-risk situations. Example: An organization that handles sensitive data, such as customer information, but has some security controls in place, but may not have a comprehensive security strategy or incident response plan.

High Risk: Definition: High-risk situations are those where the potential impact of a security breach or incident is significant, and the likelihood of such an event occurring is relatively high. Example: An organization that handles highly sensitive or critical data, such as financial information or national security data, but has limited or outdated security measures in place, or is operating in a high-threat environment.

Surface, Deep and Dark Web

1. Surface Web: The surface web refers to the part of the internet that is indexed by search engines and easily accessible to the general public. It includes websites like news sites, social media platforms, and online shopping sites.

2. Deep Web: The deep web consists of web pages that are not indexed by search engines and are not easily accessible through regular browsing. This includes private databases, password-protected websites, and other content that is not meant for public consumption.

3. Dark Web: The dark web is a small portion of the deep web that is intentionally hidden and requires specific software, configurations, or authorization to access. It is often associated with illegal activities, black markets, and anonymous communication.

CyberSecurity Framework

Cybersecurity frameworks are structured guidelines that help organizations manage and improve their cybersecurity posture. They provide a structured approach to identifying, protecting, detecting, responding to, and recovering from cybersecurity threats.

Security frameworks are guidelines used for building plans to help mitigate risk and threats to data and privacy.

Examples:

Cybersecurity Framework:

• NIST Cybersecurity Framework: Provides a set of guidelines, best practices, and standards to help organizations manage and improve their cybersecurity risk management processes.

CyberSecurity Controls

Controls are used alongside frameworks to reduce the possibility and impact of a security threat, risk, or vulnerability. Controls can be physical, technical, and administrative and are typically used to prevent, detect, or correct security issues.

Examples of physical controls:

• Gates, fences, and locks

• Security guards

• Closed-circuit television (CCTV), surveillance cameras, and motion detectors

• Access cards or badges to enter office spaces

Examples of technical controls:

• Firewalls

• MFA

• Antivirus software

Examples of administrative controls:

• Separation of duties

• Authorization

• Asset classification

CIA Triad

The CIA Triad is a foundational model in information security used to guide policies for protecting sensitive information. The confidentiality, integrity, availability (CIA) triad is a model that helps inform how organizations consider risk when setting up systems and security policies.

It stands for:

Confidentiality: Ensuring that information is only accessible to those who are authorized to access it. It involves preventing unauthorized access or disclosure of information.

Integrity: Guarantees that information is accurate, reliable, and has not been altered by unauthorized individuals or malicious software. Integrity ensures that data remains unchanged and trustworthy.

Availability: Ensuring that information and resources are available and accessible to authorized users whenever needed. This involves maintaining systems, networks, and data to be operational and usable when required.

The CIA Triad forms the basis for designing and implementing security controls and measures to protect information assets. By focusing on these three core principles, organizations can develop strategies, policies, and technologies to safeguard their data and systems from various threats and risks.