Comprehensive Guide to Security Technologies: Access Controls, Firewalls, and VPNs

These flashcards cover essential concepts, definitions, and technologies related to access control, firewalls, VPNs, and software development methodologies as essential topics in information security.

Access Control

A critical component of information security responsible for selectively determining who may access specific resources and how.

Identification

The process of claiming an identity by providing a username or ID in an access control system.

Authentication

Verifying that the claimed identity is genuine, typically through passwords, biometrics, or tokens.

Authorization

Determining what actions or resources the authenticated subject can access.

Accountability

Tracking and monitoring user actions to ensure proper use and facilitate audits.

Mandatory Access Control (MAC)

Structured, policy-driven controls where access is governed by strict rules set by the system.

Discretionary Access Control (DAC)

Access controls that give data owners the discretion to set permissions on resources they own.

Biometric Authentication

A method that relies on measurable human traits, such as fingerprints or iris patterns, to verify identity.

Packet Filtering

A firewall processing mode that examines header information to permit or block packets.

Application Layer Proxy

A type of firewall that inspects higher-level protocols and acts as an intermediary.

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

A technology that enables secure, encrypted connections over public networks, extending organizational networks.

Kerberos

A network authentication protocol that uses tickets to allow nodes to prove their identity securely.

Firewall

A network security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.

Stateful Inspection

A firewall technology that keeps track of active connections and allows only packets that belong to established sessions.

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)

A system that aggregates and analyzes security event data from various sources in real time.

Digital Signature

A cryptographic technique used to verify the authenticity and integrity of a message.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

An integrated framework that manages digital certificates and cryptographic keys to facilitate secure communications.

Diffie-Hellman

A method for securely exchanging cryptographic keys over a public channel.

Steganography

The practice of hiding messages within other digital data, such as images or audio files, to conceal their existence.

Agile Programming (AP)

An approach to software development that emphasizes flexibility, customer feedback, and incremental releases.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A hierarchical decomposition of a project into manageable tasks and sub-tasks.

Change Management

The process of managing the transition of individuals and organizations to a desired future state.