Book Image

Critical Infrastructure Security

By : Soledad Antelada Toledano
Book Image

Critical Infrastructure Security

By: Soledad Antelada Toledano

Overview of this book

Discover the core of cybersecurity through gripping real-world accounts of the most common assaults on critical infrastructure – the body of vital systems, networks, and assets so essential that their continued operation is required to ensure the security of a nation, its economy, and the public’s health and safety – with this guide to understanding cybersecurity principles. From an introduction to critical infrastructure and cybersecurity concepts to the most common types of attacks, this book takes you through the life cycle of a vulnerability and how to assess and manage it. You’ll study real-world cybersecurity breaches, each incident providing insights into the principles and practical lessons for cyber defenders striving to prevent future breaches. From DDoS to APTs, the book examines how each threat activates, operates, and succeeds. Additionally, you’ll analyze the risks posed by computational paradigms, such as the advancement of AI and quantum computing, to legacy infrastructure. By the end of this book, you’ll be able to identify key cybersecurity principles that can help mitigate evolving attacks to critical infrastructure.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
1
Part 1: Introduction to Critical Infrastructure and Cybersecurity Concepts
5
Part 2: Dissecting Cyberattacks on CI
8
Part 3: Protecting Critical Infrastructure
12
Part 4: What’s Next

Vulnerability assessment

The basics of vulnerability assessment involve a systematic and comprehensive approach to identifying, quantifying, and addressing vulnerabilities within a system, network, or organization. The primary goal of vulnerability assessment is to uncover weaknesses or security gaps that malicious actors could exploit to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of critical assets. Vulnerability assessment is a crucial process in cybersecurity that helps organizations identify and address potential weaknesses in their systems and networks. The following diagram shows the key steps and elements involved in vulnerability assessment:

Figure 3.1 – Vulnerability assessment through process

Figure 3.1 – Vulnerability assessment process

Here are the basics of vulnerability assessment, along with some examples to illustrate each step.

Scope definition

In this step, you define the scope and objectives of the assessment. Determine which systems, applications, or networks...