IT Audits and Planning

Topic: The purpose of this lab is to recognize the risks, threats, and vulnerabilities commonly found in the workstation domain. You will identify known vulnerabilities and exploits on the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database listing. You will describe how risks, threats, and vulnerabilities or misconfigurations at the operating system level in the workstation domain might expose that workstation. You will also identify steps to harden the workstation domain operating system and applications installed on the user’s workstation for compliance and safeguarding of sensitive data and access to that data. Finally, you will apply Department of Defense (DoD) guidelines for securing the workstation domain, including the review and assessment of Windows 10 and Windows 2016 security guidelines. Participate in each section of the lab and follow the instructions for the exercises in each section. You will use a text document to develop your homework assignment by completing the sections listed below: Lab 5.1a Review the following scenario: You are a security consultant for an information systems security firm and have a new healthcare provider client under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliance. Your new client wants to know the requirements and business drivers for securing the workstation domain in its healthcare environment. Your new client requires compliance with HIPAA. Similarly, your firm has a DoD client that also wants you to perform a workstation domain compliance audit per DoD workstation hardening guidelines and baseline requirements. In your homework assignment, discuss how the compliance law requirements and business drivers for the healthcare provider’s workstation domain might differ from the DoD’s workstation domain security compliance requirements. Lab 5.1b Launch your Web browser. Navigate to the following website: http://cve.mitre.org/. Review the site, and then in your homework assignment, identify the risks, threats, and vulnerabilities commonly found in the workstation domain. Launch your Web browser. Navigate to the following website: https://public.cyber.mil/stigs/ /. Review the Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) available and the proper implementation of security based on DoD’s workstation/desktop hardening guidelines. In your document, discuss three STIGs and the DoD’s workstation/desktop hardening guidelines. Lab 5.1c Launch your Web browser. Navigate to the following website: https://public.cyber.mil/stigs/ View and Download STIGs Search for the ‘Desktop Application’ Security Technical Implementation Guide (Version 4, Release 5) document from the STIG database website. Sunset-Desktop Applications General STIG-Ver4, Rel 5 Review the following concepts from this overarching DoD standards document, and, in your homework assignment, discuss the significant points of two of these topics: Appropriate backup strategy does not exist Public instant message clients are installed Peer-to-Peer clients or utilities are installed Execution Restricted File Type Properties Open-restricted File Type Properties You can view the contents of the STIG by visiting the following site: https://vaulted.io/library/disa-stigs-srgs/desktop_applications_general Lab 5.1d Launch your Web browser. Type the following Web address: https://public.cyber.mil/stigs/ Using the search tool search for and review Microsoft Windows Firewall STIG and Advanced Security. View the STIG. Determine which technical controls are appropriate for the Windows OS. Note these in your text document. The STIGs Master List (A to Z) link can be found at this link: https://public.cyber.mil/stigs/downloads/ Scroll down the list to locate and then download the following Windows OS security guideline documents/zip files: Windows 10 STIG (you will see several Windows 10 STIG options; click the one with only a Version number and a Release number after STIG). Microsoft Windows 10 STIG Ver 1, Rel 20 Windows 2016 STIG (you will see a couple of Windows 2016 STIG options; click the one with only a Version number and a Release number after STIG). Microsoft Windows Server 2016 STIG Ver 1,Rel 10 Once you have downloaded the Windows 10 STIG ZIP file to your desktop, double-click the ZIP file to extract the Windows 10 STIG folder. Double-click the folder to open it, double-click the Windows 10 Manual STIG ZIP file to extract the Windows 10 Manual STIG folder, double-click the folder to open it, and then double-click the Windows 10 STIG Manual XML file to open it. For help in viewing an XML file, watch the this video on How to Easily View a STIG XML file Review the following concepts. In your Microsoft Word document, list each of these and discuss a significant point about each one: display shutdown button, clear system pagefile, removable media devices, halt on audit failure, and security configuration tools. Next, you will work with the Windows 2016 STIG ZIP file on your desktop. Double-click the ZIP file to extract the Windows 2016 STIG folder. Double-click the folder to open it, double-click the Windows 2016 DC Manual STIG ZIP file to extract the Windows 2016 DC Manual STIG folder, double-click the folder to open it, and then double-click the Windows 2016 DC STIG Manual XML file to open it. Review the following concepts and vulnerabilities for configuring and hardening Windows 2016 Domain Controllers. In your document, list each of these and discuss a significant point about each one: system recovery backups, caching of logon credentials, dormant accounts, recycle bin configuration, password uniqueness, and printer share permissions. Lab 5.1e Navigate to the following website: http://cve.mitre.org/ Review the National Cyber Security Division of the U.S. Homeland Security Department’s CVE listing hosted by the Mitre Corporation. To access the CVE listing, click CVE List in the left-hand column to reach the CVE List main page. In your homework assignment, discuss how workstation domain OS and application software vulnerabilities are housed in the CVE listing. Next, click the National Vulnerability Database link on the CVE homepage or CVE List main page. In your text document, discuss how vulnerabilities are housed in the National Vulnerability Database. Discuss how this is both a security control tool and an attack tool used by hackers Lab 5.2 Write an executive summary to discuss the top workstation domain risks, threats, and vulnerabilities, and include a description of the risk mitigation tactics you would perform to audit the workstation domain for compliance. Use the U.S. DoD workstation hardening guidelines as your example for a baseline definition for compliance.