Assignment Code: MSEI-021/TMA/2022

Course Code: MSEI-021

Assignment Name: Introduction to Information Security

Year: 2022

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

There are three questions in this assignment. Answer all the questions. You may use illustrations and diagrams to enhance your explanations.

Q1) Explain the modes of data transmission.

Ans) There are three modes of data transmission:

Analog and Digital Data Transmission

Analog Data Transmission: When an instrument makes a sound, this is an example of an analogue data transmission. Analog data stays the same over time. Digital Data Transmission: Digital data is discrete. For communication, they must be shown as a string of bits, like text and numbers.

Q2) What is ethical hacking? Please explain with the help of examples.

Ans) Ethical hacking, also known as "penetration testing," is a method of testing computer systems and networks to determine their security posture. It involves using the same tools and techniques as a malicious attacker would use, but with the explicit permission of the owner of the system being tested. The objective of ethical hacking is to identify security vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers and to suggest appropriate measures to mitigate or remove those vulnerabilities.

For example, a company may hire an ethical hacker to perform a penetration test on their web application. The ethical hacker would attempt to find vulnerabilities in the web application by simulating a real-world attack. This may involve attempting to exploit known vulnerabilities in the web server or application, performing SQL injection attacks to gain access to the underlying database, or attempting to bypass access controls to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Q3) Security policy weaknesses can create unforeseen security threats. Elaborate in detail.

Ans) Security policy weaknesses refer to gaps, omissions, or inconsistencies in an organization's security policies and procedures that can potentially lead to security breaches. Security policies provide guidelines and rules for employees and other authorized personnel to follow to maintain the security and integrity of an organization's information assets.

Weaknesses in these policies can create unforeseen security threats, as outlined below:

In order to address these security policy weaknesses, organizations need to conduct regular security assessments and implement a comprehensive security program that includes access controls, employee training and awareness, password policies, data protection measures, incident response procedures, software and patch management, physical security, and third-party security management. Additionally, organizations should establish regular security audits to identify any potential gaps and weaknesses in their security policies and procedures and update them as needed to mitigate potential security threats.