A large industrial system's smart generator monitors the system status and sends alerts to third-party maintenance personnel when critical failures occur.
While reviewing the network logs, the company's security manager notices the generator's IP is sending packets to an internal file server's IP.
Which of the following mitigations would be BEST for the security manager to implement while maintaining alerting capabilities?
A.
Segmentation B.
Firewall whitelisting C.
Containment D.
Isolation.
B.
A large industrial system's smart generator monitors the system status and sends alerts to third-party maintenance personnel when critical failures occur.
While reviewing the network logs, the company's security manager notices the generator's IP is sending packets to an internal file server's IP.
Which of the following mitigations would be BEST for the security manager to implement while maintaining alerting capabilities?
A.
Segmentation
B.
Firewall whitelisting
C.
Containment
D.
Isolation.
B.
In this scenario, the security manager has noticed that the smart generator's IP is sending packets to an internal file server's IP. This behavior raises concerns about potential security threats and the possibility of a security breach. Therefore, the security manager needs to implement mitigations to ensure the security of the system while maintaining alerting capabilities.
A. Segmentation: Segmentation is a security strategy that involves dividing a network into smaller subnetworks or segments to limit the spread of threats in case of a security breach. The security manager could implement segmentation by creating a separate network segment for the smart generator and the file server, isolating them from the rest of the network. This strategy would ensure that if one segment is compromised, the other segments remain secure. While segmentation is an effective security measure, it might not be the best option in this scenario as it could interfere with the generator's monitoring and alerting capabilities.
B. Firewall whitelisting: Firewall whitelisting is a security strategy that involves allowing only specific traffic to pass through the firewall, while blocking everything else. In this scenario, the security manager could configure the firewall to allow only legitimate traffic between the smart generator and the file server. By doing so, the security manager could prevent any unauthorized traffic between the two systems, mitigating the risk of a security breach. This strategy would also maintain the generator's monitoring and alerting capabilities.
C. Containment: Containment is a security strategy that involves containing a security breach to prevent it from spreading to other parts of the system. In this scenario, containment could involve isolating the smart generator and the file server from the rest of the network to prevent any unauthorized traffic. While containment is an effective strategy, it might not be the best option in this scenario as it could interfere with the generator's monitoring and alerting capabilities.
D. Isolation: Isolation is a security strategy that involves isolating a system or network from the rest of the network to prevent any unauthorized access. In this scenario, the security manager could isolate the smart generator and the file server from the rest of the network to prevent any unauthorized access. While isolation is an effective security measure, it might not be the best option in this scenario as it could interfere with the generator's monitoring and alerting capabilities.
Conclusion: In this scenario, the best mitigation option for the security manager would be to implement firewall whitelisting. This strategy would allow legitimate traffic between the smart generator and the file server, while blocking any unauthorized traffic. It would also maintain the generator's monitoring and alerting capabilities, ensuring the security of the system.