CISSP Exam Note (Telecommunications and Networking Security Domain) – LAN/WAN Devices, Types and Speeds of Leased Lines, etc.
LAN Devices
Repeaters (Layer 1) – amplify signal, no added intelligence, no filtering
Hubs (Layer 1) – used to connect multiple LAN devices, no added intelligence
Bridges (Layer 2)
- Amplifies signal and adds some intelligence
- Forwards the data to all network segments if the Media Access Control (MAC) or hardware address of the destination computer is not on the local network segment
- Automatically forwards all broadcast traffic
CISSP Exam Note (Telecommunications and Networking Security Domain) – Common Data Network Services
File Services – Share data files and subdirectories on the file server
Mail Services – Send and receive e-mail internally and externally
Print Services – Print documents to shared printers
Client/Server Services – Allocate computing resources among workstations Read more
CISSP Domains: Who’s on first?
I just realized something today that I found a tad bit annoying. The numbering of the domains of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) is actually trivial (can’t think of a better word at the moment). I am reviewing some items on my CISSP notes today and was looking at Domain 2: Telecommunications and Network Security. I wanted to compare some of my notes (written in 2006) to whatever else I can find in the web.
So I Googled, “CISSP Domain 2”. The result was TechTarget’s SearchSecurity.com listed at number 1. And it says “CISSP Domain 2 quiz: Access Control.” Access Control? What do you mean Access Control? I thought “Telecommunications and Network Security” is the CBK”s Domain 2? Read more
CISSP Exam Note (Domain 2: Telecommunications and Networking Security) – Virtual Private Networks
Virtual Private Networks
- Secure connection between two nodes using secret encapsulation method
- Secure Encrypted Tunnel – encapsulated tunnel (encryption may or may not be used)
- Tunnel can be created by the following three methods:
- Installing software or agents on the client or network gateway
- Implementing user or node authentication systems
- Implementing key and certificate exchange systems
CISSP Exam Note (Domain 2: Telecommunications and Networking Security) – Network Address Translation
NAT – Network Address Translation
- 3 Private IP Address Ranges
- Global Non-routable Addresses
- Class A – 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255
- Class B – 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.255
- Class C – 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.255 Read more
CISSP Exam Note (Domain 2: Telecommunications and Networking Security) – Security Protocols
Security Protocols
At the OSI Application Layer
SET – Secure Electronic Transaction
- Originated by Visa and Mastercard
- Being overtaken by SSL
SHTTP – Secure HTTP
- Early standard for encrypting HTTP documents
- Also being overtaken by SSL
CISSP Exam Note (Domain 2: Telecommunications and Networking Security) – Protocols
Protocols – a standard set of rules that determines how computers communicate with each other across networks despite their differences
Layered architecture
- Shows how communication should take place
- Clarify the general functions of a communication process
- To break down complex networking processes into more manageable sub-layers
- Using industry standard interfaces enables interoperability
- To change the features of one layer without changing the code in every layer
- Easier troubleshooting Read more
CISSP Exam Note (Domain 2: Telecommunications and Networking Security) – Key Concepts and Other Definitions
Rainbow Series
The Rainbow Series (sometimes known as the Rainbow Books) is a series of computer security standards published by the United States government in the 1980s and 1990s. They were originally published by the U.S. Department of Defense Computer Security Center, and then by the National Computer Security Center.
These standards describe a process of evaluation for trusted systems. In some cases, U.S. government entities (as well as private firms) would require formal validation of computer technology using this process as part of their procurement criteria. Many of these standards have influenced, and have been superseded by, the Common Criteria. Read more
CISSP Exam Note (Domain 2: Telecommunications and Networking Security) – Denial of Service Attack
A denial-of-service attack (DoS attack) or distributed denial-of-service attack (DDoS attack) is an attempt to make a computer resource unavailable to its intended users. Although the means to carry out, motives for, and targets of a DoS attack may vary, it generally consists of the concerted efforts of a person or people to prevent an Internet site or service from functioning efficiently or at all, temporarily or indefinitely. Perpetrators of DoS attacks typically target sites or services hosted on high-profile web servers such as banks, credit card payment gateways, and even root nameservers.
One common method of attack involves saturating the target (victim) machine with external communications requests, such that it cannot respond to legitimate traffic, or responds so slowly as to be rendered effectively unavailable. In general terms, DoS attacks are implemented by either forcing the targeted computer(s) to reset, or consuming its resources so that it can no longer provide its intended service or obstructing the communication media between the intended users and the victim so that they can no longer communicate adequately. Read more
CISSP Exam Note (Domain 2: Telecommunications and Networking Security) – Classes of Network Abuse
Class A
- Unauthorized access through circumvention of security access controls
- Masquerading, logon abuse (primarily internal attacks)
Class B – non-business use of systems
Class C
- Eavesdropping
- Active: Tampering with a transmission to create a covert signaling channel or probing the network
- Passive – Covertly monitoring or listening to transmissions that is unauthorized
- Covert Channel – using a hidden unauthorized communication
- Tapping – refers to the physical interception of transmission medium (like splicing of cable) Read more

