The server hardware consists of a powerful CPU processor and 128GB of memory. It runs on the latest version of Linux operating system and hosts a MySQL database management system. It is configured with a stable network connection using IPv4 addresses and interacts with other servers on the network. Security measures include SSL/TLS encrypted connections.
The scope of this vulnerability assessment relates to the current access controls of the system. The assessment will cover a period of three months, from June 2023 to August 2023. NIST SP 800-30 Rev. 1 is used to guide the risk analysis of the information system.
The objective is to assess and communicate the risks associated with a fictitious e-commerce company's open remote database server. Given that employees work remotely from various global locations and regularly access customer data for marketing purposes, the open database poses a significant vulnerability. It is essential to identify potential threats to business operations stemming from this vulnerability and propose security measures to mitigate these risks. By securing the centralized database server, the aim is to safeguard sensitive customer information, campaign data, and analytics essential for performance tracking and personalized marketing efforts, thereby ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of the company's data assets.
| Threat Source | Threat event | Likelihood | Severity | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hacker | Obtain sensitive information via exfilitration | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Employee | Disrupt mission-critical operations | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| Customer | Alter/Delete critical information | 1 | 3 | 3 |
The risks assessed took into account how the business stores and manages data. Identifying potential threats and incidents relied on assessing the probability of a security breach due to the system's open access permissions. The severity of potential incidents was evaluated in relation to their impact on everyday business operations.
Implementing measures such as authentication, authorization, and auditing is crucial to safeguarding the database server, ensuring that only authorized individuals access it. This involves employing robust password protocols, role-based access controls, and multi-factor authentication to restrict user privileges. Data encryption during transmission is achieved through TLS rather than SSL. Additionally, limiting access to corporate offices via IP allow-listing prevents unauthorized internet users from connecting to the database.
While IPv4 remains prevalent, the adoption of IPv6 is on the rise to address the depletion of IPv4 addresses. It's advisable to integrate IPv6 support into your server infrastructure and develop a transition strategy to accommodate future IPv6 adoption. In addition, compliance with pertinent laws, regulations, and industry standards concerning data privacy, security, and network operations is essential. This may entail adherence to regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS, or industry-specific standards.