The smart camera at the back door
A shop fits a cheap smart camera. It still has the password it left the factory with.
An attacker finds it from the internet in minutes. Now the attacker can watch the shop, edit the clips and switch it off.
The same camera hit all three goals of CIA at once.
Key words
| Word | What it means |
|---|---|
| Connected device | Any device that links to a network or the internet, such as a camera, a printer or a sensor. |
| Confidentiality | Only the right people can see the data. |
| Integrity | The data is correct and has not been changed. |
| Availability | The system works when people need it. |
| Configuration | The settings a device is set up with. |
| Exposure | How much of a device can be reached by an attacker. |
| Log | A record of events, with the time and who or what did them. |
| Audit | A check of the logs and the settings to see what happened. |
| Network | Computers and devices linked so they can share data. |
| Firewall | A gate that lets some traffic in or out and blocks the rest. |
| Sensor | A device that measures something, such as heat or movement. |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can use CIA to judge the impact of an attack on a connected device, and name four ways to reduce it.
Starter: CIA and IAAA
Have a go
Starter: CIA and IAAA
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Cycle 1: use CIA to judge the impact
After a breach, a team asks three questions about each device that was hit.
- Confidentiality: what did the attacker see?
- Integrity: what did the attacker change?
- Availability: what stopped working?
The answers give the impact. A camera that is only watched is less serious than one that also unlocks a door.
Worked example: the smart camera
| Goal | What happened | How bad? |
|---|---|---|
| Confidentiality | A stranger watches the shop live | High: privacy lost |
| Integrity | Old clips are edited | Medium: evidence cannot be trusted |
| Availability | The camera is switched off | Medium: no cover for a night |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
Check: which goal was hit?
Have a go
Check: which goal was hit?
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.