In this lesson,
we will learn about Infrastructure Analysis.
Infrastructure analysis involves examining the hardware,
software, and network components of a system
to detect vulnerabilities or signs of compromise.
Infrastructure analysis concepts include
Joint Test Action Group or JTAG interfaces,
host analysis,
and network analysis.
JTAG is a hardware interface used for debugging and testing.
Next, host analysis focuses on scrutinizing
a system's endpoints, such as servers or workstations
for malware, misconfigurations,
or suspicious activity.
Finally, Network Analysis looks at traffic patterns,
data flows, and connections
to uncover malicious communications or intrusions.
Let's learn more about Joint Test Action Group
or JTAG interfaces, host analysis,
and network analysis.
First, we have Joint Test Action Group or JTAG interfaces.
JTAG is a hardware interface standard used primarily
for testing and debugging embedded systems.
Embedded systems are specialized computing systems
designed to perform dedicated functions
within larger devices or machines,
often with real-time constraints.
JTAG allows direct access to the internals
of an embedded system
or hardware device, enabling low-level diagnostics
and hardware analysis.
Engineers use JTAG to monitor and control signals
within integrated circuits,
identifying defects or anomalies.
So, JTAG is important to enterprise security
because it can be leveraged
to detect vulnerabilities at the hardware level,
such as insecure firmware,
or circuits that have been tampered with,
which could be exploited by attackers
to compromise embedded systems.
In an enterprise setting, JTAG can be used
to assess the security of critical hardware such as routers,
switches, or industrial control systems.
For example, a security team might use a JTAG interface
to investigate an anomaly in an embedded device
like a network switch where it appears
that the firmware was modified without authorization.
By accessing the system via a JTAG,
the team can conduct a thorough analysis
of the device's firmware and configurations,
determining for sure if the hardware had been tampered with
by a malicious actor.
JTAG also enables the recovery of detailed logs
and trace signals at the hardware level,
often offering deeper insights into unauthorized changes.
This access allows the team to restore the device
to a known secure state
and implement stronger protections, such as
firmware validation checks to prevent future tampering.
In the end, JTAG interfaces are used in proactive
organizational defense strategies, allowing
for continuous hardware testing to ensure
that no unauthorized alterations have been made.
And while it is primarily used for development,
its application and security testing ensures that
even the hardware layer of an infrastructure is secured,
reducing the attack surface.
Second, we have host analysis.
Host analysis is the examination
of individual endpoints such as servers, workstations,
or other networked devices to detect
signs of compromise or vulnerabilities.
This type of analysis focuses on identifying indicators
of compromise (IoCs), including malware infections,
misconfigurations, and unusual behaviors
that may indicate malicious activity.
In the end, host analysis ensures
that all endpoints are secure,
protecting the broader network from potential breaches.
For example, consider an organization
where an endpoint is acting unusually slow,
and files are being modified without authorization.
Through host analysis,
a security analyst could inspect logs, file changes,
and processes on the affected system.
This is often done using tools like Sysmon,
which monitors system activities
or forensic tools such as EnCase or Autopsy,
to collect and analyze detailed system data.
Through analysis, the security analyst might discover
a piece of malware that opened an unauthorized
communication channel leading to
potential data exfiltration.
So, by conducting host analysis,
the compromised input can be isolated
and cleaned, preventing further damage.
In an enterprise environment,
consistent host analysis helps maintain system integrity
by detecting and responding to threats quickly.
This type of analysis identifies malware,
unauthorized software installations,
and abnormal activities
that could threaten sensitive information,
or disrupt operations.
Additionally, tools like antivirus software,
file integrity monitoring systems,
and Security Information and Event Management
or SIEM platforms, are commonly used
to automate the detection and investigation
of suspicious activity on endpoints.
Third and last, we have network analysis.
Network analysis involves scrutinizing data traffic,
communication patterns,
and connections within a network
to identify malicious activity or vulnerabilities.
It focuses on monitoring
and analyzing the flow of data between devices
to detect anomalies such as suspicious data transfers
or unauthorized connections.
Overall, network analysis can reveal ongoing attacks
such as data breaches
or denial-of-service attacks, helping to secure
an organization's most valuable asset, its data.
Let's imagine a large company is experiencing
unusual spikes in traffic during off peak hours.
Through network analysis,
the security team could inspect the traffic logs
and find that a specific server is communicating
with an external IP address at two in the morning,
which is unusual for the organization.
By digging deeper into the packet data,
they could uncover a malware infection,
exfiltrating sensitive company data to an external attacker.
This insight would prompt immediate action
to block the malicious traffic
and secure the affected server.
Next, in an enterprise setting,
network analysis tools like Wireshark
or NetFlow enable security teams to detect
and respond to threats in real-time.
These tools help identify anomalies in traffic patterns,
ensuring that potential threats are dealt with
before they can cause significant damage.
Wireshark captures full packet data,
including both the header and payload,
allowing detailed analysis of the content
and structure of each network packet, which is useful
for investigating specific incidents or attacks,
but capturing and storing full packet data
can require a significant amount of storage
and analyst time.
So, in contrast, NetFlow captures metadata
about network traffic, such as source
and destination IP addresses, ports and protocol types,
without recording the actual content of the data.
This makes NetFlow more efficient
for monitoring large networks over time,
but less detailed compared to the packet-level information
that Wireshark provides.
So, remember, infrastructure analysis involves
examining hardware, software, and network components
to detect vulnerabilities or signs of compromise.
Infrastructure analysis concepts include JTAG
or Joint Test Action Group interfaces, host analysis,
and network analysis.
JTAG is a hardware interface used for testing
and debugging embedded systems, helping
to detect vulnerabilities at the hardware level.
Next, host analysis focuses on examining individual
endpoints to identify malware, misconfigurations,
or other indicators of compromise.
And finally, network analysis monitors data traffic
and communication patterns to detect anomalies
and uncover malicious activities,
ensuring real-time protection
for an organization's network and data.