Welcome to the Prehnetics Network and device security Podcast,

Episode one, Signal Gate, from a cyber security and Operational Security Point of view

I’d like to discuss the Signal gate leak, we will try toavoid any legal or political discussions.

The Three Main Aspects of Cyber Security are abbreviated (CIA)

C  for Confidentiality

Restricting Access and Disclosure of Sensitive Information

I  for Integrity

Accuracy, Consistency, and Reliability of Information.Signal does not have an error checking mechanism.

A  for Availability

Ability of Authorized users to Access and use Informationwhen Needed

•      CIA in relation to Signal

•      C  Confidentiality

•      Signal relies on its encryption to limit access to the information , and signal relies on the members of the group to limit access to the information.

•      I  Integrity

•      Not a Signal feature

•      A  Availability

•      Signal deletes messages after they are read, messages not easily retrievable

Where was the Opsec?

Operational Security

•      Protecting  sensitive information from unauthorizedaccess

•      Ensuring that adversaries cannot gain an advantage by understanding an organization's capabilities and intentions

•      Confidentiality was not met, the press was given access to the group chat, potentially exposingUS intentions

•      It is not clear if the breach was a hack, the results of a malicious insider, or amistake by the group admin(s)

•      The contact data of some on the group chat, is accessible on the internet, makingthe group an attractive target, if it was a hack

•      Obscuring contact data is a key component of Opsec, since most of the members were public figures before they were given access to sensitive information, they should have gotten secondary contact information.

How can I beef up my Opsec?

Identify Critical Information

•      Determine which information, if disclosed to an adversary, could cause the most harm or lead to the most damaging exploitation.

•      Use a graded approach when protecting information

Critical Information could include travel plans, negotiationstrategies, deployment strategies

Analyze Threats

•      Identify potential adversaries and their capabilities and intentions to collect,analyze, and exploit critical information. Often this will be non alliedforeign entities

Analyze Vulnerabilities

•      This involves identifying weaknesses in your organization's security that could be exploited by an adversary.

Vulnerabilities to include publicly available information, password strength

Assess Risks:

•      Evaluatethe likelihood and impact of an adversary exploiting dentified vulnerabilities

•      Riskis often defined as consequences (1-4) times consequences (also 1-4) and may include monetary risk, reputational risk, operational risk

Apply Appropriate Countermeasures

•      Implement countermeasures to mitigate identified risks and protect critical information.

Counter measure to include stronger admin controls,awareness, DLP (Data Loss Prevention) stronger passwords, 2 factor identification (authenticator stronger then text) purging publicly available information

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