Security Architecture & Design Flashcards

What is the primary purpose of the 'defense in depth' strategy in application security architecture?

Answer: To apply multiple overlapping security layers so that failure of one control does not lead to total compromise

Defense in depth uses layered, overlapping controls so that bypassing one layer still leaves attackers facing additional security barriers.

Which security design principle requires that a system's default configuration be secure without requiring additional hardening steps by the user?

Answer: Secure by default

Secure by default means the out-of-the-box configuration provides security, and less-secure options must be explicitly enabled rather than disabled.

In security architecture, 'separation of duties' primarily mitigates which type of risk?

Answer: Insider threats and fraud by requiring multiple parties for sensitive operations

Separation of duties prevents any single individual from having end-to-end control over a critical process, reducing insider threat and fraud.

Which security architecture principle aims to reduce the number of ways an attacker can interact with or exploit a system?

Answer: Minimize attack surface

Minimizing the attack surface limits exposed entry points, interfaces, and functionality, giving attackers fewer opportunities to find vulnerabilities.

In security architecture, a 'trust boundary' is best defined as:

Answer: A point in a system where data transitions between areas with different trust levels, requiring validation

Trust boundaries mark where data moves between different trust zones, and they are key locations where input validation and access control must be enforced.

Which network architecture pattern creates an intermediate zone between the public internet and an internal network to host publicly accessible services?

Answer: Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

A DMZ places internet-facing servers in an isolated zone, so a compromise of those servers does not grant direct access to the internal network.

The 'fail-safe defaults' security design principle states that:

Answer: Access should be denied by default unless explicitly and specifically granted

Fail-safe defaults mean the secure state (deny) is the default; access requires explicit permission, so ambiguous or error conditions result in denial.