Common attacks, threats, and exploits (for example, Open Web Application Security Project [OWASP] Top 10, DDoS)

Can you describe what a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is and explain the most common types of DDoS attacks you might need to safeguard against in an AWS environment?

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is a malicious attempt to disrupt the normal traffic of a targeted server, service, or network by overwhelming the target or its surrounding infrastructure with a flood of internet traffic. In an AWS environment, the most common types of DDoS attacks include volumetric attacks that saturate the bandwidth, protocol attacks that exhaust resources, and application layer attacks that target web application servers. AWS provides services like AWS Shield and AWS WAF to help protect against such attacks.

What is SQL Injection, and how can it be prevented in an AWS-hosted application?

SQL Injection is a code injection technique where an attacker can execute malicious SQL statements that control a web application’s database server. To prevent this in an AWS-hosted application, one should use prepared statements with parameterized queries, employ ORM frameworks which abstract SQL queries, implement input validation, and utilize services like Amazon RDS which offers various layers of security, including network isolation using Amazon VPC, encryption, and SQL firewall capabilities.

How does Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) differ from Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), and what AWS services can help mitigate these threats?

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) occurs when an attacker injects malicious scripts into content from a trusted website, whereas Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) tricks a user’s browser into executing an unwanted action on a trusted site where the user is authenticated. AWS WAF can help mitigate both XSS and CSRF attacks by providing custom rulesets to filter out malicious requests and inputs.

In the context of AWS, what strategies can be applied to protect against Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attacks?

To protect against MitM attacks in AWS, one should enforce the use of TLS to encrypt data in transit, employ strict SSL/TLS protocols and ciphers, use AWS Key Management Service (KMS) for key storage and management, implement private connections such as AWS Direct Connect, and enforce proper IAM roles and policies to ensure only authorized access to AWS resources.

Can you explain the impact of Security Misconfiguration, and how should an AWS user address this issue?

Security Misconfiguration can lead to unauthorized access and data breaches. To address this issue in AWS, users should follow best practices like minimizing the attack surface by disabling unused features and services, regularly updating and patching systems, employing least privilege access, implementing secure server images (AMIs), automating security processes with tools like AWS Config, and continually auditing configurations with AWS Inspector.

How can System Patch Management help in securing AWS environments against exploits?

System Patch Management helps in securing AWS environments by ensuring that all operating system and software applications are up-to-date with the latest security patches, which fix vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. AWS offers services like AWS Systems Manager to automate the patching process and maintain the security of EC2 instances and on-premises servers.

What is a Credential Stuffing attack and what AWS service can specifically help mitigate this type of attack?

Credential Stuffing is an attack where compromised user credentials (usernames/passwords obtained from other breaches) are used to gain unauthorized access to accounts. AWS recommends the use of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and AWS Cognito that can provide adaptive authentication features to help mitigate credential stuffing attacks.

Describe how an Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) vulnerability could be present in a web application and what measures can be taken to prevent it in the AWS ecosystem.

An Insecure Direct Object References (IDOR) vulnerability occurs when an application exposes a reference to an internal implementation object, such as a file or directory, allowing attackers to manipulate these references to access unauthorized data. Prevention measures include utilizing access control checks or adopting an indirect reference map to validate that users are authorized for the direct reference they are requesting. AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM), along with resource-based policies, can be used to define and control access permissions.

What role does AWS Shield play in protection against common attacks?

AWS Shield is a managed Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection service that safeguards applications on AWS. AWS Shield provides automatic inline mitigations that minimize application downtime and latency, offering two levels of protection: AWS Shield Standard (for all AWS customers at no additional charge) and AWS Shield Advanced (providing enhanced protections). Shield Advanced also gives access to 24×7 support from the AWS DDoS Response Team (DRT).

Can you explain what an “account takeover” attack is and how AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) can prevent it?

An “account takeover” attack occurs when a user’s credentials are compromised, allowing an attacker to gain unauthorized access to an account and its associated resources and data. AWS IAM helps prevent account takeovers by recommending the use of strong, complex passwords and enabling MFA. Additionally, IAM allows for monitoring and logging of user activities with AWS CloudTrail, and the use of IAM roles instead of sharing credentials can further reduce the risk.