Chapter 1
Security Architecture
Course: Comptia Securityx Cas 005
Subject: Comptia Securityx Cas 005 Practice Exam
Chapter: Security Engineering And Cryptography
Mandatory Access Control (MAC)
Mandatory Access Control is a security mechanism that enforces strict access rules based on policies set by the system administrator. Unlike discretionary access control (DAC), users cannot change permissions, making MAC ideal for environments requiring high security.
1. Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux) / Security-Enhanced Android (SEAndroid)
- Description: SELinux and SEAndroid are security modules implementing MAC in Linux and Android systems.
- Example: SELinux can enforce access rules for applications like Apache web server, ensuring it only accesses approved directories.
- Purpose: Prevent unauthorized access and mitigate vulnerabilities by controlling how processes interact with each other and with system resources.
2. Kernel vs. Middleware
- Kernel: The core component of the operating system where MAC policies are enforced.
Example: SELinux policies defined in the kernel restrict access at a fundamental level.
- Example: SELinux policies defined in the kernel restrict access at a fundamental level.
- Middleware: Software between the kernel and applications that enforces additional security rules.
Example: Middleware in Android validates permissions for installed apps.
- Example: Middleware in Android validates permissions for installed apps.
- Table: Comparison of Kernel vs. Middleware in Security Context