ECCouncil Updated ICS-SCADA Exam Questions and Answers by macie

Within IPsec, the SPI (Security Parameter Index) is a critical component that uniquely identifies a Security Association (SA) for the IPsec session. The SPI is used in the IPsec headers to help the receiving party determine which SA has been agreed upon for processing the incoming packets. This identification is crucial for the proper operation and management of security policies applied to the encrypted data flows.References:

RFC 4301, "Security Architecture for the Internet Protocol," which discusses the structure and use of the SPI in IPsec communications.

Stuxnet is a highly sophisticated piece of malware discovered in 2010 that specifically targeted Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems used to control and monitor industrial processes.

The primary targets of Stuxnet were Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), which are critical components in industrial control systems.

Stuxnet was designed to infect Siemens Step7 software PLCs. It altered the operation of the PLCs to cause physical damage to the connected hardware, famously used against Iran's uranium enrichment facility, where it caused the fast-spinning centrifuges to tear themselves apart.

References

Langner, R. "Stuxnet: Dissecting a Cyberwarfare Weapon." IEEE Security & Privacy, May-June 2011.

"W32.Stuxnet Dossier," Symantec Corporation, Version 1.4, February 2011.

A masquerade attack involves an attacker pretending to be an authorized user of a system, thus compromising the authentication component of the IT security model. Authentication ensures that the individuals accessing the system are who they claim to be. By masquerading as a legitimate user, an attacker can bypass this security measure and gain unauthorized access to the system.References:

William Stallings, "Security in Computing".

The term "Dropper" in cybersecurity refers to a small piece of software used in malware deployment that is designed to install or "drop" malware (like viruses, ransomware, spyware) onto the target system.

The Dropper itself is not typically malicious in behavior; however, it is used as a vehicle to install malware that will perform malicious activities without detection.

During the infection process, the Dropper is usually the first executable that runs on a system. It then unpacks or downloads additional malicious components onto the system.

References

Common Malware Enumeration (CME): http://cme.mitre.org

Microsoft Malware Protection Center:https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/wdsi