Internet attack on computer systems is pervasive. It can take from less than a minute to as much as eight hours for an unprotected machine connected to the Internet to be completely compromised. It is the information security architect's job to prevent attacks by securing computer systems. This book describes both the process and the practice of assessing a computer system's existing information security posture. Detailing the time-tested practices of experienced security architects, it explains how to deliver the right security at the right time in the implementation lifecycle. Securing Systems: Applied Security Architecture and Threat Models covers all types of systems, from the simplest applications to complex, enterprise-grade, hybrid cloud architectures. It describes the many factors and prerequisite information that can influence an assessment. The book covers the following key aspects of security analysis: When should the security architect begin the analysis? At what points can a security architect add the most value? What are the activities the architect must execute? How are these activities delivered? What is the set of knowledge domains applied to the analysis? What are the outputs? What are the tips and tricks that make security architecture risk assessment easier? To help you build skill in assessing architectures for security, the book presents six sample assessments. Each assessment examines a different type of system architecture and introduces at least one new pattern for security analysis. The goal is that after you've seen a sufficient diversity of architectures, you'll be able to understand varied architectures and can better see the attack surfaces and prescribe security solutions.

Any organization with valuable data has been or will be attacked, probably successfully, at some point and with some damage. And, don't all digitally connected organizations have at least some data that can be considered "valuable"? Cyber security is a big, messy, multivariate, multidimensional arena. A reasonable "defense-in-depth" requires many technologies; smart, highly skilled people; and deep and broad analysis, all of which must come together into some sort of functioning whole, which is often termed a security architecture. Secrets of a Cyber Security Architect is about security architecture in practice. Expert security architects have dozens of tricks of their trade in their kips. In this book, author Brook S. E. Schoenfield shares his tips and tricks, as well as myriad tried and true bits of wisdom that his colleagues have shared with him. Creating and implementing a cyber security architecture can be hard, complex, and certainly frustrating work. This book is written to ease this pain and show how to express security requirements in ways that make the requirements more palatable and, thus, get them accomplished. It also explains how to surmount individual, team, and organizational resistance. The book covers: What security architecture is and the areas of expertise a security architect needs in practice The relationship between attack methods and the art of building cyber defenses Why to use attacks and how to derive a set of mitigations and defenses Approaches, tricks, and manipulations proven successful for practicing security architecture Starting, maturing, and running effective security architecture programs Secrets of the trade for the practicing security architecture Tricks to surmount typical problems Filled with practical insight, Secrets of a Cyber Security Architect is the desk reference every security architect needs to thwart the constant threats and dangers confronting every digitally connected organization.

Any organization with valuable data has been or will be attacked, probably successfully, at some point and with some damage. And, don't all digitally connected organizations have at least some data that can be considered "valuable"? Cyber security is a big, messy, multivariate, multidimensional arena. A reasonable "defense-in-depth" requires many technologies; smart, highly skilled people; and deep and broad analysis, all of which must come together into some sort of functioning whole, which is often termed a security architecture. Secrets of a Cyber Security Architect is about security architecture in practice. Expert security architects have dozens of tricks of their trade in their kips. In this book, author Brook S. E. Schoenfield shares his tips and tricks, as well as myriad tried and true bits of wisdom that his colleagues have shared with him. Creating and implementing a cyber security architecture can be hard, complex, and certainly frustrating work. This book is written to ease this pain and show how to express security requirements in ways that make the requirements more palatable and, thus, get them accomplished. It also explains how to surmount individual, team, and organizational resistance. The book covers: What security architecture is and the areas of expertise a security architect needs in practice The relationship between attack methods and the art of building cyber defenses Why to use attacks and how to derive a set of mitigations and defenses Approaches, tricks, and manipulations proven successful for practicing security architecture Starting, maturing, and running effective security architecture programs Secrets of the trade for the practicing security architecture Tricks to surmount typical problems Filled with practical insight, Secrets of a Cyber Security Architect is the desk reference every security architect needs to thwart the constant threats and dangers confronting every digitally connected organization.

Internet attack on computer systems is pervasive. It can take from less than a minute to as much as eight hours for an unprotected machine connected to the Internet to be completely compromised. It is the information security architect's job to prevent attacks by securing computer systems. This book describes both the process and the practice of assessing a computer system's existing information security posture. Detailing the time-tested practices of experienced security architects, it explains how to deliver the right security at the right time in the implementation lifecycle. Securing Systems: Applied Security Architecture and Threat Models covers all types of systems, from the simplest applications to complex, enterprise-grade, hybrid cloud architectures. It describes the many factors and prerequisite information that can influence an assessment. The book covers the following key aspects of security analysis: When should the security architect begin the analysis? At what points can a security architect add the most value? What are the activities the architect must execute? How are these activities delivered? What is the set of knowledge domains applied to the analysis? What are the outputs? What are the tips and tricks that make security architecture risk assessment easier? To help you build skill in assessing architectures for security, the book presents six sample assessments. Each assessment examines a different type of system architecture and introduces at least one new pattern for security analysis. The goal is that after you've seen a sufficient diversity of architectures, you'll be able to understand varied architectures and can better see the attack surfaces and prescribe security solutions.