CP70044E Security Operations and Assurance, Written Assignment

Project Summary

This assignment aims to enhance your expertise in security operations and assurance by conducting a thorough analysis of vulnerabilities within "SOA Enterprises, Inc.," a small business. Through this project, you will address the following learning objectives:

1. Vulnerability Assessment (LO1 and LO2):

-> Conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the security vulnerabilities present within SOA Enterprises, Inc.
-> Identify and analyse potential risks to the organization’s operations.

2. Security Incident Response Practices (LO3):

-> Critically assess the current incident response practices employed by SOA Enterprises, Inc.
-> Develop and propose effective incident response strategies tailored to the identified vulnerabilities.

3. Penetration Testing Skills Development (LO4):

-> Enhance practical skills in penetration testing by utilizing tools such as Nmap and OpenVAS.
-> Perform host discovery, port scanning, and vulnerability probing to simulate real-world security threats.

4. Legal, Social, Ethical, Professional, and Environmental Considerations (LO5):

-> Investigate and discuss the legal, social, ethical, and professional implications of security practices in the context of SOA Enterprises, Inc.
-> Address environmental concerns related to security, confidentiality, and privacy throughout the project.

Learning outcomes

1) Demonstrate knowledge of security operations and assurance

2) Critically analyse vulnerabilities of systems and organisations

3) Critically understand security incident response practices

4) Demonstrate skills in pen testing

5) Demonstrate understanding of the legal, social, ethical, professional and environmental issues related to security, confidentiality and privacy

Task

This assignment aims to develop practical skills in penetration testing and vulnerability assessment through the examination of multiple virtual machines (VMs) in a controlled environment. By analysing specific vulnerabilities and employing industry-standard tools, students will gain hands-on experience while adhering to legal and ethical standards.

1 Task Overview

Network Setup: You will work within a virtual network environment consisting of four machines:
1. Metasploitable - A vulnerable Linux distribution for penetration testing.
2. Windows 10 - A virtual machine running a deliberately insecure web application (e.g., WebGoat, Mutillidae, or Bodgelt Store).
3. Kali Linux - A penetration testing distribution equipped with various security tools.
4. Target VM - An additional VM of your choice, configured to present specific security vulnerabilities (e.g., a vulnerable web server or outdated software).

2 Task Breakdown

2.1 Task 1: Network Preparation: At SOA Enterprises, Inc., your responsibilities include:

A. Investigate the following vulnerable VMs:
• Metasploitable
• Windows 10 with an insecure web application
• One additional target VM of your choice

B. Utilise a Kali Linux VM for penetration testing.
Important: Conduct all penetration testing activities with written authorization from SOA Enterprises, Inc.

2.2 Task 2: Host Discovery and Port Scanning
To successfully complete this task, perform the following actions:

A. Nmap Scanning:
I. Use Nmap to scan the IP addresses of the Metasploitable, Windows 10, and your additional target VM (see Table1).
-> Conduct port scanning on all devices (e.g., Table 2).
-> Identify active services running on each machine.

Table 1. Example for Device Information.

Table 2. Example for your summary.

B. Vulnerability Assessment:

I. Use OpenVAS to analyse the Metasploitable VM and your additional target VM.
-> List all vulnerabilities found, categorised by severity (high, medium, low).
->Choose one vulnerability rated as MEDIUM or HIGH, and in your own words, describe: 

a) What the vulnerability is, 
b) How it could be exploited,
c) Recommendations for remediation.

II. Utilise a vulnerability scanning tool (e.g., Nessus or a similar tool) to analyse the Windows 10 VM.
-> List all vulnerabilities found, categorized by severity (high, medium, low).
->Choose one vulnerability rated as MEDIUM or HIGH, and in your own words, describe: 

a) What the vulnerability is, 
b) How it could be exploited, 
c) Recommendations for remediation.

III. Extra Feature.

-> Choose an extra feature based on your choice to demonstrate innovation
and novelty in your project.
-> This could include implementing an additional security measure, testing with a different vulnerability scanning tool, or simulating a new type of attack.

3 Report Structure

Your final report should follow this structure:

Section 1: Introduction / Purpose of Penetration Test
• Define penetration testing and its significance.
• Describe the scenario involving SOA Enterprises, Inc.

Section 2: Executive Summary of Results
• Summarise key findings from your penetration tests on all VMs (including all screenshots related to your test)

Section 3: Analysis of Scanning Results
• Discuss how the identified vulnerabilities operate (external research may be necessary).
• Recommend mitigation strategies for SOA Enterprises, Inc. to address these vulnerabilities.

Section 4: Conclusion
• Reflect on the findings and their implications for SOA Enterprises, Inc. Section 5: References
• Cite all sources used in your research and analysis