In this video, we explain preventive access control as covered on the Information Systems and Controls ISC CPA exam.
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Preventive controls are essential measures in cybersecurity aimed at stopping cyber threats before they happen. They focus on keeping attackers out of devices, applications, and networks. Here's an explanation and example for each type of preventive control mentioned:

Safeguarding Practices:

Explanation: These include both technological defenses and organizational policies aimed at creating barriers to unauthorized access or behavior. Practices like enforcing strong password policies, utilizing multifactor authentication, conducting background checks on employees, auto-locking unattended devices, and setting strict rules for handling sensitive data are common.
Example: A company mandates that all passwords must be at least 12 characters long, include symbols, and be changed every 60 days. Additionally, it uses software requiring a fingerprint scan for device access.
Education and Training:

Explanation: This involves informing and training employees about cybersecurity threats and the tools and practices in place to mitigate these risks. An educated workforce can act as a first line of defense against many types of cyber attacks.
Example: An organization conducts quarterly cybersecurity training sessions where employees learn to recognize phishing emails and are informed about the importance of secure browsing habits.
Regular Security Updates:

Explanation: Keeping software and systems updated is crucial to protect against the latest threats. Regular updates ensure that security defenses are current and effective.
Example: A retail company has an automated system in place that checks for and installs updates for all its payment processing systems overnight, ensuring minimal disruption to business operations.
Encryption:

Explanation: Encryption transforms data into a secure format that is unreadable without the correct decryption key. This ensures that data remains confidential, whether it's stored on a device (at rest) or being transmitted (in transit).
Example: A healthcare provider encrypts all patient records. Even if a hacker accesses the data, it would be unreadable and useless without the decryption keys.
Firewalls:

Explanation: Firewalls act as barriers between secure internal networks and untrusted external networks, monitoring and controlling incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.
Example: A small business uses a firewall to prevent unauthorized access to its internal network from the internet, only allowing employee access to specific web services needed for work.
Patches:

Explanation: Patches are updates released by software vendors to fix vulnerabilities that have been discovered in their products. Regularly applying patches is vital to protect against exploits targeting these vulnerabilities.
Example: After a major operating system vendor releases a security patch for a newly discovered vulnerability, an IT department promptly applies the patch to all company computers to prevent potential attacks.
Physical Barriers:

Explanation: These are tangible measures taken to prevent unauthorized physical access to sensitive areas, including locks, badge access systems, security personnel, and surveillance equipment.
Example: A data center employs biometric access controls, security guards, and 24/7 surveillance cameras around its perimeter to secure its infrastructure against unauthorized physical entry.
Device and Software Hardening:

Explanation: This process involves configuring hardware and software to eliminate as many security risks as possible. This includes disabling unnecessary services, applying the principle of least privilege, and using security-focused configurations.
Example: A server is configured to disable unused ports and services, only run essential applications, and use secure protocols for communication, reducing its attack surface.
Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS):

Explanation: An IPS monitors network and/or system activities for malicious exploits or anomalies. It can automatically block or prevent detected threats before they breach the system.
Example: A financial institution uses an IPS to continuously monitor its network for signs of intrusion attempts. Upon detecting an attempt, the IPS automatically blocks the traffic associated with that threat, preventing any unauthorized access.



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