Simplify It or Justify It?

About this interactive

Complexity is the enemy of security. A more complex system is harder to see into, has more places to attack, gives people more chances to make a mistake or miss one, is harder to test and harder to manage. KISS, keep it simple, is the reminder. It is a guideline, not an absolute. Some requirements are worth the complexity they bring, and availability is the lesson's example: a second router and a mesh of links keep two sites talking when one link fails. That adds connections to manage and secure, and it is still the right design, because availability is part of security too. So the question for any design is: what requirement does this complexity serve? If the answer is availability, or another security principle such as segmentation, keep it and secure it. If the answer is habit, history or a sale price, simplify it.

What you'll learn

Judge whether the complexity in a design is complexity a requirement justifies, such as redundant links or servers for availability, or complexity with no requirement behind it that should be simplified
Name the cost complexity brings to security: less visibility, a larger attack surface, more chances for human error and oversight, harder testing and harder management

Aligned to

CompTIA Security+

3.1 Compare and contrast security implications of different architecture models.

3.2 Given a scenario, apply security principles to secure enterprise infrastructure.

Key terms

Complexity: The state of having many interrelated components or features in a system, which increases attack surface, reduces visibility, and raises the potential for human error and security oversight.
KISS: An acronym for 'Keep It Simple, Stupid'; a security guideline that discourages unnecessary complexity in system and network design.
Attack Surface: The total set of points in a system where an unauthorized user can attempt to enter or extract data.
Availability: The assurance that systems and data are accessible and operational when needed by authorized users.
Redundancy: The duplication of critical components or systems to increase reliability and availability.

Topics

Complexity Kiss Availability Redundancy Interactive Categorize

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