1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,930 In this lesson 2 00:00:00,930 --> 00:00:03,030 we'll explore the different technical implementations 3 00:00:03,030 --> 00:00:04,260 of changes. 4 00:00:04,260 --> 00:00:05,670 Now, when considering any change 5 00:00:05,670 --> 00:00:07,740 in a technologically advanced environment 6 00:00:07,740 --> 00:00:09,720 it is important to recognize the vast network 7 00:00:09,720 --> 00:00:11,100 of systems, applications 8 00:00:11,100 --> 00:00:12,900 and configurations that are interwoven 9 00:00:12,900 --> 00:00:14,190 into a delicate balance 10 00:00:14,190 --> 00:00:16,290 to create a given enterprise environment. 11 00:00:16,290 --> 00:00:18,900 Now, a single alteration, however small it may seem 12 00:00:18,900 --> 00:00:20,640 can actually send dangerous ripples out 13 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:23,310 across this intricate network of interconnected systems 14 00:00:23,310 --> 00:00:25,890 which can then lead to unforeseen consequences. 15 00:00:25,890 --> 00:00:27,300 So in this lesson 16 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:29,220 we're going to be exploring the technical implications 17 00:00:29,220 --> 00:00:31,260 of changes, including some key elements 18 00:00:31,260 --> 00:00:34,230 like the use of allow and deny lists, restricted activities 19 00:00:34,230 --> 00:00:35,370 and the complex interplay 20 00:00:35,370 --> 00:00:37,740 of applications and their dependencies. 21 00:00:37,740 --> 00:00:40,110 First, we have allow and deny list. 22 00:00:40,110 --> 00:00:42,300 Now allow lists and deny lists are going to be used 23 00:00:42,300 --> 00:00:43,620 by routers and firewalls to 24 00:00:43,620 --> 00:00:46,890 either allow or deny certain resources from being accessed. 25 00:00:46,890 --> 00:00:49,200 An allow list is going to specify which entities 26 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:51,540 are permitted to access a given resource. 27 00:00:51,540 --> 00:00:54,180 On the other hand, a deny list or a block list 28 00:00:54,180 --> 00:00:56,400 will be able to tell which entities are prevented 29 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:58,500 from accessing a given resource. 30 00:00:58,500 --> 00:01:00,960 Now, anytime a change is proposed, it's important to review 31 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:03,570 both the allow list and the deny list to determine 32 00:01:03,570 --> 00:01:05,850 if you need to have them modified as well. 33 00:01:05,850 --> 00:01:07,140 If you perform a simple action 34 00:01:07,140 --> 00:01:09,600 like adding or removing an IP address, for example 35 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:11,100 this can actually inadvertently grant 36 00:01:11,100 --> 00:01:13,710 or restrict access to certain critical services. 37 00:01:13,710 --> 00:01:15,480 If you're upgrading a firewall, it's also 38 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,910 important to conduct a firewall rules review to ensure 39 00:01:17,910 --> 00:01:19,020 that your existing rules will work 40 00:01:19,020 --> 00:01:21,360 on your new firewall and that they'll properly migrate 41 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:22,950 into the new device as well. 42 00:01:22,950 --> 00:01:24,480 If you do not have the proper allow list 43 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:26,910 or block list in place, then your system may not 44 00:01:26,910 --> 00:01:30,120 function properly and your security will be compromised. 45 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,460 Second, we have restricted activities. 46 00:01:32,460 --> 00:01:34,650 Now, some tasks or operations might be listed 47 00:01:34,650 --> 00:01:36,720 as restricted due to their potential impact 48 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:38,970 on a system's health or security. 49 00:01:38,970 --> 00:01:41,430 Before green-lighting a proposed change it's required 50 00:01:41,430 --> 00:01:43,710 that you verify if the proposed changes could have 51 00:01:43,710 --> 00:01:46,020 any restricted activities contained within them. 52 00:01:46,020 --> 00:01:46,890 For example, 53 00:01:46,890 --> 00:01:49,200 a change might involve accessing a protected database 54 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:50,340 or shutting down a server 55 00:01:50,340 --> 00:01:51,960 that is considered too sensitive to reboot 56 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,110 or to take offline during regular business operations. 57 00:01:55,110 --> 00:01:56,880 By knowing these restrictions ahead of time 58 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:58,080 you could prevent data breaches 59 00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,150 and operational hiccups from occurring. 60 00:02:00,150 --> 00:02:01,980 Third, we have downtime. 61 00:02:01,980 --> 00:02:04,680 Any proposed change, no matter how small does run the risk 62 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:06,660 of causing downtime to your systems. 63 00:02:06,660 --> 00:02:07,890 Therefore, it's important 64 00:02:07,890 --> 00:02:10,289 that you take the time to estimate the potential downtime 65 00:02:10,289 --> 00:02:11,520 and weigh its negative effects 66 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,280 against the potential benefits of the proposed change. 67 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:15,810 Will the downtime cause any issues 68 00:02:15,810 --> 00:02:17,970 for your end users during peak business hours? 69 00:02:17,970 --> 00:02:20,100 How will it impact your users or customers? 70 00:02:20,100 --> 00:02:21,900 It's important that you understand the impacts 71 00:02:21,900 --> 00:02:24,810 of any downtime, and that way the change can be scheduled 72 00:02:24,810 --> 00:02:26,370 during a scheduled maintenance window 73 00:02:26,370 --> 00:02:27,870 to minimize the negative impacts 74 00:02:27,870 --> 00:02:30,720 of the changes related downtime if there is any. 75 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:34,080 Fourth, we have service restarts and application restarts. 76 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:35,430 Now, many of our proposed changes 77 00:02:35,430 --> 00:02:36,600 like installing a critical piece 78 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,580 of security software will require 79 00:02:38,580 --> 00:02:41,070 that services or applications are being restarted 80 00:02:41,070 --> 00:02:42,870 for that change to be applied. 81 00:02:42,870 --> 00:02:44,520 Now, while this might seem pretty straightforward 82 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:46,380 when you're installing a security patch or other piece 83 00:02:46,380 --> 00:02:48,750 of software in your home computer, a simple restart 84 00:02:48,750 --> 00:02:51,090 like these can especially be disruptive when 85 00:02:51,090 --> 00:02:52,650 they're being applied to a domain controller 86 00:02:52,650 --> 00:02:54,870 or other server that is actively being used 87 00:02:54,870 --> 00:02:56,550 by all of your end users. 88 00:02:56,550 --> 00:02:57,930 Remember, it's not just 89 00:02:57,930 --> 00:02:59,880 about the time it takes for the service to be restarted 90 00:02:59,880 --> 00:03:01,290 and to come back online. 91 00:03:01,290 --> 00:03:03,300 It's also about the potential data that might be lost 92 00:03:03,300 --> 00:03:05,970 in transit, or the backlog that could be created 93 00:03:05,970 --> 00:03:07,530 during the associated downtime 94 00:03:07,530 --> 00:03:09,300 while you're implementing a given change. 95 00:03:09,300 --> 00:03:11,310 So you have to keep this in mind too. 96 00:03:11,310 --> 00:03:14,310 Fifth, we have legacy applications that we need to consider. 97 00:03:14,310 --> 00:03:17,040 Now, legacy applications are older pieces of software 98 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,410 or systems that continue to be used often 99 00:03:19,410 --> 00:03:21,210 because they still function and meet the needs 100 00:03:21,210 --> 00:03:23,430 of their users, even though newer technology 101 00:03:23,430 --> 00:03:25,830 or updated versions may be available. 102 00:03:25,830 --> 00:03:28,200 Now, these legacy applications may still be robust 103 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,480 and reliable, but they're particularly sensitive 104 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:32,527 to changes because they're generally less supported 105 00:03:32,527 --> 00:03:34,710 than our modern applications. 106 00:03:34,710 --> 00:03:37,230 These legacy applications might not be as flexible 107 00:03:37,230 --> 00:03:39,360 or adaptable as their modern counterparts. 108 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,790 So even a minor update in one part of the system 109 00:03:41,790 --> 00:03:43,440 could lead to malfunctions or crashes 110 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:45,060 of these older applications. 111 00:03:45,060 --> 00:03:45,930 For these reasons 112 00:03:45,930 --> 00:03:47,520 it's important to understand which legacy 113 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,310 applications may be existing inside of your environment 114 00:03:50,310 --> 00:03:53,460 and how they might be affected by a given proposed change. 115 00:03:53,460 --> 00:03:55,470 Sixth, we have dependencies. 116 00:03:55,470 --> 00:03:57,150 Now in today's interconnected systems 117 00:03:57,150 --> 00:03:58,380 everything is linked together 118 00:03:58,380 --> 00:04:00,240 which creates these dependencies. 119 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,130 For example, an application might rely 120 00:04:02,130 --> 00:04:04,500 on a specific database to provide the underlying data 121 00:04:04,500 --> 00:04:06,000 for a particular service. 122 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,030 A change in one area, therefore might have cascading effects 123 00:04:09,030 --> 00:04:10,980 throughout all of your systems, your networks 124 00:04:10,980 --> 00:04:13,590 and even across your partner's architecture too. 125 00:04:13,590 --> 00:04:15,750 Before implementing any proposed changes 126 00:04:15,750 --> 00:04:18,209 you should map out any of your dependencies that exist. 127 00:04:18,209 --> 00:04:19,529 Otherwise, a minor tweak 128 00:04:19,529 --> 00:04:21,570 in one area could lead to a major outage 129 00:04:21,570 --> 00:04:24,150 in another area without you even realizing it. 130 00:04:24,150 --> 00:04:26,190 So remember, the technical implications 131 00:04:26,190 --> 00:04:28,800 of a change are multifaceted and they're interwoven 132 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:30,810 throughout all of our systems and networks. 133 00:04:30,810 --> 00:04:33,360 Technical implications of proposed changes are not simply 134 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:35,130 about understanding the change itself 135 00:04:35,130 --> 00:04:37,800 but also involves grasping the change's potential impact 136 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,560 on a broader scale across your enterprise network. 137 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:41,850 By taking into account elements 138 00:04:41,850 --> 00:04:43,260 like allow and deny list, 139 00:04:43,260 --> 00:04:44,730 the nuances of downtime 140 00:04:44,730 --> 00:04:47,160 and the intricacies of application dependencies, 141 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,530 cybersecurity professionals like you can ensure 142 00:04:49,530 --> 00:04:51,390 that the changes are not just effective 143 00:04:51,390 --> 00:04:53,970 but they're also efficient at minimizing disruptions 144 00:04:53,970 --> 00:04:56,223 and maximizing your potential benefits.