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Guide to Fail-Safe Defaults

What is it?: The principle of Fail-Safe Defaults pertains to access control mechanisms in secure systems design. It primarily refers to the security measure wherein the default condition is denial of access, meaning, the system defaults to 'no access' when it is unable to determine the user's security clearance.

Importance: Implementing a model of Fail-Safe Defaults can prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining access to sensitive information by default when an error or uncertainty in security clearance arises. It limits the potential damage caused by misconfigurations or system failures.

How it works: In practice, a system implementing fail-safe defaults is set to deny all requests for access, unless permission for that specific user and specific request is granted explicitly. If the system can't validate the permission, it fails to a safe state by denying access.

Exam Tips: For exam questions on this topic, remember that you should always assume the worst-case scenario, which is system failure or inability to determine access rights. When the system fails, it must always default to a secure, 'access denied' state. Also, look for options where accessibility is clearly secured until permissions are notably confirmed. Be prepared for hypothetical situations presenting different potential system and user scenarios that test your understanding of this 'default-deny' principle.

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Fail-Safe Defaults practice test

Fail-safe defaults refer to the practice of designing a system to operate securely by default, ensuring that if a failure or error occurs, the system reverts to a secure state. This means that permissions and access controls are set to the most restrictive settings by default, requiring explicit authorization for any deviations. Restrictive settings prevent unauthorized access, protect sensitive data, and maintain system integrity. By designing a system with fail-safe defaults, security is implemented at the core of the system, rather than added on as an afterthought, making it more difficult for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities.

Time: 5 minutes   Questions: 5

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  • 2083 Superior-grade CompTIA Security+ practice questions.
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