Practical Connection Assignment: Access Automation

            Learning the Access Control Course has been exciting and insightful, extensively bolstering my professional skills. Lessons on the authentication mechanisms, specifically single-factor authentication (SFA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA), have enhanced my potential as a cybersecurity analyst at my workplace. I have enriched my understanding and capabilities in executing a two-factor authentication (2FA). As a result, I was able to influence the transition of the cybersecurity department from relying on the SFA, where employees would log in to the organization’s web resources using only a username and password to a 2FA. In fact, the shift to online working in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic made it easier to contextualize the certainty of the 2FA. I realized that passwords and usernames were inadequate and susceptible to security breaches by invaders as employees could log in, spend hours online, and log out without the cybersecurity team verifying their identity. The introduction of 2FA enabled the department to easily identify employees online, effectively bolstering the security of the systems.

            I was also intrigued to learn about the implementation of different access controls, including discretionary access control (DAC) and mandatory access controls (MAC). These insights enriched my approach to managing data access requests to improve the security of web resources. In fact, my workplace has provided a platform to undertake penetration testing, security testing, and formulation of scripts to test the system’s effectiveness in controlling access to data by unauthorized persons. For instance, the advanced understanding of the data access control protocols such as DAC helped me constructively contribute during the remediation of security assessment issues through timely identification and communication of threat scenarios occurring due to access vulnerabilities.

            In addition, I gleaned sufficient knowledge on role-based access control (RBAC) by delving into the types and examples of access data control aspects such as role hierarchies, constrained user interfaces, and restricted interfaces. These skills were particularly critical when working with integrated directory-enabled applications at the organization. The capabilities of the aforementioned access control aspects were more practical because of the unique characteristics of the interfaces and hierarchies. I am confident that the implementation of Kerberos will make it even easier delivering services in a secure environment.

            Lessons on the operationalization of internetwork trust architectures were another area of the course that got me excited. I realized that the different trust capabilities such as One-Way Trust and Two-Way Trust could help me manage security on virtual networks and technologies. The knowledge means a lot to me in expending innovative virtualization solutions in Microsoft cloud spaces, where security means everything to organizations opting to buy their services. Besides, the insights gained on this topic also add to my growing knowledge in managing security over shared networks.

            In conclusion, the Access Control Course has been the epitome of my academic and professional development. Topics such as authentication mechanism, types of access controls, and internetwork security architecture were not only evident at my workplace but also pointed out their inevitability. I am optimistic that these lessons will remain etched in my mind for progressive professionalism. 

Outline

Practical Connection Assignment: Access Automation

1. Lessons on the authentication mechanisms, specifically single factor authentication (SFA) and multi-factor authentication (MFA), have enhanced potential as a cybersecurity analyst at my workplace.
2. I was also intrigued to learn about the implementation of different access controls, including discretionary access control (DAC) and mandatory access controls (MAC).
3. In addition, I gleaned sufficient knowledge on the role-based access control (RBAC) by delving on the types and examples of access data control aspects such as role hierarchies, constrained user interface, and restricted interfaces
4. Lessons on operationalization of internetwork trust architectures was another area of the course that got me excited.
5. In conclusion, the Access Control Course has been at the epitome of my academic and professional development.