Consider Diagram 7.1 From Your Textbook: Answer The F 926888

Consider Diagram 7 1 From Your Textbook Answer The Following Question

Consider diagram 7-1 from your textbook. Answer the following questions: The diagram is in the 215th page of the textbook, which is attached below. Do presentation layers add an attack surface to the enterprise? How about an e-commerce presence? The supply chain will interact with an entire business ecosystem of many other organizations. Interactions will probably include both people and automated flows. Are these third parties to be trusted at the same level as the internal systems, such as content management or data analysis?

Paper For Above instruction

The diagram referenced from the textbook, specifically Diagram 7-1 on page 215, provides a useful visual representation of an enterprise’s architecture, illustrating the various layers and the interactions within a business ecosystem. Analyzing this diagram allows us to understand the potential security implications, particularly regarding the attack surface introduced by different components, including presentation layers, ecommerce platforms, and third-party interactions.

Presentation Layers and Their Attack Surface

The presentation layer serves as the interface between end-users and the underlying business logic and data systems. It encompasses web portals, mobile apps, and other customer-facing interfaces. This layer inherently introduces an attack surface because it is accessible externally and often exposed to a wide range of potential threats such as cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, session hijacking, and credential stuffing (Choo et al., 2017). Since attackers often target the presentation layer to gain initial access, organizations must implement robust security measures such as input validation, secure session management, and regular vulnerability assessments.

Furthermore, the presentation layer's exposure to the internet makes it a frequent target for automated attacks like Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), which can disrupt business operations. Securing this layer becomes increasingly critical when managing sensitive customer data or conducting financial transactions. As such, the presentation layer indeed adds a significant attack surface to the enterprise that must be proactively protected to prevent breaches and maintain trust.

E-Commerce Presence and Security Risks

The e-commerce segment of the enterprise extends the presentation layer by enabling online transactions, which inherently involve sensitive payment information and personal data. Consequently, e-commerce platforms are high-value targets for cybercriminals, especially because they often process financial information and personal identifiers (Kshetri, 2018). The attack surface in e-commerce is amplified by vulnerabilities such as payment processing flaws, insecure APIs, weak authentication mechanisms, and third-party plugin vulnerabilities.

Securing an e-commerce presence requires adherence to regulations like PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) and the implementation of security measures like encryption, two-factor authentication, and intrusion detection systems. Despite these protections, the attack surface remains sizable, making it critical for organizations to continuously monitor and update their security protocols.

Interactions with Business Ecosystem and Third Parties

The supply chain and broader business ecosystem involve multiple external organizations, including suppliers, logistic providers, payment processors, and other third parties. These entities often interact with the internal systems through automated flows or human interfaces. The question arises whether these third parties should be trusted at the same level as internal systems such as content management or data analysis.

Trusting third parties at the same level as internal systems presents significant security risks. Third-party systems often have varying security standards and may lack the comprehensive protections maintained internally. As a result, organizations should adopt a zero-trust approach, treating external interactions with suspicion and implementing strict access controls, monitoring, and validation (Lindner et al., 2018). This differential trust model ensures that even when integrating with third parties, organizations do not inadvertently expose critical internal assets to vulnerabilities originating from less secure external entities.

Conclusion

In summary, the presentation layer and e-commerce platforms significantly expand an enterprise’s attack surface and require rigorous security practices to mitigate risks. Additionally, while third parties are integral to a modern business ecosystem, they should not be implicitly trusted at the same level as core internal systems. Instead, organizations must establish controlled and monitored interactions, applying a layered security approach to protect sensitive data and maintain operational integrity.

References

Choo, K.-K. R., Dousin, A., & Gibson, P. (2017). Preventing cyber attacks against web applications: A review of current approaches. Journal of Information Security and Applications, 35, 144-154.

Kshetri, N. (2018). 1 The emerging role of big data in key development issues: Opportunities, challenges, and concerns. Big Data & Society, 5(2), 2053951718797744.

Lindner, R., Gupta, P., & Taylor, D. (2018). Implementing a Zero Trust Security Framework. Harvard Business Review.

References from the textbook and “Diagram 7-1” should be reviewed directly for contextual understanding, but they are not included here due to access limitations.