Exam CISSP topic 1 question 177 discussion

cissp ninth edititon, Page 315-316

A failsecure system will default to a secure state in the event of a failure, blocking all access. A fail-open system will fail in an open state, granting all access. The choice is dependent on whether security or availability is more important after a failure.

aka Fail-Secure

The failure method that would BEST prioritize security in the event of failure is: B. Fail-Closed A "fail-closed" approach means that in the event of a failure, such as a firewall malfunction or outage, the default behavior is to block all traffic or deny access. This prioritizes security by ensuring that, in the absence of normal operation, the firewall will still enforce a security posture that restricts access and protects the network from potential threats.

he best failure method to prioritize security in the event of failure is B: "Fail-Closed". This means that in the event of a firewall failure, the firewall will deny all network traffic by default, ensuring that no unauthorized traffic is allowed through. This ensures that even if the firewall fails, the network is protected from potentially harmful traffic. Method A, Failover, is a process of automatically switching to a backup system in the event of a failure. While failover can be an effective way to ensure business continuity and minimize downtime, it may not necessarily prioritize security in the event of a firewall failure. Failover can be useful to ensure that network traffic continues to flow, but it does not necessarily guarantee that the traffic is secure. In some cases, the failover system may not be as secure as the primary system, which could result in unauthorized traffic being allowed through the firewall. Therefore, Fail-Closed is considered the best method to prioritize security in the event of a firewall failure as it ensures that no unauthorized traffic is allowed through, even if the firewall fails.

Fail-safe means that a device will not endanger lives or property when it fails. Fail-secure, also called fail-closed, means that access or data will not fall into the wrong hands in a security failure.

Different systems use different terminology, so pay attention to context. When a system affects human safety, “fail-safe” means protecting people at the expense of other assets. When it only affects data, “fail-safe” means protecting confidentiality and integrity at the expense of availability.

The fail-secure (fail-closed) failure state puts the system into a high level of security (and possibly even disables it entirely) until an administrator can diagnose the problem and restore the system to normal operation. The fail-open (fail-safe) state allows users to bypass failed security controls, erring on the side of permissiveness.

Fail Closed - common in situations where security concerns override the need for access. https://blogs.keysight.com/blogs/tech/nwvs.entry.html/2020/05/20/fail_closed_failop-ZYAt.html