ISC 2 Credentials CISSP ISC Study Notes

An attacker is most likely to target programs that write to system resources to gain privileged access to a system. System resources are the hardware and software components that are essential for the operation and functionality of a system, such as the CPU, memory, disk, network, operating system, drivers, libraries, etc. Programs that write to system resources may have higher privileges or permissions than programs that write to user directories or log files. An attacker may exploit vulnerabilities or flaws in these programs to execute malicious code, escalate privileges, or bypass security controls. Programs that write to user directories or log files are less likely to be targeted by an attacker, as they may have lower privileges or permissions, and may not contain sensitive information or system calls. User directories are the folders or locations where users store their personal files or data. Log files are the records of events or activities that occur in a system or application. 

A practice that permits the owner of a data object to grant other users access to that object would usually provide Discretionary Access Control (DAC). DAC is a type of access control that allows the data owner or creator to decide who can access or modify the data object, based on their identity or membership in a group. DAC is implemented using access control lists (ACLs), which specify the permissions or rights of each user or group for each data object. DAC is flexible and easy to implement, but it can also pose a security risk if the data owner grants excessive or inappropriate access to unauthorized or malicious users. Mandatory Access Control (MAC), owner-administered control, and owner-dependent access control are not types of access control that permit the owner of a data object to grant other users access to that object, as they are either based on predefined rules or policies, or not related to access control at all. References: : CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide, Eighth Edition, Chapter 6, page 354.

 The Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) is implemented in the system software. The system software is the software that controls and manages the basic operations and functions of the computer system, such as the operating system, the device drivers, the firmware, and the BIOS. The HAL is a component of the system software that provides a common interface between the hardware and the software layers of the system. The HAL abstracts the details and differences of the hardware devices and components, and allows the software to interact with the hardware in a consistent and uniform way. The HAL also enables the system to support multiple hardware platforms and configurations without requiring changes in the software5 . References: 5: What is Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL)? : Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) - GeeksforGeeks

The main reason that system re-certification and re-accreditation are needed is to verify that the security protection of the system remains acceptable to the organizational security policy, especially after significant changes or updates to the system. Re-certification is the process of reviewing and testing the security controls of the system to ensure that they are still effective and compliant with the security policy. Re-accreditation is the process of authorizing the system to operate based on the results of the re-certification. The other options are not the main reason for system re-certification and re-accreditation, as they either do not relate to the security protection of the system (A and D), or do not involve re-certification and re-accreditation (B). References: CISSP All-in-One Exam Guide, Eighth Edition, Chapter 10, page 633; Official (ISC)2 CISSP CBK Reference, Fifth Edition, Chapter 10, page 695.