CSIA 310: Cybersecurity Processes & Technologies
Lab Activity #1: Investigate Restore & Recover Tools for System Integrity
Purpose: Assess and Document Tools to Restore and Recover System Integrity for Windows 10
Workstations.
1. Assess and document selected uses of the Windows 10 Control Panel tool during the
incident response process.
2. Assess and document selected uses of the Windows 10 Windows Settings tool during the
incident response process.
Overview:
Recent contracts with the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security have imposed
additional security requirements upon Sifers-Grayson and its lab operations. The company is now
required to comply with NIST Special Publication 800-171 Protecting Controlled Unclassified Information
in Nonfederal Information Systems and Organizations. The company must also comply with provisions of
the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARS) including section 252-204-7012 Safeguarding
Covered Defense Information and Cyber Incident Reporting. These requirements are designed to ensure
that sensitive technical information, provided by the federal government and stored on computer
systems in the Sifers-Grayson R&D DevOps lab, is protected from unauthorized disclosure. This technical
information includes software designs and source code for unmanned vehicles for which Sifers-Grayson
is providing software support and maintenance. The contract requirements also mandate that SifersGrayson report cyber incidents to the federal government in a timely manner. As part of the reporting
requirements, Sifers-Grayson must provide documentation about its Incident Response Processes and
Procedures. The documentation that you will prepare for this lab will become part of the required
Incident Response documentation.
For this lab activity, you will assess and document tools that can be used in the preparation
phase of the Incident Response Process (as defined in NIST SP 800-61r2). During this phase, incident
responders create “images of clean OS and application installations for restoration and recovery
purposes" (Cichonski, Millar, Grance, & Scarfone, 2012, p. 23). These tools are also used during the
containment, eradication, and recovery phase to limit workstation access to resources (containment
strategies), return workstations to known-good states (eradicate threats and restore system integrity),
and restore system availability (recovery). Vendor documentation for Windows 10 (Microsoft, 2017a;
Microsoft, 2017b; Microsoft 2017c) provides information about how to use the required features, tools,
and utilities (see “Repair & Recovery” and “Windows Update FAQ”). During an incident, however,
responders may not have time to search the vendor website and/or the Internet for information about
tools and tool usage procedures. For this reason, customized incident response procedures are required
to ensure that response is timely and that all incident responders have the information needed to
execute their tasks.
Copyright ©2018 by University of Maryland University College. All Rights Reserved.
CSIA 310: Cybersecurity Processes & Technologies
References
Cichonski, P., Millar, T., Grance, T., & Scarfone, K. (2012). Computer security incident handling guide
(NIST SP 800-62 rev. 2). http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-61r2
Microsoft. (2017a). Recovery options in Windows 10. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/enus/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options
Microsoft. (2017b). Windows 10 help. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/enus/products/windows?os=windows-10
Microsoft. (2017c). Windows Update FAQ. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/enus/help/12373/windows-update-faq
Your Task:
Prepare draft incident response guidance to be included in the Sifers-Grayson Incident
Responder’s Handbook. Your draft guidance will explain the use of Windows 10 operating system
features (utilities) and describe how each could be used as part of an incident response process. The
guidance documents to be completed under this task are:
(a) Creating, Using, and Removing System Restore Points and System Image Backups
(b) Managing Installation, Removal, and Updating of Programs, Applications, and Operating
System Features for Windows 10
Readings
Cichonski, P., Millar, T., Grance, T., & Scarfone, K. (2012). Computer security incident handling
guide (NIST SP 800-62 rev. 2). http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-61r2
Microsoft. (2017a). Recovery options in Windows 10. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/enus/help/12415/windows-10-recovery-options
Microsoft. (2017b). Windows 10 help. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/enus/products/windows?os=windows-10
Microsoft. (2017c). Windows Update FAQ. Retrieved from https://support.microsoft.com/enus/help/12373/windows-update-faq
Copyright ©2018 by University of Maryland University College. All Rights Reserved.
CSIA 310: Cybersecurity Processes & Technologies
Instructions
Part (a): Creating, Using, Removing System Restore Points for Windows 10
1. Identify appropriate sources of information and instructions for using the Windows 10
Control Panel and System Restore tool. Using those sources, research the procedures
required to perform the following tasks:
a. Create a system restore point for a Windows 10 system
b. Use a specific system restore point to roll-back changes made to a Windows 10
system
c. Delete system restore points from a Windows 10 system
2. Identify how the System Restore tool could be used during the incident response and
recovery process (it may be useful in more than one phase). Typical uses include:
a. Prepare a known-good backup for operating system files and data structures (e.g.
the system registry and the information stored within it)
b. Remove unauthorized configuration changes
c. Restore the system to full operating status after an attack or suspected attack
d. Remove failed software installations and/or unwanted changes to the operating
system, applications software, and/or files.
3. Write a guidance document that identifies the tool, explains the capabilities it provides, and
then lists and briefly describes the recommended uses identified under item #2. Add a list of
resources that can be consulted for additional information. Next, summarize the procedures
required to perform the tasks listed under item #1 (do not provide step-by-step
instructions). Close your guidance document with a Notes / Warnings / Restrictions section
that answers the question “Is there anything else the incident responder needs to be aware
of when using this tool?”
Part (b): Using Windows Features to Manage Installation, Removal, and Updating of Programs,
Applications, and Operating System Features for Windows 10
1. Identify appropriate sources of information and instructions for using Programs and
Features (accessed via Control Panel) and Update and Security (accessed via Windows
Settings). Using those sources, research the procedures required to perform the following
tasks:
a. Turn Windows 10 Features On or Off
b. Modify, Repair, or Uninstall a program or application from a Windows 10 system
c. Control Installation of Updates for Windows 10
d. Control Installation of Updates for Windows 10 Applications
2. Identify and research how the Programs and Features and Update and Security tools could
be used during the incident response and recovery process. Typical uses include:
Copyright ©2018 by University of Maryland University College. All Rights Reserved.
CSIA 310: Cybersecurity Processes & Technologies
a.
b.
c.
d.
Turn off undesired Windows features, e.g. location services or remote access
Turn off features to implement a containment strategy
Remove unauthorized programs
Remove unwanted changes to operating system utilities or features, applications
software, and/or patches / updates
e. Manually apply updates (“patches”) for installed programs
3. Write a guidance document that identifies the tool, explains the capabilities it provides, and
then lists and briefly describes the recommended uses identified under item #2. Add a list of
resources that can be consulted for additional information. Next, summarize the procedures
required to perform the tasks listed under item #1 (do not provide step-by-step
instructions). Close your guidance document with a Notes / Warnings / Restrictions section
that answers the question “Is there anything else the incident responder needs to be aware
of when using this tool?”
Finalize Your Deliverable
1. Using the grading rubric as a guide, refine your incident response guidance. Your final
products should be suitable for inclusion in the Sifers-Grayson Incident Responder’s
Handbook. Remember that you are preparing multiple guidance documents, which must be
presented separately.
2. As appropriate, cite your sources using footnotes or another appropriate citation style.
3. Use the resources section to provide information about recommended readings and any
sources that you cite. Use a standard bibliographic format (you may wish to use APA since
this is required in other CSIA courses). Information about sources and recommended
readings, including in-text citations, should be formatted consistently and professionally.
4. Each file should start with a title page which lists the following information:
• Lab Title and Number
• Date
• Your Name
5. The CSIA 310 Template for Lab Deliverable.docx file is set up to provide the required title
page and two incident response guidance templates. Use the first template for your
“System Restore Points” guidance. Use the second template for your “Managing Programs
and Features” guidance.
Copyright ©2018 by University of Maryland University College. All Rights Reserved.
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