Discuss the many ways in which access can be abused.

Access can be abused in several ways, often exploiting weaknesses in implementation or human factors:

• Unauthorized Privilege Escalation: A user gains access rights beyond their authorized level. This might occur by exploiting a software vulnerability, such as a buffer overflow, allowing a standard user to execute commands with administrative privileges.
• Misuse by Legitimate Users (Insider Threat): Individuals with authorized access utilize their credentials or permissions for purposes outside their legitimate job functions. This can include unauthorized data exfiltration, sabotage, or using company resources for personal gain. Joseph Migga Kizza discusses this in the context of access control principles in Guide to Computer Network Security, Chapter 7.
• Stolen or Compromised Credentials: Attackers acquire valid user credentials through methods such as phishing, keylogging, or brute-force attacks. Once stolen, these credentials are used to impersonate legitimate users and gain unauthorized access to systems and data.
• Exploiting Software Vulnerabilities: Flaws in operating systems, applications, or network services can be leveraged to bypass or subvert existing access controls. Examples include SQL injection flaws that allow unauthorized database access, or unpatched vulnerabilities that enable remote code execution.
• Social Engineering: Attackers manipulate authorized individuals through psychological means to trick them into revealing sensitive information or performing actions that inadvertently grant unauthorized access. This can involve impersonating a superior or IT support to obtain a password.
• Covert Channels: These are hidden communication paths that allow information to flow in a manner that violates system security policies. For instance, an authorized user might encode sensitive data within the timing of legitimate network requests, effectively exfiltrating information without detection.