Which of the following is a detection control?

A detection control is a type of security control designed to discover and alert on security events or incidents either as they occur or after they have occurred. A smoke sensor perfectly fits this definition; it does not prevent a fire but detects the presence of smoke (an indicator of fire) and triggers an alarm to initiate a response. Its primary function is to identify that an undesirable event is happening.

B. Turnstiles are a preventive physical control designed to stop unauthorized individuals from entering a secure area before access is granted.

C. Firewalls are a preventive technical control that enforces a security policy by blocking unauthorized network traffic, thus preventing potential intrusions.

D. Bollards are a preventive physical control used to block vehicle access, thereby stopping a potential ramming attack or unauthorized entry before it happens.

1. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (n.d.). Glossary: Detective Control. Computer Security Resource Center. Retrieved from https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/detectivecontrol. The definition states

"A security control that is used to discover events that have occurred."

2. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). (n.d.). Glossary: Preventive Control. Computer Security Resource Center. Retrieved from https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/preventivecontrol. The definition states

"A security control that is used to stop events from occurring." This applies to firewalls

turnstiles

and bollards.

3. Pfleeger

C. P.

Pfleeger

S. L.

& Margulies

J. (2015). Security in Computing (5th ed.). Prentice Hall. Chapter 8

Section 8.3

"Types of Controls

" discusses how controls can be physical

procedural

or technical and are classified by their function (e.g.

preventive

detective

corrective). Detective controls

such as sensors and alarms

are noted for their role in reporting that an undesirable event has occurred.