Study the scenario and complete the questions that follow:

TECH CORPORATION

You are a senior software engineer working for a multinational technology corporation that specializes in developing cutting$-$edge software solutions for various industries, including finance, healthcare, and government sectors$.$ Recently, your company has been targeted by a sophisticated cybercriminal syndicate aiming to exploit vulnerabilities in your software products for financial gain. This syndicate is notorious for employing advanced attack techniques and has successfully infiltrated several high$-$profile organizations in the past. As a result, your company's cybersecurity team has issued a red alert, warning all software engineers to be vigilant and proactive in safeguarding the company's systems and data.

The attack vectors employed by the cybercriminal syndicate are diverse and constantly evolving, ranging from traditional methods like phishing and malware attacks to more sophisticated techniques such as zero$-$day exploits and supply chain attacks. Moreover, they have the resources and expertise to exploit vulnerabilities across multiple layers of your software stack, including web applications, mobile apps, APIs, and backend infrastructure.

As a senior software engineer, you are tasked with leading a team to assess and fortify the security posture of your company's flagship product, a cloud$-$based platform used by thousands of enterprise customers worldwide. Your team must identify and differentiate between common security attack vectors, develop robust countermeasures, and implement best practices to mitigate the risk of potential breaches. Failure to adequately address these security concerns could not only result in significant financial losses and reputational damage for your company but also jeopardize the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive customer data.

$1\mathrm{.}1$ How would you differentiate between traditional attack techniques like phishing and malware attacks and more advanced tactics such as zero$-$day exploits and supply chain attacks?

In your discussion Elaborate What are the key indicators that software engineers should look out for to detect and mitigate these threats effectively.

$(10$ Marks$)$

$1\mathrm{.}2$ Given the complexity and interconnectedness of your company's software stack, how would you prioritize security measures across different layers of the system, including web applications, mobile apps, APIs, and backend infrastructure?

Note In your discussion Elaborate on What strategies would you employ to ensure comprehensive coverage and minimize the risk of overlooking critical vulnerabilities.

$(10$ Marks$)$