Computer and Information Security Chapter 1 Introduction Slides by H. Johnson & S. Malladi- Modified by SJF-S'06
Overview Security Goals The need for security OSI Security Architecture Attacks, services and mechanisms Security attacks Security services Methods of Defense A model for Internetwork Security Internet standards and RFCs
Security Goals Confidentiality Integrity Avalaibility
Security Goals Confidentiality Integrity Availability Concealment of information or resources Integrity Trustworthiness of data or resources Availability Ability to use information or resources
Confidentiality Need for keeping information secret arises from use of computers in sensitive fields such as government and industry Access mechanisms, such as cryptography, support confidentiality Example: encrypting income tax return
Integrity Often requires preventing unauthorized changes Includes data integrity (content) and origin integrity ( source of data also called authentication) Include prevention mechanisms and detection mechanisms Example: Newspaper prints info leaked from White House and gives wrong source Includes both correctness and trustworthiness
Availability Is an aspect of reliability and system design Attempts to block availability, called denial of service attacks are difficult to detect Example: bank with two servers –one is blocked, the other provides false information
The Need for Security Computer Security - the collection of tools designed to protect data and to thwart hackers Network security or internet security- security measures needed to protect data during their transmission
Security Motivation: Why do we need security? Increased reliance on Information technology with or with out the use of networks The use of IT has changed our lives drastically. We depend on E-mail, Internet banking, and several other governmental activities that use IT Increased use of E-Commerce and the World wide web on the Internet as a vast repository of various kinds of information (immigration databases, flight tickets, stock markets etc.)
Security Concerns Damage to any IT-based system or activity can result in severe disruption of services and losses Systems connected by networks are more prone to attacks and also suffer more as a result of the attacks than stand-alone systems (Reasons?) Concerns such as the following are common How do I know the party I am talking on the network is really the one I want to talk? How can I be assured that no one else is listening and learning the data that I send over a network Can I ever stay relaxed that no hacker can enter my network and play havoc?
Concerns continued… Is the web site I am downloading information from a legitimate one, or a fake? How do I ensure that the person I just did a financial transaction denies having done it tomorrow or at a later time? I want to buy some thing online, but I don’t want to let them charge my credit card before they deliver the product to me
That is why… ..we need security To safeguard the confidentiality, integrity, authenticity and availability of data transmitted over insecure networks Internet is not the only insecure network in this world Many internal networks in organizations are prone to insider attacks In fact, insider attacks are greater both in terms of likelihood of happening and damage caused
https:// (V.Shmatikov)
However, in reality Security is often over looked (not one of the top criteria) Availability, efficiency and performance tend to be the ones Buggy implementations Systems too complex in nature and rich in features can be filled with security holes Incorporation of security into networks, not growing with the rapidly growing number and size of networks Attacking is becoming so common and easy – there are books clearly explaining how to launch them Security and attacks are a perpetual cat-and-mouse play. The only way to avoid attacks is to keep up-to-date with latest trends and stay ahead of malicious netizens
The Good News... There a lot of techniques for defense Educating people on security solves many problems About threats and on the existence of security mechanisms, qualified personnel, usability and economics We will study a lot of network defenses Certainly not all
OSI Security Architecture ITU-T Recommendation X.800 Security Architecture for OSI International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is a United Nations sponsored agency that develops standards relating to telecommunications and to Open system Interconnection (OSI)
OSI Network Stack and Attacks (V. Shmatikov) Sendmail, FTP, NFS bugs, chosen-protocol and version-rollback attacks SYN flooding, RIP attacks, sequence number prediction IP smurfing and other address spoofing attacks RPC worms, portmapper exploits WEP attacks email,Web,NFS application presentation RPC session TCP transport IP network 802.11 data link physical Only as secure as the single weakest layer…
7 Layer Model Layer Functions 7 Application How application uses network 6 Presentation How to represent & display data 5 Session How to establish communication 4 Transport How to provide reliable delivery (error checking, sequencing, etc.) 3 Network How addresses are assigned and packets are forwarded 2 Data Link How to organize data into frames & transmit 1 Physical How to transmit “bits”
Attacks, Services and Mechanisms Security Attack: Any action that compromises the security of information. Security Mechanism: A mechanism that is designed to detect, prevent, or recover from a security attack. Security Service: A service that enhances the security of data processing systems and information transfers. A security service makes use of one or more security mechanisms
Security Attacks
Security Attacks Interruption: This is an attack on availability Disrupting traffic Physically breaking communication line Interception: This is an attack on confidentiality Overhearing, eavesdropping over a communication line
Security Attacks (continued) Modification: This is an attack on integrity Corrupting transmitted data or tampering with it before it reaches its destination Fabrication: This is an attack on authenticity Faking data as if it were created by a legitimate and authentic party
Threats and Attacks Threat - a potential for violation of security or a possible danger that might exploit a vulnerability Attack - an assault on system security- an intelligent act that is a deliberate attempt to evade security services and violate the security policy of a system.
Threats Disclosure – unauthorized access to information Deception – acceptance of false data Disruption- interruption or prevention of correct operation Usurpation- unauthorized control of some part of a system
Examples of Threats Snooping intercepting information (“passive” wiretapping) Modification or alteration of information by “active” wiretapping Masquerading or spoofing Repudiation of origin Delay or denial of service
Safeguards and Vulnerabilities A Safeguard is a countermeasure to protect against a threat A weakness in a safeguard is called a vulnerability
Passive and active attacks Passive attacks No modification of content or fabrication Eavesdropping to learn contents or other information (transfer patterns, traffic flows etc.) Active attacks Modification of content and/or participation in communication to Impersonate legitimate parties Modify the content in transit Launch denial of service attacks
Passive Attacks
Passive Attacks
Active Attacks
Active Attacks
Two types of threats Information access threats Service threats Intercept or modify data on behalf of users who should not have access to that data. E.g. corruption of data by injecting malicious code Service threats Exploit service flaws in computers to inhibit use by legitimate uses. E.g. disabling authentication
Fundamental threats [McGibney04] Information leakage Disclosure to unauthorized parties Prince Charles mobile phone calls, 1993 Integrity violation Corruption of data or loss of data Coca-Cola website defaced with slogans, 1997 Denial of service Unavailability of system/service/network Yahoo!, 2000, 1Gbps Illegitimate use Morris Internet worm spread to 5% of machines on the Internet, 1988
Services and Mechanisms A security policy is a statement of what is and what is not allowed. A security service is a measure to address a threat E.g. authenticate individuals to prevent unauthorized access A security mechanism is a means to provide a service E.g. encryption, cryptographic protocols
Security Services A security service is a service provided by the protocol layer of a communicating system (X.800) 5 Categories Authentication Access Control Data confidentiality Data Integrity Nonrepudiation (and Availability)
Security Services Authentication (who created or sent the data) Access control (prevent misuse of resources) Confidentiality (privacy) Integrity (has not been altered) Non-repudiation (the order is final) Availability (permanence, non-erasure) Denial of Service Attacks Virus that deletes files
Security Services Examples Authentication Ensuring the proper identification of entities and origins of data before communication Access control Preventing unauthorized access to system resources Data confidentiality Preventing disclosure to unauthorized parties Data integrity Preventing corruption of data Non-repudiation Collecting proof to prevent denial of participation in transaction or communication Availability Protection against denial-of-service
Security Mechanisms Examples Two types Specific mechanisms existing to provide certain security services E.g. encryption used for authentication Pervasive mechanisms which are general mechanisms incorporated into the system and not specific to a service E.g. security audit trail
Model for Network Security Basic tasks Design an algorithm that opponent cannot defeat Generate the secret information to be used with the algorithm Develop methods for distributing secret information Specify a protocol to be used May need a trusted third part to assist
Methods of Defense Encryption Software Controls Hardware Controls (access limitations in a data base, in operating system protect each user from other users) Hardware Controls (smartcard) Policies (frequent changes of passwords) Physical Controls
Internet standards and RFCs The Internet society Internet Architecture Board (IAB) Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) Internet Engineering Steering Group (IESG)
Internet RFC Publication Process
Recommended Reading Pfleeger, C. Security in Computing. Prentice Hall, 1997. Mel, H.X. Baker, D. Cryptography Decrypted. Addison Wesley, 2001. Rita Summers, Secure Computing: Threats and Safe Guards, McGrawHill. Peter Ryan and Steve Schneider, Modeling and analysis of security protocols, Addison Wesley. V. Shmatikov, Network security and privacy, University of Texas, Austin, TX. Jimmy McGibney, IT Security 2004/2005, WIT.