Security Awareness Chapter 3 Internet Security

Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition2 Objectives After completing this chapter, you should be able to do the following: Explain how the World Wide Web and work List the different types of Internet attacks Explain the defenses used to repel Internet attacks

How the Internet Works Internet –Worldwide set of interconnected computers, servers, and networks –Not owned or regulated by any organization or government entity –Computers loosely cooperate to make the Internet a global information resource Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition3

The World Wide Web World Wide Web (WWW) –Better known as the Web –Internet server computers that provide online information in a specific format Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) –Allows Web authors to combine text, graphic images, audio, video, and hyperlinks Web browser –Displays the words, pictures, and other elements on a user’s screen Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition4

The World Wide Web (cont’d.) Figure 3-1 How a browser displays HTML code Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition5 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

The World Wide Web (cont’d.) Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) –Standards or protocols used by Web servers to distribute HTML documents –Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Port number –Identifies the program or service that is being requested –Port 80 Standard port for HTTP transmissions Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition6

The World Wide Web (cont’d.) Transfer-and-store process –Entire document is transferred and then stored on the local computer before the browser displays it –Creates opportunities for sending different types of malicious code to the user’s computer Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition7

The World Wide Web (cont’d.) Figure 3-2 HTML document sent to browser Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition8 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

Number of messages sent each day to be over 210 billion –More than 2 million every second Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) –Handles outgoing mail Post Office Protocol (POP or POP3) –Responsible for incoming mail Example of how works Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition9

(cont’d.) Figure 3-3 transport Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition10 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

(cont’d.) IMAP (Internet Mail Access Protocol, or IMAP4) –More advanced mail protocol attachments –Documents that are connected to an message –Encoded in a special format –Sent as a single transmission along with the message itself Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition11

Internet Attacks Variety of different attacks –Downloaded browser code –Privacy attacks –Attacks initiated while surfing to Web sites –Attacks through Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition12

Downloaded Browser Code JavaScript –Scripting language Similar to a computer programming language that is typically ‘‘interpreted’’ into a language the computer can understand –Embedded in HTML document –Executed by browser –Defense mechanisms are intended to prevent JavaScript programs from causing serious harm –Can capture and send user information without the user’s knowledge or authorization Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition13

Downloaded Browser Code (cont’d.) Figure 3-4 JavaScript Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition14 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

Downloaded Browser Code (cont’d.) Java –complete programming language Java applet –Can perform interactive animations, immediate calculations, or other simple tasks very quickly –Sandbox –Unsigned or signed Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition15

Downloaded Browser Code (cont’d.) Figure 3-5 Java applet Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition16 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

Downloaded Browser Code (cont’d.) ActiveX –Set of rules for how applications under the Windows operating system should share information –Do not run in a sandbox –Microsoft developed a registration system poses a number of security concerns –Not all ActiveX programs run in browser Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition17

Privacy Attacks Cookies –User-specific information file created by server –Stored on local computer –First-party cookie –Third-party cookie –Cannot contain a virus or steal personal information stored on a hard drive –Can pose a privacy risk Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition18

Privacy Attacks (cont’d.) Adware –Software that delivers advertising content –Unexpected and unwanted by the user –Can be a privacy risk Tracking function Popup –Small Web browser window –Appears over the Web site that is being viewed Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition19

Attacks while Surfing Attacks on users can occur while pointing the browser to a site or just viewing a site Redirecting Web traffic –Mistake when typing Web address –Attackers can exploit a misaddressed Web name by registering the names of similar-sounding Web sites Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition20

Attacks while Surfing (cont’d.) Table 3-1 Typical errors in entering Web addresses Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition21 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

Attacks while Surfing (cont’d.) Drive-by downloads –Can be initiated by simply visiting a Web site –Spreading at an alarming pace –Attackers identify well-known Web site –Inject malicious content –Zero-pixel IFrame Virtually invisible to the naked eye Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition22

Attacks Spam –Unsolicited –90 percent of all s sent can be defined as spam –Lucrative business Spam filters –Look for specific words and block the Image spam –Uses graphical images of text in order to circumvent text-based filters Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition23

Attacks (cont’d.) Other techniques to circumvent spam filters –GIF layering –Word splitting –Geometric variance Malicious attachments – -distributed viruses –Replicate by sending themselves in an message to all of the contacts in an address book Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition24

Attacks (cont’d.) Embedded hyperlinks –Clicking on the link will open the Web browser and take the user to a specific Web site –Trick users to be directed to the attacker’s “look alike” Web site Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition25

Figure 3-12 Embedded hyperlink Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition26 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

Internet Defenses Several types –Security application programs –Configuring browser settings –Using general good practices Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition27

Defenses Through Applications Popup blocker –Separate program or a feature incorporated within a browser –Users can select the level of blocking Spam filter –Can be implemented on the user’s local computer and at corporate or Internet Service Provider level Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition28

Defenses Through Applications (cont’d.) Spam filter (cont’d.) – client spam blocking features Level of spam protection Blocked senders (blacklist) Allowed senders (whitelist) Blocked top level domain list –Bayesian filtering User divides messages into spam or not-spam Assigns each word a probability of being spam –Corporate spam filter Works with the receiving server Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition29

Defenses Through Applications (cont’d.) Figure 3-16 Spam filter on SMTP server Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition30 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

Defenses Through Applications (cont’d.) security settings –Configured through the client application Read messages using a reading pane Block external content Preview attachments Use an postmark Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition31

Defenses Through Browser Settings Browsers allow the user to customize security and privacy settings IE Web browser defense categories: –Advanced security settings Do not save encrypted pages to disk Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed Warn if changing between secure and not secure mode Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition32

Defenses Through Browser Settings (cont’d.) IE Web browser defense categories (cont’d.): –Security zones Set customized security for these zones Assign specific Web sites to a zone –Restricting cookies Use privacy levels in IE Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition33

Defenses Through Browser Settings (cont’d.) Table 3-3 IE Web security zones Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition34 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

Defenses Through Good Practices Use common-sense procedures to protect against harmful Never click an embedded hyperlink in an Be aware that is a common method for infecting computers Never automatically open an unexpected attachment Use reading panes and preview attachments Never answer an request for personal information Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition35

Internet Defense Summary Table 3-4 Internet defense summary Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition36 Course Technology/Cengage Learning

Summary Internet composition –Web servers –Web browsers Internet technologies –HTML –JavaScript –Java –ActiveX Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition37

Summary (cont’d.) Privacy risk –Cookies –Adware Security risk –Mistyped Web address –Drive-by downloads security –Spam –Attachments Security applications Security Awareness, 3 rd Edition38