Comp 101: Introduction to Computing - Security and Privacy (PDF)

Comp 101: Introduction to Computing Security and Privacy 1 ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology Overview This chapter covers: – Security concerns stemmin...

Comp 101: Introduction to Computing Security and Privacy 1 ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology Overview This chapter covers: – Security concerns stemming from the use of computers, networks, and the Internet in our society – Safeguards and precautions that can be taken to reduce the risk of problems related to these security concerns – Possible risks to personal privacy and precautions that can be taken to safeguard one’s privacy – Legislation related to network and Internet security ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 2 Why Computer Security And Privacy? Computer crime (cybercrime) includes any illegal act involving a computer – A multibillion-dollar business often performed by criminals Information privacy refers to the rights of individuals and companies to control how information about them is collected and used – The privacy of Web site activities and e-mail messages – Security breaches on systems that contain personal information All computer users should be aware of security concerns and the precautions that can be taken ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 3 Hardware Loss and Damage Hardware loss occurs when a personal computer, USB flash drive, smartphone, or other piece of hardware is stolen, damaged, or lost by the owner – Both security and privacy concern Hardware theft refers to hardware stolen from an individual or from a business, school, or other organization – Theft for the information contained on computers Risk identity theft and other fraudulent activities – Theft for the hardware itself Damage can occur from power fluctuations, heat, dust, static electricity, water, and abuse ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 4 System Failure and Other Disasters System failure is the complete malfunction of a computer system – Can occur because of a hardware problem, a software problem, or computer sabotage – Because of a natural disaster or a terrorist attack – Can also lose data due to malfunctioning hardware, accidentally deleting a file, etc. ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 5 Preventing Hardware Loss ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 6 Encryption and Self-Encrypting Hard Drives Encryption temporarily makes data unreadable to protect that data from unauthorized individuals Full disk encryption (FDE) automatically encrypts everything stored on a drive – A hard drive that uses FDE referred to as a self-encrypting hard drive A password, biometric feature, or PIN number provides access ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 7 Device Tracking Software and Antitheft Tools Device tracking software – Designed to locate lost or stolen hardware – Location typically determined by GPS or Wi-Fi – Some display a message on the screen – Some remotely lock the device – Some have a kill switch that causes the device to self-destruct ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 8 Proper Hardware Care Protective cases protect portable devices from minor abuse Ruggedized devices withstand much more physical abuse than a conventional computing device – Semirugged to ultrarugged Surge suppressors protect hardware from damage due to electrical fluctuations Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) contains a built-in battery that provides continuous power to connected components when the electricity goes out Unless ruggedized, protect devices against dust, heat, static, moisture, and jostling ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 9 Examples of Ruggedized Devices ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 10 Trend Kill Switches Software that enables owners to render stolen devices inoperable The Android Device Manager – Displays the current location of a device – Can ring the device, lock it, display a message on the lock screen, or erase it Some kill switches can actually The Android Device Manager. destroy the device ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 11 Backups and Disaster Recovery Plans Businesses should backup at least per day all new data on a regular basis Continuous data protection (CDP) backs up data in real time as it changes A disaster recovery plan (business continuity plan) indicates how an organization will recover from a disruptive event – Hot sites and cold sites provide alternate location – Cloud data recovery services provide copies of data – An emergency mail system provider acts as a temporary mail server ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 12 Unauthorized Access and Unauthorized Use Unauthorized access – Gaining access to a computer, network, file, or other resource without permission Unauthorized use – Using a computer resource for unapproved activities Both can be committed by insiders and outsiders Codes of conduct or acceptable use policies – Used to specify rules for behavior, typically by a business or school ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 13 Hacking Hacking involves using a computer to break into another computer system – A serious threat for individuals, businesses, and national security, e.g., cyberterrorism Computers controlling power grids, banks, defense systems, and other vital systems – Often performed via wireless networks today Wireless networks widely used and easier to hack Many wireless networks are left unsecured ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 14 War Driving & Wi-Fi Piggybacking War driving – Driving around an area to find a Wi-Fi network to access and use without authorization Wi-Fi piggybacking – Accessing an unsecured Wi- Fi network from the hacker’s current location without authorization Wi-Fi finders can be used to find free and fee-based hotspots ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 15 Interception of Communications Unsecured messages, files, logon information, etc., can be intercepted as it is being sent over the Internet – Unencrypted messages, files, logon information, etc. being sent over a public hotspot or unsecured Wi-Fi network – Data located on smartphone being intercepted via Bluetooth – Credit and debit card information intercepted during the card verification process Packet-sniffing software at payment terminals ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 16 Protecting Against Unauthorized Access and Unauthorized Use Access control systems control access to facilities, computer networks, company databases, and Web site accounts – Identification systems Verify that the person trying to access the facility or system is an authorized user – Authentication systems Determine if the person is who he or she claims to be – In businesses, a comprehensive identity management (IDM) system manages users’ access ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 17 Possessed Knowledge Access Systems Possessed knowledge access systems use information that only the authorized user should know – Passwords - the most common type of possessed knowledge Secret words or character combinations associated with an individual Typically used in conjunction with a username – Passwords should be strong and changed frequently – Biggest disadvantage: Any individual possessing the proper password will be granted access ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 18 Strategies for Creating Strong Passwords ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 19 Possessed Object Access Systems Possessed object access systems use a physical object an individual has in his/her possession to identify that individual – Objects are swiped through or placed close to a reader Smart cards, RFID-encoded badges, USB security keys, smartphones – Disadvantage: Anyone using object is granted access ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 20 Biometric Access Systems Biometric access systems identifies users by a particular unique biological characteristic – Fingerprint, hand, face, iris, voice, etc. – Performs both identification and authentication – Data read by biometric reader must match what is stored in a database – Very high accuracy and biometric characteristic cannot be lost – Disadvantages: More expensive and the data cannot be reset if compromised ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 21 Examples of Biometric Access Systems ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 22 Two-Factor Authentication Two-factor authentication uses two different methods to authenticate users – More secure because hackers are less likely to have both factors – Often a username and password in conjunction with a possessed object or biometric characteristic Sometimes the possessed object generates a one-time password (OTP) that must be used to log on – Use is growing – An option for some Web sites (banking, social media, etc.) ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 23 Facebook Two-Factor Authentication ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 24 Controlling Access to Wireless Networks Important to secure wireless networks to protect against unauthorized access – Implement WPA or WPA2 security Network key is then required for access – Can hide network name (SSID) to prevent war driving or Wi-Fi piggybacking Authorized users will need to supply the SSID to access the network ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 25 Example of Accessing a Wi-Fi Network ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 26 Firewalls Firewalls are a collection of hardware and/or software intended to protect a computer or computer network from unauthorized access – Typically two-way: Check all incoming (from the Internet) and outgoing (to the Internet) traffic – Important for home computers that have a direct Internet connection, as well as for businesses – Work by closing down external communications ports Intrusion prevention system (IPS) software monitors traffic to detect and block possible attacks ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 27 Example of a Personal Firewall ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 28 Encryption Encryption makes data unreadable to unauthorized individuals – Used with secure Wi-Fi networks and VPNs to secure data that is transferred over those networks – Secure Web pages use encryption in order to protect information transmitted via that Web page Transport Layer Security (TLS) (Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) – Self-encrypting hard drives automatically encrypt all content stored on those drives – Can be used with stored files as well as files sent over the Internet ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 29 Types of Encryption Private key encryption (symmetric key encryption) – Uses a single key – Most often used to encrypt files on a computer – If used to send files to others, the recipient and sender must agree on the private key to be used Public key encryption (asymmetric key encryption) – Uses two keys (a private key and a public key) to encrypt and decrypt documents Public key encrypts file Private key decrypts file – Key pairs are obtained through a Certificate Authority There are various strengths of encryption available ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 30 Example of Public Key Encryption ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 31 Computer Sabotage Computer sabotage refers to acts of malicious destruction to a computer or computer resource – Launching a malicious program – Altering the content of a Web site – Changing data or programs located on a computer A botnet is a group of bots (computers controlled by a hacker) that are controlled by one individual and work together in a coordinated fashion – Used by botherders (criminals) to send spam, launch Internet attacks, and spread malware ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 32 Malware Malware is any type of malicious software – Written to perform destructive acts (damaging programs, deleting files, erasing drives, etc.) Can take place immediately after infection or at a later time – Logic bomb: Triggered when a certain condition is met – Time bomb: Triggered by a particular date or time – Writing malware is considered unethical; distributing is illegal – Is very costly to businesses ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 33 Computer Viruses and Computer Worms A computer virus is a software program installed without the user’s knowledge and designed to alter the way a computer operates or to cause harm to the computer system – Often embedded in downloaded programs and e-mail messages (games, videos, music files) – Spread when the infected file reaches a new device A computer worm is a malicious program designed to spread rapidly by sending copies of itself to other computers via a network – Typically sent as an e-mail attachment ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 34 How a Computer Virus Might Spread ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 35 Trojan Horses and Mobile Malware A Trojan horse is a malicious program that masquerades as something else, usually an application program – Rogue anti-malware apps (scareware) – Ransomware – Spread via downloaded files, e-mail attachments, etc. Mobile malware infects smartphones, tablets, etc. – Primary goal is to obtain mobile banking credentials ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 36 Denial of Service (DoS) Attacks Denial of service (DoS) attacks are acts of sabotage that attempt to flood a network server or Web server with so much activity that it cannot function – Server either shuts down or can no longer handle requests – Legitimate users are denied service – Distributed DoS (DDoS) attacks are carried out via multiple computers Often botnets – Costly in terms of lost business and the time and expense to bring the server back online ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 37 Denial of Service (DoS) Attack ©2023 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 38 Online Theft, Online Fraud, and Other Dot Cons Dot con is a fraud or scam carried out through the Internet Data theft or information theft – Stealing an actual computer or mobile device and then accessing the data on that device – Hacking into a device and stealing data or intercepting data as it is being transmitted – Common types include customer data (Web site passwords, credit card information, etc.) and proprietary corporate information ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 39 Identity Theft Identity theft involves using someone else’s identity to purchase goods or services, obtain new credit cards or bank loans, or illegally masquerade as that individual – Information can be obtained: Online via hacking, spyware, etc. Via offline documents gathered via trash dumpsters, mailboxes, etc. Via skimming devices Via social engineering and social media – Expensive and time consuming to recover from ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 40 Inside the Industry Skimming and EMV Skimming is stealing identifying information from a credit or debit card Often occurs at ATM machines that have been compromised EMV cards are embedded with a chip that encrypts personal data EMV cards protect against skimming so that it cannot be easily stolen and fraudulent transactions. – Card is inserted into payment terminal – Generates a unique transaction code every time the card is used ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 41 Phishing and Spear Phishing Phishing is the use of spoofed communications to gain credit card numbers and other personal data – Often via e-mail; typically looks legitimate but links go to a spoofed Web site – Information obtained is used in identity theft or fraud – Can occur via spyware, text messages, social media messages, etc. – Typosquatting: Setting up spoofed Web sites with URLs slightly different from legitimate sites Spear phishing – A personalized phishing scheme targeted to specific individuals ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 42 Social Media Hacking and Pharming Social media hacking is the act of accessing someone else’s social media account to post comments or send messages as that individual – Often used with phishing Pharming is the use of spoofed domain names to obtain personal information – DNS servers are hacked to route requests for legitimate Web pages to spoofed Web pages (DNS poisoning) Can be root DNS servers or a company DNS server – Pharmers can capture logon information, etc. ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 43 Online Auction Fraud and Other Internet Scams Online auction fraud occurs when an item purchased through an online auction is never delivered or the item is not as specified – Illegal, but as with other types of online fraud, prosecution is difficult Other Internet scams: – Loan and pyramid scams – Work-at-home cons – Nigerian letter fraud schemes – Online romance scams – Fake job site postings ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 44  Any Questions? ©2024 Mphago B. Botswana International University of Science and Technology 45