Fundamentals of

Computer Security

Geetika Sharma
Fall 2008

Outline
Fundamentals

of Computer Security
Security Threats and Protection Methods
Security Models and Mechanisms
Security Issues in Distributed systems
Latest Techniques

Agent Based Approach

Grid Specific Host Based Intrusion Detection
System

Fundamentals of Computer
Security[1]

Computer Systems

Can be represented by:

Subjects

Objects

Active entities that access objects

Passive entities that must be protected
Examples: data, hardware, software and communication links

Access Control Policy

Describes how objects are accessed by subjects
Flow Control Policy
Regulates the information flow between objects and
subjects

Security Threats[1]

Interruption (availability)
Loss

of data and denial of service

Interception
Related

to secrecy

Modification and Fabrication are violations of

system integrity

Threats from Web/Network[4]

Client Side

What can the server do to the client?

Fool it

Server Side

What can the client do to the server?

Install or run unauthorized software, inspect/alter files

Bring it down (denial of service)

Gain access (break-in)

Network

Is anyone listening? (Sniffing)

Is the information genuine? Are the parties genuine?

Security Mechanisms[1]

Authentication
Verification
Authorization
Extending permission
Fault Tolerance
Sustaining faults
Encryption
Prevents exposure of information and maintains
privacy
Auditing
Passive form of protection

Security Models[1]

Discretionary

Provides separation of users and data

E.g. access control matrix

Mandatory

Requires access control of all subjects and orders

under its control on a system wide basis
E.g. multilevel security, all subjects and objects in
the system are assigned a sensitivity label. The
labels are used as the basis for mandatory access
control decisions.

Security Issues in Distributed

Systems[1]
Interoperability

and Transparency

Gives rise to security issues

Approaches

to Implementing New Services

Add an additional layer of software that runs on top of

the existing system to provide the new services
Redesign the system so that the new services can be
executed more efficiently in the kernel mode

Security Issues in Distributed

Systems[1]

Client/Server Security
A client initiates an access to an object through the
kernel
Kernel authenticates the client and then invokes the
object server
Implemented via Interprocess Communication at
transport layer
Supported by secure host-to-host communications at the
network layer and node to node communication at the
link layer
Secure distributed system consists of communicating
security servers using trusted gateway.

Security Issues in Distributed

Systems[1]
Client processes
request

response
Other OS Servers
response
Authentication
Server

Authorization
Server

Other Security
Servers
request

Trusted Secure Kernel

Client/Server Distributed Security Architecture

Latest Techniques

Majority of information security incidents is

perpetrated by insiders i.e. internal computer users
constitute the largest threat to the computer
systems security[2].
Traditional methods (such as identification and
authentication, access restriction, etc.) do not solve
this problem
Drawbacks; among them are

low ability of internal malicious users detection,

inability to process large amounts of information,
low productivity

Agent Approach for Security in

Distributed Systems[2]
Intelligent Security System for Computers users
activity monitoring
Online and off-line monitoring allowing to detect
anomalies and irregularities in user behavior.
On-line monitoring is carried in real time, and is
used to predict user actions (use neural networks)
Off-line monitoring is done after the user has
ended his work, and is based on the analysis of
statistical information obtained during user's work.

Agent Approach for Security in

Distributed Systems[2]
Win
98

On-line User
Agent

On-line User
Agent

Free
BSD

Dbase
Off-line User
Agent

Win
2000

On-line User
Agent

Controller
Agent

On-line User
Agent

Linux

System Architecture for Agent Based Security in Distributed systems

GHIDS: Defending Computational Grids

Against Misusing of Shared Resources [3]

Grid Specific Host Based Intrusion Detection System

Design
Performance Impact
Central Control
Leverage Existing Software
Configurability
Effectiveness
Approach/Services
Uses Bottleneck Verification (Host)
Detects users that go from user to super user improperly
Monitors process creation, modification and destruction (Host)
Monitors accessing of critical resources (Host)
Grid User ID and Host Level ID stores when Grid services used
Architecture
Host and Grid level deployment
Virtual Kernel Device created
Grid Middleware modified
Data Analyzer
User Interface

References
1. Randy Chow, Theodore Jognson. Distributed Operating Systems and
Algorithms, Addison-Wesley 1997
2. Agent Approach for Providing Security in Distributed Systems;
TCSET'2006, February 28-March 4, 2006, Lviv-Slavsko, Ukraine
3. GHIDS:Defending Computational Grids Against Misusing of Shared
Resources, Feng et all, IEEE 2006
4. www.cse.sc.edu/~farkas/csce522-2003/lectures/csce522lect22.ppt (2003)

Thanks!