Challenges We Face On the Internet Steve Schuster Cornell University

Questions to be Addressed What is the intent behind security-related incidents and how is this goal achieved? Who is conducting these threats? What are some of the more significant challenges us? Why do we not see more convictions?

What is the Intent? Service disruption Marketing Distribution of copyright material Personal or organizational agendas Harassment Identity theft

Intent -- Service Disruption Definition Cause harm or disruption to computers, networks or the Internet Methods Viruses Worms Denial of service attacks

Intent -- Service Disruption Viruses Typically spread through e-mail Requires human action

Intent -- Service Disruption ISP in New Haven, CT

Intent -- Service Disruption Worms Spread from computer to computer No human action required Denial of service attacks 100’s to 1000’s of computers attacking a single service or site

Intent -- Service Disruption Number of Malicious Programs Detected per Year * Source: http://www.viruslist.com

Intent -- Marketing Definition Methods For the purpose of selling or marketing products Methods Spyware Adware SPAM

Intent -- Marketing Spyware Small applications that are installed on a computer for the purpose of tracking internet usage Speed of computer Speed of network Websites visited Searches made Items purchased Type of credit card used Even experienced Internet users are almost 100 percent likely of getting spyware within 30 days* * McAfee Siteadvisor

Intent -- Marketing Adware Programs that automatically play, display or download advertising material Pop-ups are the best example

Intent -- Marketing SPAM Unsolicited or bulk e-mail messages During December 2005 63 Million mail messages 26.8 Million rejected as SPAM 2.2 Million rejected as viruses

Intent -- Marketing

Intent -- Copyright Distribution Definition Computer compromises that appear to be for the sole purpose of distributing copyright material Some facts About 85% of all computer compromises are for this purpose Automated scripts have been developed to compromise and test computing environment for usefulness Most still use FTP for file transfer

Intent -- Copyright Distribution

Intent -- Pushing an Agenda Definition Actions taken to communicate some agenda Methods SPAM Web defacement

Intent -- Pushing an Agenda

Intent -- Harassment Definition Some facts Probably needs none Typically performed using mail Some are naïve enough to use local mail Most use hotmail, yahoo, msn, etc.

Intent -- Identity Theft Definition Actions taken for the purpose of gaining personally identifiable information Type of data Social security number Bank account numbers Credit card numbers Drivers license numbers Methods Phishing Hacking for databases

Intent -- Identity Theft

Intent -- Identity Theft

Intent -- Identity Theft

Who Does This Stuff? Inquisitive teens On-line businesses Internet “businessmen” Organized crime

Our Biggest Challenges Changing/emerging law Growing social expectations and requirements Our general “openness” can make everyone an easier target Open networks Home users Roaming resources Changing the way data are handled and transmitted Answering institutional questions Complexity due to decentralized IT support complicates the identification of critical or sensitive resources/data Preparing for a legal defense needs to begin now

Some Prosecution Challenges Computer crime is very hard to comprehend Computer analysis is resource intensive and is not always definitive Hiding on the Internet is extremely easy Typically the computer doing the attacking or SPAMing is not at the location of the perpetrator It’s hacked Internet hopping is a major problem The attack does not always come from where it appears to come

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