1. Computer Basics
Rabie A. Ramadan, PhD 6

2. Viruses, Worms, Zombies, and others

3. What is Computer Security?

4. What is Computer Security?
Computer Security is the protection of computing systems and the data that they store or access

5. Why is Computer Security Important?
Computer Security allows the University to carry out its mission by:
Enabling people to carry out their jobs, education, and research.
Supporting critical business processes
Protecting personal and sensitive information

6. Why do I need to learn about Computer Security?
Isn’t this just an IT Problem?

7. Good Security Standards follow the “90 / 10” Rule:
10% of security safeguards are technical
90% of security safeguards rely on the computer user (“YOU”) to adhere to good computing practices

8. What Does This Mean for Me?
This means that everyone who uses a computer or mobile device needs to understand how to keep their computer, device and data secure.
Information Technology Security is everyone’s responsibility

9. What’s at Stake? Kinds of damage caused by insecurity
Nuisance: spam, …
Data erased, corrupted, or held hostage
Valuable information stolen (credit card numbers, trade secrets, etc.)
Services made unavailable ( and web site outages, lost business)

10. Breaking into a Computer

11. Breaking into a Computer
What?
Run unauthorized software
How?
Trick the user into running bad software (“social engineering”)
Exploit software bugs to run bad software without the user’s help

12. Example of “social engineering”: Trojan Horse
CoolScreenSaver.exe

13. Viruses and Worms Automated ways of breaking in;
Use self-replicating programs
(Recall self-replicating programs:
Print the following line twice, the second time in quotes. “Print the following line twice, the second time in quotes.” )

14. Computer Viruses
Self-replicating programs that spread by infecting other programs or data files
Must fool users into opening the infected file
Cool Screen Saver
Notepad
Solitaire
Paint
Payload
Payload
Payload
Payload

15. Viruses
Infected program, screen saver, or Word document launches virus when opened
Use social engineering to entice you to open the virus attachment
Self-spreading: after you open it, automatically s copies to everyone in your address book
Other forms of social engineering: downloadable software/games, P2P software, etc.

16. David L. Smith Aberdeen, NJ
The Melissa Virus (1999)
Social engineering: says attachment contains porn site passwords
Self-spreading: Random 50 people from address book
Traffic forced shutdown of many servers
$80 million damage
20 months and $5000 fine
David L. Smith Aberdeen, NJ

17. Computer Worms
Self-replicating programs like viruses, except exploit security holes in OS (e.g., bugs in networking software) to spread on their own without human intervention
Payload
Payload
Payload
Payload
Payload
Payload
Payload

18. Created by student at Cornell
First Internet worm
Created by student at Cornell
Exploited holes in servers, other programs
Infected ~10% of the net
Spawned multiple copies, crippling infected servers
Sentenced to 3 years probation, $10,000 fine, 400 hours community service
Robert Tappan Morris

19. “Can we just develop software to detect a virus/worm?”
[Adleman’88] This task is undecidable. (so no software can work with 100% guarantee)
Current methods: (i) Look for snippets of known virus programs on harddrive (ii) maintain log of activities such as network requests, read/writes to hard-drive and look for “suspicious” trends (iii) look for changes to OS code.
No real guarantee

20. Spyware/Adware Hidden but not self-replicating
Tracks web activity for marketing, shows popup ads, etc.
Usually written by businesses: Legal gray area

21. Zombies
Attacker’s Program
Bot
Bot program runs silently in the background, awaiting instructions from the attacker

22. Can we stop computer crime?
Probably not!
Wild West nature of the Internet
Software will always have bugs
Rapid exponential spread of attacks
But we can take steps to reduce risks…

23. Protecting Your Computer
Six easy things you can do…
Keep your software up-to-date
Use safe programs to surf the ‘net
Run anti-virus and anti-spyware regularly
Add an external firewall
Back up your data
Learn to be “street smart” online

24. Keep Software Up-to-Date

25. Use Safe Software to Go Online
Fewer people trying to attack these programs than corresponding MS progs.
Firefox
(web browser)
Thunderbird
( )

26. Anti-virus / Anti-spyware Scans
Symantec Antivirus
(Free from OIT)
Spybot Search & Destroy
(Free download)

27. Add an External Firewall
Provides layered security (think: castle walls, moat)
(Recent operating systems have built-in firewall features)

28. Tivoli Storage Manager
Back Up Your Data
Tivoli Storage Manager
(Free from OIT)

29. Learn Online “Street Smarts”
Be aware of your surroundings
Is the web site being spoofed?
Don’t accept candy from strangers
How do you know an attachment or download isn’t a virus, Trojan, or spyware?
Don’t believe everything you read
may contain viruses or phishing attack – remember, bad guys can forge from your friends

30. Quiz: A hacked computer can be used to… (select all that apply)
Send spam and phishing s.
Harvest and sell addresses and passwords.
Illegally distribute music, movies and software.
Distribute child pornography.
Infect other systems.
Hide programs that launch attacks on other computers.
Record keystrokes and steal passwords.
Access restricted or personal information on your computer or other systems that you have access to.
Generate large volumes of traffic, slowing down the entire system

31. Next time is an exam Assignment
Survey some of viruses and security incidents that ha been found in the last five years ?