Download Chapter 12 Cyber Terrorism and Information Warfare

Computer Security
Fundamentals
by Chuck Easttom
Chapter 12 Cyber Terrorism and Information Warfare
Chapter 12 Objectives
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Explain cyber terrorism
Understand information warfare
Understand plausible cyber terrorism
scenarios
Appreciate the dangers posed by cyber
terrorism
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Introduction
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Cyber Terrorism
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Simply, the use of computers to launch a
terrorist attack.
Like other forms of terrorism, only the milieu of
the attack has changed.
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Introduction (cont.)
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Cyber Terrorism
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Significant economic damage
Disruptions to communications
Disruptions in supply lines
General degradation of the national
infrastructure
All possible via the Internet
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Introduction (cont.)
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Cyber Terrorism
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MyDoom virus may have been an example.
Our nation can expect to be the target of
serious cyber terrorism.
How serious is this threat?
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Economic Attacks
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Cyber attacks cause economic damage:
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Lost files and records
Destroyed data
Stolen credit cards
Money stolen from accounts
Time the IT staff spends cleaning up
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Economic Attacks (cont.)
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Any organization wanting to do harm could
set up a group with
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Computer security experts
Programming experts
Networking experts
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Economic Attacks (cont.)
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Team 1 sets up fake e-commerce sites for a
few days:
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Harvest credit card numbers, bank account
numbers, and so forth
All numbers posted to the Web anonymously
on a predetermined date
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Economic Attacks (cont.)
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Team 2 creates a Trojan
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Showing business tips or slogans, popular
download with business people
Deletes key system files on a certain date
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Economic Attacks (cont.)
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Team 3 creates a virus.
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A DDoS on key financial Web sites, all to take
place on the same predetermined date.
Teams 4 and 5 footprint major bank systems.
Team 6 prepares to flood the Internet with
false stock tips.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Economic Attacks (cont.)
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The biological weapons expert community
has been solicited by terrorists.
How long will it be before terrorists seek out
the security/hacking community?
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Military Operations Attacks
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Attempts to hack into the ultra-secure DoD,
CIA, or NSA systems would be met with
immediate arrest.
A successful attack on less secure systems
could also put our country at risk.
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Lower-level security systems that protect the
logistics programs
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Military Operations Attacks (cont.)
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One hack finds that C-141s are routed to a
certain base.
Another hack reveals food for 5,000 is
delivered to that base.
The final hack shows two brigades have had
leaves canceled.
Social engineering puts information together
to reveal size and time of a deployment.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Military Operations Attacks (cont.)
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Variations on a theme
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Hacker changes the date and destination of
the food and weapons delivery.
Brigades are now at risk.
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Without food and ammunition
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Military Operations Attacks (cont.)
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Illustrates the need for high security on all
military systems.
There are clearly no “low-priority” security
systems.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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General Attacks
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Unfocused attacks with no specific target
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Sheer volume of these attacks causes
significant economic damage.
IT personnel drop normal projects to combat
general attacks.
E-commerce is virtually unusable.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Information Warfare
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Any attempt to manipulate information in
pursuit of a military or political goal:
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Use computers to gather information.
Use computers to disseminate propaganda.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Information Warfare (cont.)
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Propaganda:
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Any group could use what appears to be an
Internet news Web site.
Many people believe and repeat what they see
on the Internet.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Information Warfare (cont.)
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Information Control
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Since World War ll, part of political and military
conflicts
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Tokyo Rose
Radio Free Europe
Language manipulation
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Innocent civilians killed = collateral damage
Starting a war = preemptive action
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Information Warfare (cont.)
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Information Control
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The Internet is an inexpensive vehicle for swaying
public opinion
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Web sites
Postings to discussion groups and bulletin boards
Public opinion quickly gains momentum
Closely related to propaganda
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Information Warfare (cont.)
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Disinformation
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Locate false information behind relatively secure
systems, but not secure enough to keep out
enemy.
The work the enemy has to do to acquire the
disinformation will convince them of its value.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Actual Cases
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Many influential people do not believe in
cyber warfare.
These events appear to contradict them:
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The People’s Liberation Army [China] has
formulated an official cyber warfare doctrine.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Actual Cases (cont.)
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In Tehran [Iran], the armed forces and
technical universities joined to create
independent cyber R & D centers and train
personnel in IT skills.
Tehran seeks to buy IT technical assistance
and training from Russia and India.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Actual Cases (cont.)
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Russia’s armed forces have developed a
robust cyber warfare doctrine.
Moscow also has a track record of offensive
hacking into Chechen Web sites.
Available evidence is inadequate to predict
whether Russia’s intelligence services or
armed forces would attack U.S. networks.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Future Trends
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Positive Trends
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Cyberterrorism Preparedness Act of 2002
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$350,000,000 over 5 years for improving
network security
Cybersecurity Research and Education Act of
2002
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$50,000,000 over 4years for training IT
specialists in IT security
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Future Trends (cont.)
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Negative Trends
Rand report on cyber terrorism
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Defense Against Cyber Terrorism
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Recommendations for preparing for and
protecting against cyber terrorism include
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A Manhattan Project-level program
Research and academic programs dedicated
to security
Computer crime treated more seriously
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Defense Against Cyber Terrorism
(cont.)
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Every police department must have access
to computer crime specialists.
Security professionals must have a forum
to report and discuss emergencies.
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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Summary
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There are various forms of cyber terrorist
attacks across all industries.
Many experts believe it is a credible threat.
How could your computer systems be used
against you and your company?
© 2012 Pearson, Inc.
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