Digital rights management: the four perspectives of developers, distributors, users and lawyers.

Digital Rights Management (DRM) refers to a collection of security mechanisms that are widely deployed on a number of copyright-protected digital assets. However, despite the existence of a number of studies of the technical architectures of rights management security systems, there is little scholarly/academic literature dedicated to the human aspects associated with circumvention of DRM security. Using videogames as a case study, this paper discusses how DRM is perceived differently depending on where one's stake in the use of DRM security lies. This paper concludes by proposing questions that could be used to aid content distributors and security practitioners in the creation of a fairer DRM framework

Guidelines for cybersecurity education campaigns

In our technology- and information-infused world, cyberspace is an integral part of modern-day society. As the number of active cyberspace users increases, so too does the chances of a cyber threat finding a vulnerable target increase. All cyber users who are exposed to cyber risks need to be educated about cyber security. Human beings play a key role in the implementation and governing of an entire cybersecurity and cybersafety solution. The effectiveness of any cybersecurity and cybersafety solutions in a societal or individual context is dependent on the human beings involved in the process. If these human beings are either unaware or not knowledgeable about their roles in the security solution they become the weak link in these cybersecurity solutions. It is essential that all users be educated to combat any threats. Children are a particularly vulnerable subgroup within society. They are digital natives and make use of ICT, and online services with increasing frequency, but this does not mean they are knowledgeable about or behaving securely in their cyber activities. Children will be exposed to cyberspace throughout their lifetimes. Therefore, cybersecurity and cybersafety should be taught to children as a life-skill. There is a lack of well-known, comprehensive cybersecurity and cybersafety educational campaigns which target school children. Most existing information security and cybersecurity education campaigns limit their scope. Literature reports mainly on education campaigns focused on primary businesses, government agencies and tertiary education institutions. Additionally, most guidance for the design and implementation of security and safety campaigns: are for an organisational context, only target organisational users, and mostly provide high-level design recommendations. This thesis addressed the lack of guidance for designing and implementing cybersecurity and cybersafety educational campaigns suited to school learners as a target audience. The thesis aimed to offer guidance for designing and implementing education campaigns that educate school learners about cybersecurity and cybersafety. This was done through the implementation of an action research process over a five-year period. The action research process involved cybersecurity and cybersafety educational interventions at multiple schools. A total of 18 actionable guidelines were derived from this research to guide the design and implementation of cybersecurity and cybersafety education campaigns which aim to educate school children

Culture and Information Security Awareness: Examining the Role of Organisational and Security Culture

This item is only available electronically.The relationship between security culture and ISA has received preliminary support; however, its interplay with organisational culture is yet to be empirically explored. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between ISA, organisational culture, and security culture. A total of 508 working Australians completed an online questionnaire. ISA was measured using the Human Aspects of Information Security Questionnaire (HAIS-Q); organisational culture was measured using the Denison Organisational Culture Survey (DOCS); and security culture was assessed through the Organisational Security Culture Measure. Our results showed that while organisational culture and security culture were correlated with ISA, security culture mediated the relationship between organisational culture and ISA. This finding has important applied implications. Organisations can improve ISA by focussing on security culture rather than organisational culture, saving them time and resources. Future research could further extend current findings by also considering national culture.Thesis (M.Psych(Organisational & Human Factors)) -- University of Adelaide, School of Psychology, 201

Opportunities and Risks in Online Gaming Environments

Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs) have evolved from traditional video games in that they embrace both the technology of the Internet and video games. The massive “exodus” from the physical offline world to online gaming communities brings with it not only a number of unique and exciting opportunities, but also a number of emerging and serious risks. This research set out to examine the unique opportunities and risks to vulnerable individuals, namely, young adults, teenagers and young children; all of whom are considered by many to be priority groups in the protection from harm. The purpose was to examine the reality of vulnerable individuals encountering these opportunities and risks. This research combined a number of methodologies supported by underpinning qualitative and quantitative theories. Questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and focus groups gathered information from teenagers, adults and children in order to critically examine the unique opportunities and risks encountered in Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games. The findings from these interactions identified specific examples of opportunities and risk posed to vulnerable individuals. The findings demonstrated that there was a need for a support and protection mechanism that promoted the identification and awareness of the potential risk among vulnerable individuals. Emerging from these findings was a set of concepts that provided the evidence base for a Novel Taxonomy of Opportunities and Risks in Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game environments that was designed to assist in the assessment of risk. Validation of the proposed taxonomy was achieved by means of an ethnographic study of (World of Warcraft) online gamers’ behaviour and social interactions through unobtrusive video capture of gaming sessions. The Novel Taxonomy of Opportunities and Risks provided a basis for the development of a proof-of-concept Decision Support System; the purpose of which was to assist both social work practitioners and individuals to identify and reduce risks. Representatives from both user groups were consulted for evaluation of the acceptability of such an approach. Favourable responses from participants demonstrated acceptability of the aforementioned approach. The evaluation process also demonstrated how the prototype would serve as a useful tool to make individual users aware of potential dangers. This research presents three novel facets: (1) it advances understanding of the unique opportunities and risks within MMORPG environments; (2) provides a framework for the assessment of risks in MMORPGs through the Novel Taxonomy and (3) demonstrates a novel Decision Support System to assist in the identification and reduction of risk through a proof-of-concept prototype

VISTA:an inclusive insider threat taxonomy, with mitigation strategies

Insiders have the potential to do a great deal of damage, given their legitimate access to organisational assets and the trust they enjoy. Organisations can only mitigate insider threats if they understand what the different kinds of insider threats are, and what tailored measures can be used to mitigate the threat posed by each of them. Here, we derive VISTA (inclusiVe InSider Threat tAxonomy) based on an extensive literature review and a survey with C-suite executives to ensure that the VISTA taxonomy is not only scientifically grounded, but also meets the needs of organisations and their executives. To this end, we map each VISTA category of insider threat to tailored mitigations that can be deployed to reduce the threat

A national strategy towards cultivating a cybersecurity culture in South Africa

In modern society, cyberspace is interwoven into the daily lives of many. Cyberspace is increasingly redefining how people communicate as well as gain access to and share information. Technology has transformed the way the business world operates by introducing new ways of trading goods and services whilst bolstering traditional business methods. It has also altered the way nations govern. Thus individuals, organisations and nations are relying on this technology to perform significant functions. Alongside the positive innovations afforded by cyberspace, however, those who use it are exposed to a variety of risks. Cyberspace is beset by criminal activities such as cybercrime, fraud, identity theft to name but a few. Nonetheless, the negative impact of these cyber threats does not outweigh the advantages of cyberspace. In light of such threats, there is a call for all entities that reap the benefits of online services to institute cybersecurity. As such, cybersecurity is a necessity for individuals, organisations and nations alike. In practice, cybersecurity focuses on preventing and mitigating certain security risks that might compromise the security of relevant assets. For a long time, technology-centred measures have been deemed the most significant solution for mitigating such risks. However, after a legacy of unsuccessful technological efforts, it became clear that such solutions in isolation are insufficient to mitigate all cyber-related risks. This is mainly due to the role that humans play in the security process, that is, the human factor. In isolation, technology-centred measures tend to fail to counter the human factor because of the perception among many users that security measures are an obstacle and consequently a waste of time. This user perception can be credited to the perceived difficulty of the security measure, as well as apparent mistrust and misinterpretation of the measure. Hence, cybersecurity necessitates the development of a solution that encourages acceptable user behaviour in the reality of cyberspace. The cultivation of a cybersecurity culture is thus regarded as the best approach for addressing the human factors that weaken the cybersecurity chain. While the role of culture in pursuing cybersecurity is well appreciated, research focusing on defining and measuring cybersecurity culture is still in its infancy. Furthermore, studies have shown that there are no widely accepted key concepts that delimit a cybersecurity culture. However, the notion that such a culture is not well-delineated has not prevented national governments from pursuing a culture in which all citizens behave in a way that promotes cybersecurity. As a result, many countries now offer national cybersecurity campaigns to foster a culture of cybersecurity at a national level. South Africa is among the nations that have identified cultivating a culture of cybersecurity as a strategic priority. However, there is an apparent lack of a practical plan to cultivate such a cybersecurity culture in South Africa. Thus, this study sought firstly to confirm from the existing body of knowledge that cybersecurity culture is indeed ill-defined and, secondly, to delineate what constitutes a national cybersecurity culture. Finally, and primarily, it sought to devise a national strategy that would assist SA in fulfilling its objective of cultivating a culture of cybersecurity on a national level

A national strategy towards cultivating a cybersecurity culture in South Africa

In modern society, cyberspace is interwoven into the daily lives of many. Cyberspace is increasingly redefining how people communicate as well as gain access to and share information. Technology has transformed the way the business world operates by introducing new ways of trading goods and services whilst bolstering traditional business methods. It has also altered the way nations govern. Thus individuals, organisations and nations are relying on this technology to perform significant functions. Alongside the positive innovations afforded by cyberspace, however, those who use it are exposed to a variety of risks. Cyberspace is beset by criminal activities such as cybercrime, fraud, identity theft to name but a few. Nonetheless, the negative impact of these cyber threats does not outweigh the advantages of cyberspace. In light of such threats, there is a call for all entities that reap the benefits of online services to institute cybersecurity. As such, cybersecurity is a necessity for individuals, organisations and nations alike. In practice, cybersecurity focuses on preventing and mitigating certain security risks that might compromise the security of relevant assets. For a long time, technology-centred measures have been deemed the most significant solution for mitigating such risks. However, after a legacy of unsuccessful technological efforts, it became clear that such solutions in isolation are insufficient to mitigate all cyber-related risks. This is mainly due to the role that humans play in the security process, that is, the human factor. In isolation, technology-centred measures tend to fail to counter the human factor because of the perception among many users that security measures are an obstacle and consequently a waste of time. This user perception can be credited to the perceived difficulty of the security measure, as well as apparent mistrust and misinterpretation of the measure. Hence, cybersecurity necessitates the development of a solution that encourages acceptable user behaviour in the reality of cyberspace. The cultivation of a cybersecurity culture is thus regarded as the best approach for addressing the human factors that weaken the cybersecurity chain. While the role of culture in pursuing cybersecurity is well appreciated, research focusing on defining and measuring cybersecurity culture is still in its infancy. Furthermore, studies have shown that there are no widely accepted key concepts that delimit a cybersecurity culture. However, the notion that such a culture is not well-delineated has not prevented national governments from pursuing a culture in which all citizens behave in a way that promotes cybersecurity. As a result, many countries now offer national cybersecurity campaigns to foster a culture of cybersecurity at a national level. South Africa is among the nations that have identified cultivating a culture of cybersecurity as a strategic priority. However, there is an apparent lack of a practical plan to cultivate such a cybersecurity culture in South Africa. Thus, this study sought firstly to confirm from the existing body of knowledge that cybersecurity culture is indeed ill-defined and, secondly, to delineate what constitutes a national cybersecurity culture. Finally, and primarily, it sought to devise a national strategy that would assist SA in fulfilling its objective of cultivating a culture of cybersecurity on a national level

Educating the effective digital forensics practitioner: academic, professional, graduate and student perspectives

Over the years, digital forensics has become an important and sought-after profession where the gateway of training and education has developed vastly over the past decade. Many UK higher education (HE) institutions now deliver courses that prepare students for careers in digital forensics and, in most recent advances, cyber security. Skills shortages and external influences attributed within the field of cyber security, and its relationship as a discipline with digital forensics, has shifted the dynamic of UK higher education provisions. The implications of this now sees the route to becoming a digital forensic practitioner, be it in law enforcement or business, transform from on-the-job training to university educated, trained analysts. This thesis examined courses within HE and discovered that the delivery of these courses often overlooked areas such as mobile forensics, live data forensics, Linux and Mac knowledge. This research also considered current standards available across HE to understand whether educational programmes are delivering what is documented as relevant curriculum. Cyber security was found to be the central focus of these standards within inclusion of digital forensics, adding further to the debate and lack of distinctive nature of digital forensics as its own discipline. Few standards demonstrated how the topics, knowledge, skills and competences drawn were identified as relevant and effective for producing digital forensic practitioners. Additionally, this thesis analyses and discusses results from 201 participants across five stakeholder groups: graduates, professionals, academics, students and the public. These areas were selected due to being underdeveloped in existing literature and the crucial role they play in the cycle of producing effective practitioners. Analysis on stakeholder views, experiences and thoughts surrounding education and training offer unique insight, theoretical underpinnings and original contributions not seen in existing literature. For example, challenges, costs and initial issues with introducing graduates to employment for the employers and/or supervising practitioners, the lack of awareness and contextualisation on behalf of students and graduates towards what knowledge and skills they have learned and acquired on a course and its practical application on-the-job which often lead to suggestions of a lack of fundamental knowledge and skills. This is evidenced throughout the thesis, but examples include graduates: for their reflections on education based on their new on-the-job experiences and practices; professionals: for their job experiences and requirements, academics: for their educational practices and challenges; students: their initial expectations and views; and, the public: for their general understanding. This research uniquely captures these perspectives, bolstering the development of digital forensics as an academic discipline, along with the importance these diverse views play in the overall approach to delivering skilled practitioners. While the main contribution to knowledge within this thesis is its narrative focusing on the education of effective digital forensic practitioners and its major stakeholders, this thesis also makes additional contributions both academically and professionally; including the discussion, analysis and reflection of: - improvements for education and digital forensics topics for research and curriculum development; - where course offerings can be improved for institutions offering digital forensic degree programmes; - the need for further collaboration between industry and academia to provide students and graduates with greater understanding of the real-life role of a digital forensic practitioner and the expectations in employment; - continuous and unique challenges within both academia and the industry which digital forensics possess and the need for improved facilities and tool development to curate and share problem and scenario-based learning studies

GRAPHICAL ONE-TIME PASSWORD AUTHENTICATION

Complying with a security policy often requires users to create long and complex passwords to protect their accounts. However, remembering such passwords appears difficult for many and may lead to insecure practices, such as choosing weak passwords or writing them down. One-Time Passwords (OTPs) aim to overcome such problems; however, most implemented OTP techniques require special hardware, which not only adds costs, but also raises issues regarding availability. This type of authentication mechanism is mostly adopted by online banking systems to secure their clients’ accounts. However, carrying around authentication tokens was found to be an inconvenient experience for many customers. Not only the inconvenience, but if the token was unavailable, for any reason, this would prevent customers from accessing their accounts securely. In contrast, there is the potential to use graphical passwords as an alternative authentication mechanism designed to aid memorability and ease of use. The idea of this research is to combine the usability of recognition-based and draw-based graphical passwords with the security of OTP. A new multi-level user-authentication solution known as: Graphical One-Time Password (GOTPass) was proposed and empirically evaluated in terms of usability and security aspects. The usability experiment was conducted during three separate sessions, which took place over five weeks, to assess the efficiency, effectiveness, memorability and user satisfaction of the new scheme. The results showed that users were able to easily create and enter their credentials as well as remember them over time. Eighty-one participants carried out a total of 1,302 login attempts with a 93% success rate and an average login time of 24.5 seconds. With regard to the security evaluation, the research simulated three common types of graphical password attacks (guessing, intersection, and shoulder-surfing). The participants’ task was to act as attackers to try to break into the system. The GOTPass scheme showed a high resistance capability against the attacks, as only 3.3% of the 690 total attempts succeeded in compromising the system.King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technolog

A STUDY OF GRAPHICAL ALTERNATIVES FOR USER AUTHENTICATION

Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/1124 on 27.02.2017 by CS (TIS)Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/1124 Submitted by Collection Services ([email protected]) on 2012-08-07T10:49:43Z No. of bitstreams: 1 JALI MZ_2011.pdf: 7019966 bytes, checksum: e2aca7edf5e11df083ec430aedac512f (MD5) Approved for entry into archive by Collection Services([email protected]) on 2012-08-07T10:50:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 JALI MZ_2011.pdf: 7019966 bytes, checksum: e2aca7edf5e11df083ec430aedac512f (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2012-08-07T10:50:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JALI MZ_2011.pdf: 7019966 bytes, checksum: e2aca7edf5e11df083ec430aedac512f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011Authenticating users by means of passwords is still the dominant form of authentication despite its recognised weaknesses. To solve this, authenticating users with images or pictures (i.e. graphical passwords) is proposed as one possible alternative as it is claimed that pictures are easy to remember, easy to use and has considerable security. Reviewing literature from the last twenty years found that few graphical password schemes have successfully been applied as the primary user authentication mechanism, with many studies reporting that their proposed scheme was better than their predecessors and they normally compared their scheme with the traditional password-based. In addition, opportunities for further research in areas such as image selection, image storage and retrieval, memorability (i.e. the user’s ability to remember passwords), predictability, applicability to multiple platforms, as well as users’ familiarity are still widely possible. Motivated by the above findings and hoping to reduce the aforementioned issues, this thesis reports upon a series of graphical password studies by comparing existing methods, developing a novel alternative scheme, and introducing guidance for users before they start selecting their password. Specifically, two studies comparing graphical password methods were conducted with the specific aims to evaluate users’ familiarity and perception towards graphical methods and to examine the performance of graphical methods in the web environment. To investigate the feasibility of combining two graphical methods, a novel graphical method known as EGAS (Enhanced Graphical Authentication System) was developed and tested in terms of its ease of use, ideal secret combination, ideal login strategies, effect of using smaller tolerances (i.e. areas where the click is still accepted) as well as users’ familiarity. In addition, graphical password guidelines (GPG) were introduced and deployed within the EGAS prototype, in order to evaluate their potential to assist users in creating appropriate password choices. From these studies, the thesis provides an alternative classification for graphical password methods by looking at the users’ tasks when authenticating into the system; namely click-based, choice-based, draw-based and hybrid. Findings from comparative studies revealed that although a number of participants stated that they were aware of the existence of graphical passwords, they actually had little understanding of the methods involved. Moreover, the methods of selecting a series of images (i.e. choice-based) and clicking on the image (i.e. click-based) are actually possible to be used for web-based authentication due to both of them reporting complementary results. With respect to EGAS, the studies have shown that combining two graphical methods is possible and does not introduce negative effects upon the resulting usability. User familiarity with the EGAS software prototype was also improved as they used the software for periods of time, with improvement shown in login time, accuracy and login failures. With the above findings, the research proposes that users’ familiarity is one of the key elements in deploying any graphical method, and appropriate HCI guidelines should be considered and employed during development of the scheme. Additionally, employing the guidelines within the graphical method and not treating them as a separate entity in user authentication is also recommended. Other than that, elements such as reducing predictability, testing with multiple usage scenarios and platforms, as well as flexibility with respect to tolerance should be the focus for future research