Refining the PoinTER “human firewall” pentesting framework

PurposePenetration tests have become a valuable tool in the cyber security defence strategy, in terms of detecting vulnerabilities. Although penetration testing has traditionally focused on technical aspects, the field has started to realise the importance of the human in the organisation, and the need to ensure that humans are resistant to cyber-attacks. To achieve this, some organisations “pentest” their employees, testing their resilience and ability to detect and repel human-targeted attacks. In a previous paper we reported on PoinTER (Prepare TEst Remediate), a human pentesting framework, tailored to the needs of SMEs. In this paper, we propose improvements to refine our framework. The improvements are based on a derived set of ethical principles that have been subjected to ethical scrutiny.MethodologyWe conducted a systematic literature review of academic research, a review of actual hacker techniques, industry recommendations and official body advice related to social engineering techniques. To meet our requirements to have an ethical human pentesting framework, we compiled a list of ethical principles from the research literature which we used to filter out techniques deemed unethical.FindingsDrawing on social engineering techniques from academic research, reported by the hacker community, industry recommendations and official body advice and subjecting each technique to ethical inspection, using a comprehensive list of ethical principles, we propose the refined GDPR compliant and privacy respecting PoinTER Framework. The list of ethical principles, we suggest, could also inform ethical technical pentests.OriginalityPrevious work has considered penetration testing humans, but few have produced a comprehensive framework such as PoinTER. PoinTER has been rigorously derived from multiple sources and ethically scrutinised through inspection, using a comprehensive list of ethical principles derived from the research literature

Seminar Users in the Arabic Twitter Sphere

We introduce the notion of "seminar users", who are social media users engaged in propaganda in support of a political entity. We develop a framework that can identify such users with 84.4% precision and 76.1% recall. While our dataset is from the Arab region, omitting language-specific features has only a minor impact on classification performance, and thus, our approach could work for detecting seminar users in other parts of the world and in other languages. We further explored a controversial political topic to observe the prevalence and potential potency of such users. In our case study, we found that 25% of the users engaged in the topic are in fact seminar users and their tweets make nearly a third of the on-topic tweets. Moreover, they are often successful in affecting mainstream discourse with coordinated hashtag campaigns.Comment: to appear in SocInfo 201

Classification of microarray data using gene networks

BACKGROUND: Microarrays have become extremely useful for analysing genetic phenomena, but establishing a relation between microarray analysis results (typically a list of genes) and their biological significance is often difficult. Currently, the standard approach is to map a posteriori the results onto gene networks in order to elucidate the functions perturbed at the level of pathways. However, integrating a priori knowledge of the gene networks could help in the statistical analysis of gene expression data and in their biological interpretation. RESULTS: We propose a method to integrate a priori the knowledge of a gene network in the analysis of gene expression data. The approach is based on the spectral decomposition of gene expression profiles with respect to the eigenfunctions of the graph, resulting in an attenuation of the high-frequency components of the expression profiles with respect to the topology of the graph. We show how to derive unsupervised and supervised classification algorithms of expression profiles, resulting in classifiers with biological relevance. We illustrate the method with the analysis of a set of expression profiles from irradiated and non-irradiated yeast strains. CONCLUSION: Including a priori knowledge of a gene network for the analysis of gene expression data leads to good classification performance and improved interpretability of the results

Advancing Protocol Diversity in Network Security Monitoring

With information technology entering new fields and levels of deployment, e.g., in areas of energy, mobility, and production, network security monitoring needs to be able to cope with those environments and their evolution. However, state-of-the-art Network Security Monitors (NSMs) typically lack the necessary flexibility to handle the diversity of the packet-oriented layers below the abstraction of TCP/IP connections. In this work, we advance the software architecture of a network security monitor to facilitate the flexible integration of lower-layer protocol dissectors while maintaining required performance levels. We proceed in three steps: First, we identify the challenges for modular packet-level analysis, present a refined NSM architecture to address them and specify requirements for its implementation. Second, we evaluate the performance of data structures to be used for protocol dispatching, implement the proposed design into the popular open-source NSM Zeek and assess its impact on the monitor performance. Our experiments show that hash-based data structures for dispatching introduce a significant overhead while array-based approaches qualify for practical application. Finally, we demonstrate the benefits of the proposed architecture and implementation by migrating Zeek\u27s previously hard-coded stack of link and internet layer protocols to the new interface. Furthermore, we implement dissectors for non-IP based industrial communication protocols and leverage them to realize attack detection strategies from recent applied research. We integrate the proposed architecture into the Zeek open-source project and publish the implementation to support the scientific community as well as practitioners, promoting the transfer of research into practice

Identifying and combating cyber-threats in the field of online banking

This thesis has been carried out in the industrial environment external to the University, as an industrial PhD. The results of this PhD have been tested, validated, and implemented in the production environment of Caixabank and have been used as models for others who have followed the same ideas. The most burning threats against banks throughout the Internet environment are based on software tools developed by criminal groups, applications running on web environment either on the computer of the victim (Malware) or on their mobile device itself through downloading rogue applications (fake app's with Malware APP). Method of the thesis has been used is an approximation of qualitative exploratory research on the problem, the answer to this problem and the use of preventive methods to this problem like used authentication systems. This method is based on samples, events, surveys, laboratory tests, experiments, proof of concept; ultimately actual data that has been able to deduce the thesis proposal, using both laboratory research and grounded theory methods of data pilot experiments conducted in real environments. I've been researching the various aspects related to e-crime following a line of research focusing on intrinsically related topics: - The methods, means and systems of attack: Malware, Malware families of banker Trojans, Malware cases of use, Zeus as case of use. - The fixed platforms, mobile applications and as a means for malware attacks. - forensic methods to analyze the malware and infrastructure attacks. - Continuous improvement of methods of authentication of customers and users as a first line of defense anti- malware. - Using biometrics as innovative factor authentication.The line investigating Malware and attack systems intrinsically is closed related to authentication methods and systems to infect customer (executables, APP's, etc.), because the main purpose of malware is precisely steal data entered in the "logon "authentication system, to operate and thus, fraudulently, steal money from online banking customers. Experiments in the Malware allowed establishing a new method of decryption establishing guidelines to combat its effects describing his fraudulent scheme and operation infection. I propose a general methodology to break the encryption communications malware (keystream), extracting the system used to encrypt such communications and a general approach of the Keystream technique. We show that this methodology can be used to respond to the threat of Zeus and finally provide lessons learned highlighting some general principles of Malware (in general) and in particular proposing Zeus Cronus, an IDS that specifically seeks the Zeus malware, testing it experimentally in a network production and providing an effective skills to combat the Malware are discussed. The thesis is a research interrelated progressive evolution between malware infection systems and authentication methods, reflected in the research work cumulatively, showing an evolution of research output and looking for a progressive improvement of methods authentication and recommendations for prevention and preventing infections, a review of the main app stores for mobile financial services and a proposal to these stores. The most common methods eIDAMS (authentication methods and electronic identification) implemented in Europe and its robustness are analyzed. An analysis of adequacy is presented in terms of efficiency, usability, costs, types of operations and segments including possibilities of use as authentication method with biometrics as innovation.Este trabajo de tesis se ha realizado en el entorno industrial externo a la Universidad como un PhD industrial Los resultados de este PhD han sido testeados, validados, e implementados en el entorno de producción de Caixabank y han sido utilizados como modelos por otras que han seguido las mismas ideas. Las amenazas más candentes contra los bancos en todo el entorno Internet, se basan en herramientas software desarrolladas por los grupos delincuentes, aplicaciones que se ejecutan tanto en entornos web ya sea en el propio ordenador de la víctima (Malware) o en sus dispositivos móviles mediante la descarga de falsas aplicaciones (APP falsa con Malware). Como método se ha utilizado una aproximación de investigación exploratoria cualitativa sobre el problema, la respuesta a este problema y el uso de métodos preventivos a este problema a través de la autenticación. Este método se ha basado en muestras, hechos, encuestas, pruebas de laboratorio, experimentos, pruebas de concepto; en definitiva datos reales de los que se ha podido deducir la tesis propuesta, utilizando tanto investigación de laboratorio como métodos de teoría fundamentada en datos de experimentos pilotos realizados en entornos reales. He estado investigando los diversos aspectos relacionados con e-crime siguiendo una línea de investigación focalizada en temas intrínsecamente relacionadas: - Los métodos, medios y sistemas de ataque: Malware, familias de Malware de troyanos bancarios, casos de usos de Malware, Zeus como caso de uso. - Las plataformas fijas, los móviles y sus aplicaciones como medio para realizar los ataques de Malware. - Métodos forenses para analizar el Malware y su infraestructura de ataque. - Mejora continuada de los métodos de autenticación de los clientes y usuarios como primera barrera de defensa anti- malware. - Uso de la biometría como factor de autenticación innovador. La línea investiga el Malware y sus sistemas de ataque intrínsecamente relacionada con los métodos de autenticación y los sistemas para infectar al cliente (ejecutables, APP's, etc.) porque el objetivo principal del malware es robar precisamente los datos que se introducen en el "logon" del sistema de autenticación para operar de forma fraudulenta y sustraer así el dinero de los clientes de banca electrónica. Los experimentos realizados en el Malware permitieron establecer un método novedoso de descifrado que estableció pautas para combatir sus efectos fraudulentos describiendo su esquema de infección y funcionamiento Propongo una metodología general para romper el cifrado de comunicaciones del malware (keystream) extrayendo el sistema utilizado para cifrar dichas comunicaciones y una generalización de la técnica de Keystream. Se demuestra que esta metodología puede usarse para responder a la amenaza de Zeus y finalmente proveemos lecciones aprendidas resaltando algunos principios generales del Malware (en general) y Zeus en particular proponiendo Cronus, un IDS que persigue específicamente el Malware Zeus, probándolo experimentalmente en una red de producción y se discuten sus habilidades y efectividad. En la tesis hay una evolución investigativa progresiva interrelacionada entre el Malware, sistemas de infección y los métodos de autenticación, que se refleja en los trabajos de investigación de manera acumulativa, mostrando una evolución del output de investigación y buscando una mejora progresiva de los métodos de autenticación y de la prevención y recomendaciones para evitar las infecciones, una revisión de las principales tiendas de Apps para servicios financieros para móviles y una propuesta para estas tiendas. Se analizan los métodos más comunes eIDAMS (Métodos de Autenticación e Identificación electrónica) implementados en Europa y su robustez y presentamos un análisis de adecuación en función de eficiencia, usabilidad, costes, tipos de operación y segmentos incluyendo un análisis de posibilidades con métodos biométricos como innovación.Postprint (published version