A Real-Time Remote IDS Testbed for Connected Vehicles

Connected vehicles are becoming commonplace. A constant connection between vehicles and a central server enables new features and services. This added connectivity raises the likelihood of exposure to attackers and risks unauthorized access. A possible countermeasure to this issue are intrusion detection systems (IDS), which aim at detecting these intrusions during or after their occurrence. The problem with IDS is the large variety of possible approaches with no sensible option for comparing them. Our contribution to this problem comprises the conceptualization and implementation of a testbed for an automotive real-world scenario. That amounts to a server-side IDS detecting intrusions into vehicles remotely. To verify the validity of our approach, we evaluate the testbed from multiple perspectives, including its fitness for purpose and the quality of the data it generates. Our evaluation shows that the testbed makes the effective assessment of various IDS possible. It solves multiple problems of existing approaches, including class imbalance. Additionally, it enables reproducibility and generating data of varying detection difficulties. This allows for comprehensive evaluation of real-time, remote IDS.Comment: Peer-reviewed version accepted for publication in the proceedings of the 34th ACM/SIGAPP Symposium On Applied Computing (SAC'19

Electronic security - risk mitigation in financial transactions : public policy issues

This paper builds on a previous series of papers (see Claessens, Glaessner, and Klingebiel, 2001, 2002) that identified electronic security as a key component to the delivery of electronic finance benefits. This paper and its technical annexes (available separately at http://www1.worldbank.org/finance/) identify and discuss seven key pillars necessary to fostering a secure electronic environment. Hence, it is intended for those formulating broad policies in the area of electronic security and those working with financial services providers (for example, executives and management). The detailed annexes of this paper are especially relevant for chief information and security officers responsible for establishing layered security. First, this paper provides definitions of electronic finance and electronic security and explains why these issues deserve attention. Next, it presents a picture of the burgeoning global electronic security industry. Then it develops a risk-management framework for understanding the risks and tradeoffs inherent in the electronic security infrastructure. It also provides examples of tradeoffs that may arise with respect to technological innovation, privacy, quality of service, and security in designing an electronic security policy framework. Finally, it outlines issues in seven interrelated areas that often need attention in building an adequate electronic security infrastructure. These are: 1) The legal framework and enforcement. 2) Electronic security of payment systems. 3) Supervision and prevention challenges. 4) The role of private insurance as an essential monitoring mechanism. 5) Certification, standards, and the role of the public and private sectors. 6) Improving the accuracy of information on electronic security incidents and creating better arrangements for sharing this information. 7) Improving overall education on these issues as a key to enhancing prevention.Knowledge Economy,Labor Policies,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Payment Systems&Infrastructure,Banks&Banking Reform,Education for the Knowledge Economy,Knowledge Economy,Banks&Banking Reform,International Terrorism&Counterterrorism,Governance Indicators

ATLANTIDES: An Architecture for Alert Verification in Network Intrusion Detection Systems

We present an architecture designed for alert verification (i.e., to reduce false positives) in network intrusion-detection systems. Our technique is based on a systematic (and automatic) anomaly-based analysis of the system output, which provides useful context information regarding the network services. The false positives raised by the NIDS analyzing the incoming traffic (which can be either signature- or anomaly-based) are reduced by correlating them with the output anomalies. We designed our architecture for TCP-based network services which have a client/server architecture (such as HTTP). Benchmarks show a substantial reduction of false positives between 50% and 100%

OnionBots: Subverting Privacy Infrastructure for Cyber Attacks

Over the last decade botnets survived by adopting a sequence of increasingly sophisticated strategies to evade detection and take overs, and to monetize their infrastructure. At the same time, the success of privacy infrastructures such as Tor opened the door to illegal activities, including botnets, ransomware, and a marketplace for drugs and contraband. We contend that the next waves of botnets will extensively subvert privacy infrastructure and cryptographic mechanisms. In this work we propose to preemptively investigate the design and mitigation of such botnets. We first, introduce OnionBots, what we believe will be the next generation of resilient, stealthy botnets. OnionBots use privacy infrastructures for cyber attacks by completely decoupling their operation from the infected host IP address and by carrying traffic that does not leak information about its source, destination, and nature. Such bots live symbiotically within the privacy infrastructures to evade detection, measurement, scale estimation, observation, and in general all IP-based current mitigation techniques. Furthermore, we show that with an adequate self-healing network maintenance scheme, that is simple to implement, OnionBots achieve a low diameter and a low degree and are robust to partitioning under node deletions. We developed a mitigation technique, called SOAP, that neutralizes the nodes of the basic OnionBots. We also outline and discuss a set of techniques that can enable subsequent waves of Super OnionBots. In light of the potential of such botnets, we believe that the research community should proactively develop detection and mitigation methods to thwart OnionBots, potentially making adjustments to privacy infrastructure.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

Command & Control: Understanding, Denying and Detecting - A review of malware C2 techniques, detection and defences

In this survey, we first briefly review the current state of cyber attacks, highlighting significant recent changes in how and why such attacks are performed. We then investigate the mechanics of malware command and control (C2) establishment: we provide a comprehensive review of the techniques used by attackers to set up such a channel and to hide its presence from the attacked parties and the security tools they use. We then switch to the defensive side of the problem, and review approaches that have been proposed for the detection and disruption of C2 channels. We also map such techniques to widely-adopted security controls, emphasizing gaps or limitations (and success stories) in current best practices.Comment: Work commissioned by CPNI, available at c2report.org. 38 pages. Listing abstract compressed from version appearing in repor

Development of Information Technology Auditing Teaching Modules: An Interdisciplinary Endeavor between Seidenberg and Lubin Faculty

The original goals of the project were to develop interdisciplinary Information Technology (IT) Auditing teaching modules, to be integrated into courses offered by both Business and Information Technology disciplines during Fall 2009 and Spring 2010. IT Auditing is an interdisciplinary field which requires understanding audit, control, technology and security concepts in accordance with audit standards, guidelines, and best practices. Thus, IT Auditing requires interdisciplinary knowledge across IT and Accounting/Auditing domains. With increasing use of IT in business processes, the demand for IT Auditors is increasing rapidly, offering a lucrative career path. Acquiring IT Audit related knowledge and skills will help our students improve their career opportunities by exploring this growing field. Based upon the curriculum content areas of the CISA Exam as well as the ISACA Model Curriculum, we proposed the following three interdisciplinary teaching modules for IT Auditing: 1) IT Auditing Frameworks & Business Continuity; 2) IT Lifecycle Management & Service Delivery; and 3) Protection of Information Assets. We had developed the three teaching modules. Each individual module can be covered in one to two weeks. The entire set of three IT Auditing modules can then be covered in 3-4 weeks of class time. For each of the individual modules, we had developed presentation slides, reading lists and online quizzes based on the CISA Exam. We had also identified an overarching case study to be used throughout the three individual modules for continuity reasons