Dynamic deployment of context-aware access control policies for constrained security devices

Securing the access to a server, guaranteeing a certain level of protection over an encrypted communication channel, executing particular counter measures when attacks are detected are examples of security requirements. Such requirements are identi ed based on organizational purposes and expectations in terms of resource access and availability and also on system vulnerabilities and threats. All these requirements belong to the so-called security policy. Deploying the policy means enforcing, i.e., con guring, those security components and mechanisms so that the system behavior be nally the one speci ed by the policy. The deployment issue becomes more di cult as the growing organizational requirements and expectations generally leave behind the integration of new security functionalities in the information system: the information system will not always embed the necessary security functionalities for the proper deployment of contextual security requirements. To overcome this issue, our solution is based on a central entity approach which takes in charge unmanaged contextual requirements and dynamically redeploys the policy when context changes are detected by this central entity. We also present an improvement over the OrBAC (Organization-Based Access Control) model. Up to now, a controller based on a contextual OrBAC policy is passive, in the sense that it assumes policy evaluation triggered by access requests. Therefore, it does not allow reasoning about policy state evolution when actions occur. The modi cations introduced by our work overcome this limitation and provide a proactive version of the model by integrating concepts from action speci cation languages

Network Security Concepts, Dangers, and Defense Best Practical

In today's highly interconnected world, network security has become a critical aspect of protecting organizations from cyber-attacks. The increasing sophistication of attackers and their ability to exploit software and firmware vulnerabilities pose significant dangers to the security of networks. However, many organizations often neglect the essential steps required to secure their networks, leading to an increased risk of security breaches. In this research article, we aim to address this issue by investigating network security concepts, potential dangers, and practical defense strategies. We begin by exploring the different types of cyber-attacks and their sources, highlighting the various ways attackers exploit network vulnerabilities. We also examine the reasons why organizations often overlook network security and the consequences of not prioritizing it. To better understand the complexity of network security, we categorize the different security concerns using the CIA (confidentiality, integrity, and availability) triangle. This approach allows us to identify the various areas of vulnerability and their potential impact on network security. Next, we focus on the most crucial basic concepts and steps involved in various network security operations. We outline the best practices and practical approaches organizations can take to improve their network security, including implementing security policies and procedures, using encryption and authentication methods, and conducting regular security assessments. By highlighting the importance of network security and providing practical guidance on how organizations can defend against cyber-attacks, we hope to raise awareness and help prevent security breaches. Keywords: Network, Internet, Security, Security Threats, IP Address, Network Attack, Attackers DOI: 10.7176/CEIS/14-2-03 Publication date:March 31st 202

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

Defense in Depth: Multilayer of security

Many types and methodologies of attacks have been developed in order to target the victims in different ways affecting its resources and assets. This paper reviews the defense in depth concept that has been developed in which multilayer of security controls are implemented to protect resources and assets from such attackers through consuming all the resources and capabilities of the attacker before malicious activities affect such targeted resources and assets

E-Commerce/Network Security Considerations

E-Commerce security issues can be grouped under the categories of system availability, data integrity, and data privacy. System availability means that all necessary components are available to support a given users transmission requirements. Data integrity means that all valid messages that are sent are received, messages are not altered in such as way as to make them invalid, and unauthorized messages are not introduced and transmitted over the network. Data privacy means that transmitted messages contain only 'need to know' information and are seen only by their intended audience. Enterprise network security is typically reactive, and relies heavily on host security. This approach creates complicated interactions between protocols and systems that can cause incorrect behavior and slow response to attacks. Network security at both the e-commerce and customer sites must be constantly reviewed and suitable countermeasures must be planned. The security of a site depends on the security of the internal systems and the security of external networks

Security comparison of ownCloud, Nextcloud, and Seafile in open source cloud storage solutions

Cloud storage has become one of the most efficient and economical ways to store data over the web. Although most organizations have adopted cloud storage, there are numerous privacy and security concerns about cloud storage and collaboration. Furthermore, adopting public cloud storage may be costly for many enterprises. An open-source cloud storage solution for cloud file sharing is a possible alternative in this instance. There is limited information on system architecture, security measures, and overall throughput consequences when selecting open-source cloud storage solutions despite widespread awareness. There are no comprehensive comparisons available to evaluate open-source cloud storage solutions (specifically owncloud, nextcloud, and seafile) and analyze the impact of platform selections. This thesis will present the concept of cloud storage, a comprehensive understanding of three popular open-source features, architecture, security features, vulnerabilities, and other angles in detail. The goal of the study is to conduct a comparison of these cloud solutions so that users may better understand the various open-source cloud storage solutions and make more knowledgeable selections. The author has focused on four attributes: features, architecture, security, and vulnerabilities of three cloud storage solutions ("ownCloud," "Nextcloud," and "Seafile") since most of the critical issues fall into one of these classifications. The findings show that, while the three services take slightly different approaches to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, they all achieve the same purpose. As a result of this research, the user will have a better understanding of the factors and will be able to make a more informed decision on cloud storage options

Navigating the Cyber Threat Landscape: A Comprehensive Analysis of Attacks and Security in the Digital Age

In this contemporary digital age, cybersecurity stands as a crucial linchpin amid the expanding role of technology in our lives, encountering numerous challenges. This review addresses the imperative need for robust cybersecurity measures as malicious actors continually innovate methods to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks, and data. The exploration delves into the multifaceted realm of cybersecurity attacks, unveiling the evolving threat landscape and their profound implications. From cybercriminals utilizing phishing attacks to the covert tactics of malware and the disruptive potential of Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, including Phishing, Zero-Day Exploits, Man-in-the-Middle, and SQL Injection Attacks, the cybersecurity battleground is ever-expanding. The study systematically categorizes cyber threats, scrutinizes their distinctive characteristics, and elucidates the modus operandi of each attack type. Through a meticulous dissection of cybercriminal methods and motivations and a comprehensive evaluation of countermeasure efficacy, this review offers indispensable insights for securing our digital future in an era marked by escalating interconnectivity and technological dependence

Toward least-privilege isolation for software

Hackers leverage software vulnerabilities to disclose, tamper with, or destroy sensitive data. To protect sensitive data, programmers can adhere to the principle of least-privilege, which entails giving software the minimal privilege it needs to operate, which ensures that sensitive data is only available to software components on a strictly need-to-know basis. Unfortunately, applying this principle in practice is dif- �cult, as current operating systems tend to provide coarse-grained mechanisms for limiting privilege. Thus, most applications today run with greater-than-necessary privileges. We propose sthreads, a set of operating system primitives that allows �ne-grained isolation of software to approximate the least-privilege ideal. sthreads enforce a default-deny model, where software components have no privileges by default, so all privileges must be explicitly granted by the programmer. Experience introducing sthreads into previously monolithic applications|thus, partitioning them|reveals that enumerating privileges for sthreads is di�cult in practice. To ease the introduction of sthreads into existing code, we include Crowbar, a tool that can be used to learn the privileges required by a compartment. We show that only a few changes are necessary to existing code in order to partition applications with sthreads, and that Crowbar can guide the programmer through these changes. We show that applying sthreads to applications successfully narrows the attack surface by reducing the amount of code that can access sensitive data. Finally, we show that applications using sthreads pay only a small performance overhead. We applied sthreads to a range of applications. Most notably, an SSL web server, where we show that sthreads are powerful enough to protect sensitive data even against a strong adversary that can act as a man-in-the-middle in the network, and also exploit most code in the web server; a threat model not addressed to date

Computer Network Security- The Challenges of Securing a Computer Network

This article is intended to give the reader an overall perspective on what it takes to design, implement, enforce and secure a computer network in the federal and corporate world to insure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information. While we will be giving you an overview of network design and security, this article will concentrate on the technology and human factors of securing a network and the challenges faced by those doing so. It will cover the large number of policies and the limits of technology and physical efforts to enforce such policies

Detection of denial of service attacks using database queries

In the current intrusion detection world, most intrusion detection systems output data into flat files. This project was conducted in order to improve intrusion detection data and alerts by writing them into a database system and analyzing them with SQL. A database plug-in was developed that helps to transition the data from an intrusion detection system to a database. Storing, analyzing, categorizing, and accessing data are major advantages and reasons for using databases in intrusion detection. Security analysts have to constantly perform the difficult task of sorting through a haystack of attack alerts, many of which turn out to be inaccurate. It is possible to make the job of managing these alerts, analyzing data with high precision, and searching for attacks or intrusions easier by using SQL based analysis. In addition, a statistical analysis was conducted and proved that such a method can be effective in detecting intrusions and increasing the security of the network