MODULE 4
USER SECURITY
User Security: Policy, Access, Files and Devices, Processes,
Electronic Communications (Text 3: Chapter 18)
Prepared By:
Dr. Shruthi M
Associate Professor
Department of Electronics and Communication
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1. Policy
The components of users’ policies that we focus on are as follows:
U1. Only users have access to their accounts.
U2. No other user can read or change a file without the owner’s
permission.
U3. Users shall protect the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of
their files.
U4. Users shall be aware of all commands that they enter, or that are
entered on their behalf.
2. Access
Component U1 requires that users protect access to their accounts.
Consider the ways in which users gain access to their accounts. These
points of entry are ideal places for attackers to attempt to masquerade as
users. Hence, they form the first locus of users’ defenses.
Passwords
Writing down passwords is popularly considered to be dangerous. In
reality, the degree of danger depends on the environment in which the
system is accessed and on the manner in which the password is recorded.
Example: The isolated system used to create the CD-ROM is stored in
a locked room accessible only to authorized users.
It has no network or phone connections and can be accessed only
physically from within the room.
The role account password is written on a whiteboard in the room;
since only authorized users can access the room and others are monitored,
this satisfies policy U1.
Users with accounts on many systems often reuse passwords, follow
patterns, or write them down.
On the development network, centralized user databases cause
password reuse across systems.
Administrators may still have separate accounts on systems that don’t
use centralized authentication and must take extra care to protect those
passwords.
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The Login Procedure
To log in, the user must supply her login name and authentication
information. First, the user obtains a prompt at which she can enter the
information. She then logs in.
Because many systems lack mutual authentication, attackers can place
a fake login program at the access point.
This Trojan program mimics the real login prompt and captures the
user’s username and reusable password.
Simple versions just record the credentials and then trigger a real
login, causing the user to re-enter the password.
More advanced versions capture the credentials and automatically pass
them to the real login process, making the attack invisible.
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3. Files and Devices
Users keep information and programs in files. This makes file protection
a security mechanism that users can manipulate to refine the protection
afforded their data. Similarly, users manipulate the system through
devices of various types. Their protection is to some degree under the
user’s control.
3.1 Files
Users must protect confidentiality and integrity of the files to satisfy
policy component U2. To this end, they use the protection capabilities
of the system to constrain access. Complicating the situation are the
interpretation of permissions on the containing directories.
EXAMPLE: Peter wants Deborah to read his file design but block all
other users.
UNIX ACL-style mechanisms allow three options:
1. Shared group: Put Peter and Deborah in the same group; make the file
readable only by that group.
2. Deborah’s group: If allowed, Peter can assign the file to Deborah’s
group and give that group read permission.
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3. Directory permissions: Restrict search/access on the containing
directory to Peter and Deborah’s group; the file itself can be readable by
all, but only Peter and Deborah can reach it.
File Permissions on Creation
Many systems allow users to specify a template of permissions to be
given to a file when it is created. The owner can then modify this set as
required.
Group Access
Group access provides a selected set of users with the same access
rights. The problem is that the membership of the group is not under
the control of the owner of the file. This has an advantage and a
disadvantage.
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File Deletion
A user deletes a file. Either the file data or the file name is discarded. The
effects of these differ widely. Computer systems store files on disk. The
file attribute table contains information about the file. The file mapping
table contains information that allows the operating system to locate the
disk blocks that compose the file. Systems represent a file being in a
directory in a variety of ways.
3.2 Devices
Users communicate with the system through devices. The devices may be
virtual, such as network ports, or physical, such as terminals. Policy
components U1 and U4 require that these devices be protected so that the
user can control what commands are sent to the system in her name and so
that others are prevented from seeing her interactions.
Writable Devices
Devices that allow any user to write to them can pose serious
security problems. Unless necessary for the correct functioning of
the system, devices should restrict write access as much as
possible.
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Smart Terminals
A smart terminal provides built-in mechanisms for performing special
functions. Most importantly, a smart terminal can perform a block send.
Using this mode, a pro cess can instruct a terminal to send a set of
characters that are printed on the screen. The instructions are simply a
sequence of characters that the process sends to the terminal.
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Monitors and Window Systems
Window systems provide a graphical user interface to a system. Typically, a
process called the window manager controls what is displayed on the
monitor and accepts input from input devices. Other processes, called
clients, register with the window manager. They can then receive input from
the window manager and send output to the window manager. The window
manager draws the output on the monitor screen if appropriate. The window
manager is also responsible for routing input to the correct client.
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4. Processes
Processes manipulate objects, including files. Policy component U3
requires the user to be aware of how processes manipulate files. This
section examines several aspects of this requirement.
Copying and Moving Files
Copying a file duplicates its contents. The semantics of the copy command
deter mine if the file attributes are also copied. If the attributes are not
copied, the user may need to take steps to preserve the integrity and
confidentiality of the file.
Accidentally Overwriting Files
Part of policy component U3 is to protect users from themselves.
Sometimes people make mistakes when they enter commands. These
mistakes can have unpleasant consequences.
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Encryption, Cryptographic Keys, and Passwords
o Encryption depends on trust.
o On a multiuser system, encryption keys can be exposed if someone can read memory or
swap space.
o Anyone who can modify encryption programs or system tools can access keys or
cleartext.
o Therefore, unless privileged users and system security are trusted, sensitive data should
never be stored on the system in cleartext.
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Start-up Settings
Privileges
Malicious Logic
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5. Electronic Communications
Electronic communications deserves discussion to emphasize the
importance of users understanding basic security precautions. Electronic
mail may pass through firewalls.
Automated Electronic Mail Processing
Some users automate the processing of electronic mail. When mail arrives,
a program determines how to handle it. The mail may be stored for the user,
or it may be interpreted as a sequence of commands causing execution of
either programs already on the system or part of the content of the message,
or both. The danger is that the execution may have unintended side effects.
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Failure to Check Certificates
Electronic signatures can be misleading. In particular, a certificate may
validate a signature, but the certificate itself may be compromised, invalid,
or expired. Mail reading programs must notify the user of these problems,
as well as provide a mechanism for allowing the user to validate
certificates.
Sending Unexpected Content
Attachments to electronic mail may contain data of which the sender is not
aware. When these files are sent, the recipient may see more than the
sender intended.
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