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Understanding Computer Security Threats

The document discusses different types of computer security attacks, including: 1. Attacking vulnerable software and infected machines to profit from spamming, denial of service attacks, and click fraud. 2. Stealing user credentials by injecting malware to steal banking and other passwords. 3. Spreading infections to isolated systems like industrial control systems, as with the Stuxnet attack.

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Harpreet Singh
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8 views8 pages

Understanding Computer Security Threats

The document discusses different types of computer security attacks, including: 1. Attacking vulnerable software and infected machines to profit from spamming, denial of service attacks, and click fraud. 2. Stealing user credentials by injecting malware to steal banking and other passwords. 3. Spreading infections to isolated systems like industrial control systems, as with the Stuxnet attack.

Uploaded by

Harpreet Singh
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Module 0.

Sample
attacks
The computer security
Two factors:
problem
Lots of buggy software (and gullible users)

Money can be made from finding and


exploiting vulns

1. Marketplace for vulnerabilities

2. Marketplace for owned machines (PPI)

3. Many methods to profit from owned client machines


current state of computer security
Why own machines:
1. IP address and bandwidth stealing

Attackers goal: look like a random Internet user

Use the IP address of infected machine or phone for:


Spam (e.g. the storm botnet)
Spamalytics: 1:12M pharma spams leads to purchase
1:260K greeting card spams leads to infection

Denial of Service: Services: 1 hour (20$), 24


hours (100$)
Click fraud (e.g. Clickbot.a)
Why own machines:
2. Steal user credentials and inject ads
keylog for banking passwords, web passwords, gaming
pwds.
Example: SilentBanker (and many like it)

User requests login page

Malware Bank sends login


injects page needed to
Javascript log in Bank
When user submits
information, also
sent to attacker Similar mechanism used
by Zeus botnet
Why own machines:
3. Spread to isolated systems
Example: Stuxnet
Windows infection
Siemens PCS 7 SCADA control
software on Windows
Siemens device controller on isolated
network
Server-side attacks
Financial data theft: often credit card numbers
Example: Target attack (2013), 140M CC numbers stolen
Many similar (smaller) attacks since 2000

Political motivation:
Aurora, Tunisia Facebook (Feb. 2011), GitHub (Mar. 2015)

Infect visiting users


Insider attacks: example
Hidden trap door in Linux (nov 2003)
Allows attacker to take over a computer
Practically undetectable change (uncovered via CVS logs)

Inserted line in wait4()


if ((options == (__WCLONE|__WALL)) && (current->uid = 0))

retval = -EINVAL;
Looks like a standard error check, but

See: [Link]
Many more examples
Access to SIPRnet and a CD-RW: 260,000
cables Wikileaks
SysAdmin for city of SF government.
Changed passwords, locking out city from router
access
Inside logic bomb took down 2000 UBS servers

Can security technology help?

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