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Question 1

Briefly explain the following computer crimes.

-Sniffer

a computer program that detects and records a variety of restricted information, especially the secret passwords needed to gain access to files or networks.

-Phishing

the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers

-Pharming

the fraudulent practice of directing Internet users to a bogus website that mimics the appearance of a legitimate one, in order to obtain personal information such as passwords, account numbers, etc.

-Spoofing

interfere with (radio or radar signals) so as to make them useless.

Question 2

A) Distinguish the TWO (2) methods for encrypting network traffic on the Web.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL): SSL and its successor Transport Layer Security (TLS) enable client and server computers to establish a secure connection session and manage encryption and decryption activities.

Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (S-HTTP) is another protocol used for encrypting data flowing over the Internet, but it is limited to individual messages.

B) Briefly explain the following terms.

Cyber warfare : the use of computer technology to disrupt the activities of a state or organization, especially the deliberate attacking of information systems for strategic or military purposes.

Computer Forensic : Computer forensics is the application of investigation and analysis techniques to gather and preserve evidence from a particular computing device in a way that is suitable for presentation in a court of law. The goal of computer forensics is to perform a structured investigation while maintaining a documented chain of evidence to find out exactly what happened on a computing device and who was responsible for it.

Question 3

A) Without protection against malware and intruders, connecting to the Internet could be very dangerous. Firewalls, intrusion detection system and antivirus software have become the tools to overcome this problem. Briefly explain these THREE (3) tools.

Firewalls : In computing, a firewall is software or firmware that enforces a set of rules about what data packets will be allowed to enter or leave a network. Firewalls are incorporated into a wide variety of networked devices to filter traffic and lower the risk that malicious packets traveling over the public internet can impact the security of a private network. Firewalls may also be purchased as stand-alone software applications.

Instrusion detection system : An intrusion detection system (IDS) is a system that monitors network traffic for suspicious activity and issues alerts when such activity is discovered. While anomaly detection and reporting is the primary function, some intrusion detection systems are capable of taking actions when malicious acitivity or anomalous traffic is detected, including blocking traffic sent from suspicious IP addresses.

Antivirus software : A program or set of programs that are designed to prevent, search for, detect, and remove software viruses, and other malicious software like worms, trojans, adware, and more.

B) Information systems controls is one of the components of an organizational framework for security and control. Information systems controls consist of two - general and application control. A company must know how and where to deploy security tools and security personnel must know what controls a company must have in place to protect its information system.

Contrast between General Controls and Application Controls.

General controls : Controls, other than application controls, that relate to the environment within which application systems are developed, maintained, and operated, and that are therefore applicable to all the applications at an institution. The objectives of general controls are to ensure the proper development and implementation of systems, and the integrity of program and data files and of computer operations. Like application controls, general controls may be either manual or programmed. Examples of general controls include the development and implementation of an IT strategy and an IT security policy, the organization of IT staff to separate conflicting duties and planning for disaster prevention and recovery.

Application controls : Application control is a security practice that blocks or restricts unauthorized applications from executing in ways that put data at risk. The control functions vary based on the business purpose of the specific application, but the main objective is to help ensure the privacy and security of data used by and transmitted between applications.

Application control includes completeness and validity checks, identification, authentication, authorization, input controls, and forensic controls, among others.

Completeness checks – controls ensure records processing from initiation to completion

Validity checks – controls ensure only valid data is input or processed

Identification – controls ensure unique, irrefutable identification of all users

Authentication – controls provide an application system authentication mechanism

Authorization – controls ensure access to the application system by approved business users only

Input controls – controls ensure data integrity feeds into the application system from upstream sources

Forensic controls – controls ensure scientifically and mathematically correct data, based on inputs and outputs

Simply put, application controls ensure proper coverage and the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the application and its associated data. With the proper application controls, businesses and organizations greatly reduce the risks and threats associated with application usage because applications are prevented from executing if they put the network or sensitive data at risk.

Question 4

Malicious Software programs are referred to as Malware. Describe FOUR (4) types of malicious software.

Spyware - Spyware is any technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge. On the Internet (where it is sometimes called a Spybot or tracking software), Spyware is programming that is put in someone's computer to secretly gather information about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties. Spyware can get in a computer as a software virus or as the result of installing a new program.

Worm - A worm is a self-replicating virus that does not alter files but duplicates itself. It is common for worms to be noticed only when their uncontrolled replication consumes system resources, slowing or halting other tasks.

Logic bomb - A logic bomb is programming code, inserted surreptitiously or intentionally, that is designed to execute (or "explode") under circumstances such as the lapse of a certain amount of time or the failure of a program user to respond to a program command. It is in effect a delayed-action computer virus or Trojan horse. A logic bomb, when "exploded," may be designed to display or print a spurious message, delete or corrupt data, or have other undesirable effects.

Malware - Malware (for "malicious software") is any program or file that is harmful to a computer user. Thus, malware includes computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and also Spyware, programming that gathers information about a computer user without permission.

Question 5

A) Nowadays securing information systems has become an important issue in organization to protect itself against computer crime.

Define computer crime and provide an appropriate example.

Computer crime describes a very broad category of offenses. Some of them are the same as non-computer offenses, such as larceny or fraud, except that a computer or the Internet is used in the commission of the crime. Others, like hacking, are uniquely related to computers. For example, introducing a virus or other contaminant into a computer system.

B) Briefly explain THREE (3) reasons why information systems are vulnerable to destruction, error and abuse?

With data concentrated into electronic form and many procedures invisible through automation, computerized information systems are vulnerable to destruction, misuse, error, fraud, and hardware or software failures. Corporate systems using the Internet are especially vulnerable because the Internet is designed to be an open system and makes internal corporate systems more vulnerable to actions from outsiders. Hackers can unleash denial of service (DoS) attacks or penetrate corporate networks to cause serious system disruptions. Wi-Fi networks can easily be penetrated by intruders using sniffer programs to obtain an address to access the resources of the network. Computer viruses and worms can spread rampantly from system to system, clogging computer memory or destroying programs and data. Software presents problems because software bugs may be impossible to eliminate and because software vulnerabilities can be exploited by hackers and malicious software. End users can introduce errors.

C) Discuss the THREE (3) most important tools and technology for safeguarding information resources.

-Token: A small gadget that displays a passcode used to authenticate a single user.

-Smart card: An ID card containing a chip formatted with access permission, a special card reader is needed to interpret the data on the chip.

-Biometric: The measurement of a unique physical or behavioral trait, such as voice, fingerprint, or iris

Question 6

a)Identity management software automates the process of keeping track of all information systems users and their system privileges, assigning each user a unique digital identity for accessing each system.

Define authentication.

Authentication is the process of recognizing a user’s identity. It is the mechanism of associating an incoming request with a set of identifying credentials. The credentials provided are compared to those on a file in a database of the authorized user’s information on a local operating system or within an authentication server.

b)Identify and briefly describe FOUR (4) authentication technologies.

-Password based authentication technologies.

-Certificate based authentication technologies.

-E-Token based authentication technologies.

-Biometric based authentication technologies

Question 7

a) Describe ransomware.

Ransomware is a type of malware that prevents you from using your computer or accessing certain files unless you pay a ransom. It often encrypts files so that they cannot be opened.

b) State how do we prevent and protect our computer from ransomware.

Do make sure that all systems and software are up-to-date with relevant patches. Exploit kits hosted on compromised websites are commonly used to spread malware. Regular patching of vulnerable software is necessary to help prevent infection. Moreover, do not provide personal information when answering an email, unsolicited phone call, text message or instant message. Phishers will try to trick employees into installing malware, or gain intelligence for attacks by claiming to be from IT. Be sure to contact your IT department if you or your coworkers receive suspicious calls.

c) Discuss the effects of computer crime to an organization.

Computer crime is becoming a big problem in our world today. Many of these crimes affect our jobs, our money, our community and our lives. Many people are being affected by fraud over the internet. There is a chance they can get their credit card number stolen or even their social security number, which could lead to the loss of their identity. It is not only just viruses messing up how we use the internet. People are stealing money, software, benefits, and much more. Many governmental agencies, such as Police Departments and Fire Departments, have important databases that are crucial for protection

CHAPTER 7 : SECURING INFORMATION SYSTEMS

A) Security isn’t simply a technology issue, it’s a business issue. Discuss.

Security is important issue because it affects the competitive and strategic issues of the company itself. As the lines between work and play due to the advances technology, it becomes more apparent that information security within the workplace is not just the IT department’s issue. Information or data is a information enabler it enables operations and productivity so the security of it should be viewed as essentials and promoted throughout the company but in more cases it is not.

B) Who poses the biggest security threat: insiders or outsiders?

Insiders, as they have access to sensitive information on a regular basis, and may know how that information is protected. If they want to steal it or leak it they can usually do so with far greater ease than outsiders. Furthermore, insiders may also accidentally leak data or otherwise put it at risk – something that outsiders typically cannot do. Whether by attaching the wrong file to an email being sent, oversharing on social media, losing a laptop or USB drive, or through some other mistake, insiders can put an organization's data at risk with little effort.

Policies and technology can help address this risk, but without it, problems are likely to occur. Also, from a practical standpoint, any sizeable organization is likely to have some employees who are unhappy at work – meaning that there may be people who have access to data and who have a motive for leaking it. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule – certain military systems that can be accessed only by people who have passed robust background checks and whose lives depend on one another, and which are constantly being bombarded by outside attacks, may be more at risk of being breached by an outsider than of having an insider intentionally cause a data leak. Data leaks originating from mistakes, however, are still a serious concern and are obviously more likely to occur as the result of an insider's actions than from those of an external party.

C) Suppose your business had an e-commerce Web site where it sold goods and accepted credit card payments. Discuss the major security threats to this Web site and their potential impact. What can be done to minimize these threats?

Malicious software and computer viruses are some of the biggest security threats to any E-commerce website. Viruses are normally from external sources and can corrupt files on website if introduced into the internal network. Viruses can completely destroy a computer system and disrupt the operations of the website. Trojan horse is malicious software that has the ability to capture the clients’ information, before any encryption software can take effect. They can also impersonate a customer and pass over bad and malicious codes into the server running the website.to avoid these viruses, Users should exercise reasonable precautions in order to minimize the introduction and spread of computer viruses onto the Rhodes networks. Virus scanning software should be used to check any software downloaded from the Internet or obtained from any questionable source. Virus protection software has to be installed on the computer; check frequently for virus signature updates; and actually scan the files on the PC.

CASE STUDY

1. Is cyberwarfare a serious problem? Why or why not?

Cyberwarfare has become a huge problem, not just in the U.S but globally.

Forms of Cyberwarfare

1.botnets,

2. massive networks of computers that they control thanks to spyware and other malware, to launch large-scale DDos attacks on their target’s servers.

Although these are just to name a few.

Most companies rely on the internet for emails and internet, and will soon become dependent on it. Cyber attacks will grow as technology grows, especially since the cost is relatively low. According to the article, “In July 2009, 27 American and South Korean government agencies and other organizations were hit by a DDoS attack.” Although this did not affect sensitive data it was an wakening alarm. The government has been aware of these cyberwarfare attacks and has taken action, by launching a program called the “Perfect Citizen.” According to the article Mike McConnell, “stated that if even a single large American bank were successfully attacked, ‘It would have an order-of-magnitude greater impact on the global economy.”

Sony did not know how to handle the breaching situation when it was happening.

They had poor communication with their customers.

Management did not take any responsibility and blamed it on a highly professional hackers.

Sony is a highly known company but did not invest money on a security detection.

Many around the world criticized Sony for not knowing what data was stolen from their company.

Lost over 100 million of it’s customers’ information such as:

Names, Dates of Birth, addresses, and even credit card numbers

As part of the attack they also took 75,000 million music codes and 3.5 million in coupons. The hackers deleted information from the logs so Sony authorized users were not able to see that data had been transferred. This was a letter that was sent out to customers, although it took them a while to notify them. Sony ended up spending $170 million having to purchase privacy protection for customers to make them feel safe after the breach. Many times companies don’t want to release information of attacks for the fear of bad reputation. Luckily no credit card numbers of customer information was used to conduct fraud. The case doesn’t mention it Sony lost customers, but what I can guess is that if it didn’t affect them much they are okay with it, and are happily playing!

2. What solutions are available for this problem? Do you think they will be effective? Why or why not?

The solution is the country must take an action to prevent from this problem to occur is computer crimes or rules should be established maybe in combination with an organization monitoring the cyberspace with large and serious consequences against states violoting these rules. Cyber weapons wont go away and their spread cant be controlled. Instead as we have done for other destructive technologies the world need to establish a set of principles to determine the proper conduct of governments regrading cyber conflict. They would dictate how to properly attribute cyber attacks so that we know with confidence who is responsible and they would guide how countries should respond.