Analyzing internetsecurity

EC05.02a Internet Security Issues 1
E-Commerce I
Analyzing
Internet Security Issues

Security Risks
 Bugs
 Hackers
 Browser-Side Risks
 Interception of
Data

Bugs and Hackers
 Bugs allow unauthorized
users into main computer
systems
 Steal confidential
document
 Execute commands on
server to modify system
 Launch denial-of-service
attacks

Browser-Side Risks
Browser-Side Risks
Active Content That
 Crashes the browser
 Damages the user’s
system
 Breaches the user’s
privacy
 Creates annoyance

Interception of Data
 Eavesdroppers
operating via:
 Server’s side
 Customer’s side
 Through End-user’s ISP
 Through Server’s ISP
 Through either ISP’s
regional access provider

Firewalls
What are firewalls?
Packet filtering
Circuit level gateways
Application level
gateways
Stateful inspection

What are firewalls?
 A firewall is either a piece of hardware or a software
program that examines data as it passes into your
computer or network and discards it if it does not meet
certain criteria.
 Depending on the type of firewall used, this operation
may take place at different points in the path between the
source of the data and the application in your computer.
Different criteria will be used to examine the data, but the
basic operation remains the same for all firewalls.

Packet filtering firewalls
Packet filtering firewalls work by
examining data packets as they
attempt to pass through the firewall.
They compare them to a list of rules
based on the source of the data, its
intended destination, and the
connection port between the target
and source data.

Circuit level gateways
 The firewall keeps a record of requests for data that go
out, and only allows data in that matches that request.
 An advantage of this type of firewall is that since it acts
as the gateway to the network it is protecting, anyone
scanning the network from outside will see only the
address of the firewall and not the rest of its protected
network.
A circuit level gateway is a
firewall that only allows data
into its protected network
based on requests from
computers inside that network.

Application level gateways
 Application level gateways, also known
as proxies, are outwardly similar in
operation to circuit level gateways in
that they act as the only entrance into
or out of a protected network and deny
all non-requested data from outside.
The major difference is in the way they
handle information.
 A firewall using this method runs proxy
applications to view common types of
data before it is allowed through the
firewall.

Stateful inspection
 Stateful inspection is a
combination of packet filtering
with some elements of the
gateway methods.
 Essentially, it is a packet filter
firewall that examines more than
just the addresses and port
information of the data. Without
using proxies, it can imitate
some of the features of an
application gateway by viewing
the application specific data sent
in each packet.

What is spyware?
 Spyware is a category of computer
programs that attach themselves to the
computer’s operating system in various
ways.
 It can drain the life out of your computer's
processing power.
 It is designed to track users’ Internet habits
and nag them with unwanted sales offers
or generate traffic for the host Web site.

What is browser
hijacking?
 The most generally accepted description of browser
hijacking software is external code that changes your
Internet Explorer settings.
 Generally the home page will be changed and new
favorites will be added that point to sites of strange
content. In most cases, the hijacker will make registry
changes to the system, causing the home page to revert
back to the unwanted destination even if it is changed
manually.
 A browser hijacker may also disallow access to certain
web pages, for example the site of an anti-spyware
software manufacturer like Lavasoft. These programs
have also been known to disable antivirus and anti-
spyware software.

 They take advantage of Internet Explorer's (IE) ability to run ActiveX
scripts straight from a web page.
 Generally, these programs will request permission to install themselves
via a popup that loads when visiting a certain site. If the user
accidentally gives permission to install, IE will execute the program on
your computer and change your settings.
 Use security holes within Internet Explorer to install themselves
automatically without any user interaction at all.
 These can be launched from popup ad windows which the user has not
even intended to view.
 Make entries to the HOSTS file on your system.
 This special file directly maps DNS addresses (web URLs) to IP
addresses, so that every time you type a URL you are redirected to the
IP address of a sponsored search or porn site.
Characteristics of browser hijackers

 Some browser hijackers may also install themselves
onto your computer system as legitimate programs,
leaving an entry in the 'add-remove programs' list in the
control panel.
 There are many faces of browser hijacking, and to
combat the situation, you have to be aware of all tricks
and loopholes that make this scourge possible.
 Browser hijacking isn't necessarily a virus, and isn't
necessarily adware, so stopping it isn't necessarily best
left to software monitoring programs.
More Characteristics of
browser hijackers

Antivirus software
 Definition
 How to protect
yourself
 Purchasing
guidelines

Antivirus software definition
 Antivirus programs learn and memorize all of the
different replicating viral signatures that are already out
there (40,000 to date), and then compare the binary
signatures of incoming files against those already-known
viral signatures to see if anything suspect is lurking on
your computer.
 The software typically is kept running in the background
to check files and e-mail messages as they are
downloaded.
 A virus signature is a section of code that can be used to
identify a known virus.

Virus protection
 Install antivirus software and keep it
running in the background.
 Before downloading a file, make
sure the source is reputable.
 When you receive a disk, scan it
with antivirus software before using
it.
 Never open an e-mail attachment
unless the sender is known.
 Watch for information about the
latest virus threats.
 Keep your antivirus program up-to-
date.

Purchasing guidelines
 Use software that provides free weekly
updates.
 Use software that provides the coverage
necessary to maintain the computer’s
security.
 The two most popular brands:
 Symantec
 McAfee

Sources
 “Electronic Commerce.” 1999.
http://www.wapa.gov/CorpSrvs/procurmt/ecomm.htm (2 Jan 2006).
 Stein, Lincoln D. “WWW Security FAQ: What’s New.” 2000.
http://www.w3.org/Security/Faq/www-security-faq.html (2 Jan 2006)
 Strom, David. “The Challenge of Electronic Commerce: Selling Lemonade has
Never Been This Tough.” 2000.
http://www.strom.com/pubwork/ecommerce.html (2 Jan. 2006).
 “Bureau of Industry and Security.” US Department of Commerce
http://www.bis.doc.gov/ComplianceAndEnforcement/E-Commerce.htm (2 Jan
2006)
 Electronic Commerce NC WiseOwl
http://www.mywiseowl.com/articles/Electronic_commerce (2 Jan 2006)
 Kennedy, Dennis, An Internet Tool Kit for E-Commerce Law Jan 15, 2001 The
John Marshall Law School (2 Jan 2006)

Analyzing internetsecurity

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