Cryptology and

Network Security
 Outline
• Attacks, services and mechanisms
• Security attacks
• Security services
• Methods of Defense
• A model for Internetwork Security
• Internet standards and RFCs
 Attacks, Services and
Mechanisms
• Security Attack:
Any action that compromises the security of
information.
• Security Mechanism:
A mechanism that is designed to detect, prevent,
or recover from a security attack.
• Security Service:
A service that enhances the security of data
processing systems and information transfers.
A security service makes use of one or more
security mechanisms.
Security Attacks

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 Security Attacks
Interruption:
•This is an attack on availability.
•An asset of the system is destroyed.
•Destruction of hard disk, cutting of
commination line.
•Interception:
•This is an attack on confidentiality
•An unauthorized party gains access to an
asset
•Unauthorized copying of files or program.
• Modification:

• This is an attack on integrity.

• An unauthorized party not only gains access
to an asset but tempers with them.
• Changing values in data files, altering
program to perform differently.

• Fabrication:
• This is an attack on authenticity
• An unauthorized party inserts counterfeit
object into the system.
Passive Attacks
•Passive attacks are in the nature of eavesdropping on,
or monitoring of, transmissions.
•The goal of the opponent is to obtain information that
is being transmitted.
•Two types of passive attacks are
•Release of message contents and Traffic analysis.
The release of message contents
It involves :
(1)capturing the sensitive information that is sent via
emails or
(2)Tapping the conversation over the phone
Traffic analysis
•Here an intruder observes the frequency and the
length of the message being exchanged between the
communicating nodes.
•A passive attacker uses this information for guessing
the nature of the communication that was taking place.
Active Attacks
•Active attacks involve some modification of the data
stream or the creation of a false stream
•It can be sub divided into four categories:
•Masquerade
•Replay
•Modification of messages and
•Denial of service.
•A masquerade takes place when one entity pretends
to be a different entity
•Here an unauthorized entity tries to gain more
privileges than it is authorized for.
• Masquerade is done by stolen IDs and passwards
• Replay involves the passive capture of a data unit
and its subsequent retransmission to produce an
unauthorized effect
• Modification of messages
Means that some portion of a legitimate message
is altered, or that messages are delayed or
reordered, to produce an unauthorized effect

• For example, a message meaning "Allow John

Smith to read confidential file accounts" is
modified to mean "Allow Fred Brown to read
confidential file accounts. "
• Denial of service
• prevents the normal functioning or proper
management of communication facilities
• E.g.: a network server can be overloaded by
unwanted packets thus resulting in performance
degradation
• DOS attack can interrupt and slow down the
services of a network , or even completely jam a
network.
 Security Goals

Confidentiality

Integrity Avaliability
 Security Services
• Confidentiality (privacy)
• Availability (permanence, non-erasure)
• Integrity (has not been altered)
• Non-repudiation (the order is final)
• Access control (prevent misuse of resources)
• Authentication (who created or sent the data)
 Confidentiality (privacy)

• Maintaining the secrecy of the message being

transmitted over a network.
• Only between the sender and the intended receiver.
• Eavesdropper should not be able to read or modify
the contents of the message.
• Message should be transmitted in encrypted form to
achieve confidentiality.
 Integrity (has not been altered)

•Message sent over the network must reach the

intended receiver without any modification made to it
•If any changes are made, the receiver should be able
to detect it.
•Integrity can be achieved by attaching a checksum to
the message.
•Checksum ensures that an attacker cannot alter the
message hence integrity can be preserved.
 Availability (permanence, non-erasure)

•Information created and stored by an organization

should be available all the time to authorized user

Non-repudiation (the order is final)

•After a message has been sent or received the sender
and the receiver should not be able to deny the
sending and receiving of the message.
•The receiver should be able to prove that the message
has come from the intended sender and the contents
are the same as sent by the sender
Access control (prevent misuse of resources)

•The term access involves writing, reading, executing

and modifying
•It controls and determines who can access what
•It regulates which user has access to a resource, under
what circumstances the access is possible and which
operation the user can perform on the resource
 Authentication (who created or sent the
data)
•Determines whom we are communicating to.
•It ensures that the receiver has received the message
from actual sender and not the attacker.
•The receiver should be able to authenticate the
sender by sharing a common secret code word.
•Digital signatures or digital certificates.
 Model for network security
•When a message is to be transferred between two
parties(principals) A logical information channel is
established by defining a route through the internet
from source to destination
•Two principals uses two communicating protocols
(e.g., TCP/IP).
•The model consist of
•Message: Information to be transmitted over the
network.
•Principals :Communicating nodes(the sender &
receiver)
Security related transformation:
•It is the transformation made to the information to be sent,
so its unreachable to the intruders.
•E.g.(1)Encryption of message (2)Inserting a message to
verify the identity of the sender
•Secret Information:
•It is the information shared between two principals
•It is used while applying the transformation at both sender
& receiver side.
•Secure Message
•It is the message obtained after applying transformation.
•It contains the secret code that helps the receiver retrieve
original message
Logical information channel:
•It is the transmission route from source to destination
connected via a network.
•The route is established by the use of communicative
protocols by both parties.
Trusted parties :
•Responsible for transmitting the secret information to
two trusted parties ,protecting it from intruders
•It settles the disputes regarding the authenticity of a
message transmission between two parties.
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 Methods of Defence
• Encryption
• Software Controls (access limitations
in a data base, in operating system
protect each user from other users)
• Hardware Controls (smartcard)
• Policies (frequent changes of
passwords)
• Physical Controls
 Internet standards and
RFCs
• The Internet society
– Internet Architecture Board (IAB)
– Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
– Internet Engineering Steering Group
(IESG)
Internet RFC Publication
Process

Henric Johnson