Brad MotleyCSCI392Spring 2010.ppt

Brad Motley CSCI392 Spring 2010 Thesis “With our dependence on computers computing systems growing stronger every day, and the rapidly quickening pace of software and device capabilities, I will explain why ethical hacking is a necessary must-have that needs to be understood and applied, for the good of the community.” Problems Knowledge About the Topic of Ethical Hacking Advancements in Computing Technology Availability of Computer/Information Systems Increase in Malware Production Poor Decision Making Hacking “The act of circumventing computer security.” Black-Hat Unauthorized break-ins (malicious intent) White-Hat Debug or correct security vulnerabilities Gray-Hat Morally Ambiguous. Black-Hat skills, White-Hat tasks? 3:10 to Yuma Ethical Hacking “Fixing the system by compromising it” Often through destructive testing White-Hat Main focus: secure/protect IT systems Why is Ethical Hacking Significant? To ensure the protection and privacy of personally identifiable and/or sensitive information. The state of security on the internet is poor and the progress toward increased protection is slow. Ex: Defender’s Dilemma Defender’s Dilemma How to Utilize Ethical Hacking? Employ ethical hackers to assist in insuring network integrity But who do we hire and how do we know what to look for? Who to Hire? Trainees? Clean slate Record of knowledge Reformed Ex Black-Hats? Skills Real world experience (Insider Knowledge) Moral Issue? Potential Consequences Vulnerabilities Exploited Malware Infection Hackers gain access Network Downtime Sensitive Information Loss Lawsuits Bad Reputation Loss of Capital Conclusion “The Best Defense is a Good Offense” Employing ethical hackers to assist in Network Security is a great counter-measure. Their insider knowledge gives outsiders less of an “edge”. Other Facts Estimated that 90% of all Internet attacks would be deterred with current versions/updates. In 2008, 1 website hacked every 5 seconds. Other Facts Over the last 3-4