Digital Commons Network^™

Paper Session V: Steganography And Terrorist Communications - Current Information And Trends - Tools, Analysis And Future Directions In Steganalysis In Context With Terrorists And Other Criminals, William Eyre, Marcus Rogers

Annual ADFSL Conference on Digital Forensics, Security and Law

In ancient times, users communicated using steganography, “…derived from the Greek words steganos, meaning ‘covered’, and graphein, meaning ‘to write.’” (Singh, 1999, p.5) Steganography facilitates secret, undetected communication. In modern times, in the context of the Global War on Terror, national intelligence and law enforcement agencies need tools to detect hidden information (steganography) in various types of media, most specifically to uncover the placement of hidden information in images. This paper will look at steganography in general terms, presenting the theory of some common steganographic techniques and touching on some theoretical work in steganography. Then a discussion of how to …

Personal Firewalls - Testing Robustness, Patryk Szewczyk, Craig Valli

Australian Digital Forensics Conference

Consumers require personal firewalls that are highly secure, easy to use, configurable and uptodate with the latest signatures to detect malicious network activity. Robustness tests were performed on a selection of the ten most popular firewalls by market share. The test system used was a vanilla installation of Windows XP with SP2 and all the most recent updates and patches. Each firewall was installed with its default configuration following the didactic instructions given by the firewall. The investigation was carried out by performing an installation, penetration, performance and update test. A third party bitTorrent application was also installed mimicking a …

Considerations On Deception Techniques Used In Political And Product Marketing, Carlo Kopp

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

This paper explores three deception techniques which are widely used in political and product marketing. These techniques are ‘deception by omission’, ‘deception by saturation’ and the use of ‘deception by spin’. These techniques are newly analysed in the framework of the four canonical strategies of Information Warfare and Shannon’s capacity and entropy theorems, and their respective strengths and weaknesses established. Specific strategies for the defeat of these deception techniques are discussed.

Information Terrorism In The New Security Environment, Ken Webb

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Over the years there have been many interpretations of what constitutes Information Terrorism. This paper examines the correlation/relationship between Information Warfare and Terrorism, and describes what is considered to be Information Terrorism now. It achieves this by outlining the threat’s impact, advantage and capability. It then examines the positives that can be derived from such and, based on the literature available on the subject, provides a deduced interpretation of what Information Terrorism is. The paper concludes with remarks supporting the assertion that Information Terrorism is a major dynamic and asymmetric threat contributing to a new national security environment.

Taxonomy Of Computer Forensics Methodologies And Procedures For Digital Evidence Seizure, Krishnun Sansurooah

Australian Digital Forensics Conference

The increase risk and incidence of computer misuse has raised awareness in public and private sectors of the need to develop defensive and offensives responses. Such increase in incidence of criminal, illegal and inappropriate computer behavior has resulted in organizations forming specialist teams to investigate these behaviors. There is now widespread recognition of the importance of specialised forensic computing investigation teams that are able to operate. Forensics analysis is the process of accurately documenting and interpreting information more precisely digital evidence for the presentation to an authoritative group and in most cases that group would be a court of law. …

Mediated Identification, D T. Shaw

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Identity and identification are linked by variable meanings and applications and are essential in many remote transactions. Identification relying on mediation or third party intervention may be modified or withdrawn at will. Creating or reestablishing identity may require time and resources including artefacts such as the identity card usually sourced from a third party. The characteristics of the identification process and artefacts are discussed and the requirements of usermediated identification artefacts are explored. The implicit link between user identity and artefact identity may be broken under certain circumstances.

Electronic Records Management Criteria And Information Security, A Shaw, David T. Shaw

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Records management practices are mandatory in many business and government operations. Records management is a mature discipline with extensive body of knowledge, professional associations and clearly defined Australian and international standards. Records systems encompass the hardware, software and people necessary for operation and include records generated by and for the system. The Australian legal system has clearly defined standards for admissible evidence in the Evidence Act. Relevant records may require substantial preparation for submission and yet be inadmissible in legal proceedings. The records and system may be challenged in both theoretical and practical senses and appropriate practices and associated records …

Deception On The Network: Thinking Differently About Covert Channels, Maarten Van Horenbeeck

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

The concept of covert channels has been visited frequently by academia in a quest to analyse their occurrence and prevention in trusted systems. This has lead to a wide variety of approaches being developed to prevent and identify such channels and implement applicable countermeasures. However, little of this research has actually trickled down into the field of operational security management and risk analysis. Quite recently a number of covert channels and enabling tools have appeared that did have a significant impact on the operational security of organizations. This paper identifies a number of those channels and shows the relative ease …

An Information Operation Model And Classification Scheme, D T. Shaw, S Cikara

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Information systems are used in overt and covert conflict and information operations target an opponent’s ability to manage information in support of operations for political, commercial and military advantage. System level attacks are complicated by logistic problems that require resources, command and control. Node level attacks are practical but of limited value. Collocated equipment comprises a temporary node that may be feasibly attacked. Estimation of IW operation merits may founder on the difficulty of predicting the net benefit for the costs. Starting from with Shannon’s model, a simple costbenefit model is discussed. Existing models are extended by an IW attack …

A Fuzzy Approach For Detecting Anomalous Behaviour In E-Mail Traffic, Mark Jynhuey Lim, Michael Negnevitsky, Jacky Hartnett

Australian Digital Forensics Conference

This paper investigates the use of fuzzy inference for detection of abnormal changes in email traffic communication behaviour. Several communication behaviour measures and metrics are defined for extracting information on the traffic communication behaviour of email users. The information from these behaviour measures is then combined using a hierarchy of fuzzy inference systems, to provide an abnormality rating for overall changes in communication behaviour of suspect email accounts. The use of fuzzy inference is then demonstrated with a case study investigating the email traffic behaviour of a person’s email accounts from the Enron email corpus.

A Study Of The Compliance Of Alarm Installations In Perth, Western Australia: Are Security Alarm Systems Being Installed To Australian Standard As2201.1 – “Systems Installed In A Client's Premises.”, Robert E. Mclaughlin, David J. Brooks

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

This study presented an overview of the training available to intruder alarm installers. A survey of domestic and commercial intruder alarm systems (n=20) were completed across Perth, Western Australia, metropolitan area. The gathered data were evaluated against Australian Standard AS2201.1 for intruder alarm systems, to determine whether alarm installations comply with two parts of the standard, being that of control panel location and zone supervision. AS2201.1 requires that intruder alarm control equipment shall be located within the alarmed area, located outside the entry/exit point and operate as dual endofline supervision. The study presents significant findings into the compliance of installed …

Security Risk Assessment: Group Approach To A Consensual Outcome, Ben Beard, David J. Brooks

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

AS/NZS4360:2004 suggests that the risk assessment process should not be conducted or information gathered in isolation. This insular method of data collection may lead to inaccurate risk assessment, as stakeholders with vested interests may emphasise their own risks or game the risk assessment process. The study demonstrated how a consensual risk assessment approach may result in a more acceptable risk assessment outcome when compared to individual assessments. The participants were senior managers at a West Australian motel located on the West Coast Highway, Scarborough. The motel consists of four three storey blocks of units, resulting in a total of 75 …

Terrorism As Opiniotainment: Perceptions Warriors And The Public Battlefield, Luke Howie

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Terrorism continues to have a significant impact on the lives of Australians. Whilst Australian cities remain untargeted during this present wave of terrorism, many Australians perceive the threat to be significant. Terrorism is offered for consumption daily in the news media and many Australians have seen the images of terrorism. In addition to television images, media consumers have been inundated with terrorism reporting on talkback radio, in feature films, and in newspapers. What impact does the perceptions wars on terrorism have on Australian society? Are the public more or less knowledgeable because of public debate? These are questions that need …

Information Terrorism: Networked Influence, W Hutchinson

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

The advent of digital information technology heralded the concept of information warfare. This ‘preliminary’ stage in the 1990s really consisted of technology warfare where the networks, upon which combat relied, were seen as weapons to gain ‘information superiority’. This was the inception of the technological aspect of Information Warfare. The realisation of the effectiveness of electronic networks to optimize organisational communication was taken up by industry, the military and terrorist groups alike. As society quickly became more reliant on digital networks to run its critical functions, it became apparent that this infrastructure was vulnerable and needed protection (as well as …

The Awareness And Perception Of Spyware Amongst Home Pc Computer Users, M Jaeger, N L. Clarke

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Spyware is a major threat to personal computer based data confidentiality, with criminal elements utilising it as a positive moneymaking device by theft of personal data from security unconscious home internet users. This paper examines the level of understanding and awareness of home computer users to Spyware. An anonymous survey was distributed via email invitation with 205 completed surveys. From an analysis of the survey it was found that the majority of respondents do understand what Spyware is, however, there was found to be a lack of understanding of computer security in defending against Spyware, with 20% of survey respondents …

Assessing End-User Awareness Of Social Engineering And Phishing, A Karakasiliotis,, S M. Furnell, M Papadaki

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Social engineering is a significant problem involving technical and nontechnical ploys in order to acquire information from unsuspecting users. This paper presents an assessment of user awareness of such methods in the form of email phishing attacks. Our experiment used a webbased survey, which presented a mix of 20 legitimate and illegitimate emails, and asked participants to classify them and explain the rationale for their decisions. This assessment shows that the 179 participants were 36% successful in identifying legitimate emails, versus 45% successful in spotting illegitimate ones. Additionally, in many cases, the participants who identified illegitimate emails correctly could not …

Global Reach: Terrorists And The Internet, Simon O'Rourke

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

The use of the Internet by terrorists appears to diverge into two distinct modes neither of which is mutually exclusive. The first aligns to the view that terrorists will use the Internet as a platform to launch cyber attacks against critical infrastructure nodes as well as key government and private sector networks. This paper discusses the alternate mode that being the primary use of the Internet by terrorists will be to recruit, train, communicate and gain information about potential targets by conducting virtual reconnaissance. It will examine the nexus between the virtual world and the physical threat that is manifested …

Conceptual Modelling: Choosing A Critical Infrastructure Modelling Methodology, Graeme Pye, Matthew J. Warren

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

This paper reports on further research undertaken regarding systems modelling as applied to critical infrastructure systems and networks and builds upon the initial modelling research of Pye and Warren (2006a). We discuss system characteristics, inter-relationships, dynamics and modelling of similar systems and why modelling of a critical infrastructure is important. In overview we compare four modelling methods and techniques previously used to model similar systems and discuss their potential transference to model critical infrastructure systems, before selecting the most promising and suitable for modelling critical infrastructure systems for further research.

Engineering A Suburban Ad-Hoc Network, Mike Tyson, Ronald D. Pose, Carlo Kopp, Mohammad Rokonuzzaman, Muhammad Mahmudul Islam

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

Networks are growing in popularity, as wireless communication hardware, both fixed and mobile, becomes more common and affordable. The Monash Suburban Ad-Hoc Network (SAHN) project has devised a system that provides a highly secure and survivable ad-hoc network, capable of delivering broadband speeds to co-operating users within a fixed environment, such as a residential neighbourhood, or a campus. The SAHN can be used by residents within a community to exchange information, to share access to the Internet, providing last-mile access, or for local telephony and video conferencing. SAHN nodes are designed to be self-configuring and selfmanaging, relying on no experienced …

Tags At War: A Review Of The United States Department Of Defence Rfid Tag Data Standard, Uros Urosevic, Christopher Bolan

Australian Information Warfare and Security Conference

The U.S. Department of Defence have mandated the use of RFID technology in their procurement and supply systems. To enable compatibility across civilian contractors and suppliers and military systems the US DOD RFTag Data Format 2.0 specification has been implemented. This paper outlines the features of this standard and the possible security implications of its adoption.

Wright State University College Of Engineering And Computer Science Bits And Pcs Newsletter, Volume 22, Number 6, April 2006, College Of Engineering And Computer Science, Wright State University

BITs and PCs Newsletter

A six page newsletter created by the Wright State University College of Engineering and Computer Science that addresses the current affairs of the college.

Information Visualization Methods And Techniques Using Web Services, Kevin Dupigny

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Data, even in small amounts, can be difficult to interpret quickly and efficiently. Data domains are continually expanding and making this data available and usable in collaborative data environment is a challenge that was not addressed by legacy systems. Such a framework would make the existence of a global information sharing system feasible. Visualizing this complex dataset presents a complex task for current static interface solutions. A flexible layered service oriented model is presented in this work to approach this challenge. The visual scope of human perception is largely untapped by today's data visualization applications. Human mental processes are adept …

An Interactive Relaxation Approach For Anomaly Detection And Preventive Measures In Computer Networks, Garrick A. Bell

Theses and Dissertations

It is proposed to develop a framework of detecting and analyzing small and widespread changes in specific dynamic characteristics of several nodes. The characteristics are locally measured at each node in a large network of computers and analyzed using a computational paradigm known as the Relaxation technique. The goal is to be able to detect the onset of a worm or virus as it originates, spreads-out, attacks and disables the entire network. Currently, selective disabling of one or more features across an entire subnet, e.g. firewalls, provides limited security and keeps us from designing high performance net-centric systems. The most …

A Comparative Analysis Of Air-To-Ground Engagement Outcomes In The Joint Warfare System (Jwars) And The Jwars-Joint Semi-Automated Forces Federation, Melissa Anne St. Peter

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Multi-resolution modeling is the process by which a single model is created by connecting multiple individual models to describe phenomena at different levels of resolution [1]. "When we change resolutions, replacing a detailed model by a more aggregate one, we must ask whether results are 'consistent'" [2].

There are many methods of determining if the results of two simulations are 'consistent'. However, they are very entailed and require a detailed understanding of the individual models including their functionality, algorithms, and inner workings. A straight forward and rapid way of assessing potential inconsistencies is through a statistical comparison of the model …

Bda Enhancement Methodology Using Situational Parameter Adjustments, Michael V. Carras Jr.

Theses and Dissertations

In the context of close ground combat, the perception of Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) is closely linked with a soldier’s engagement decisions and has significant effects on the battlefield. Perceived BDA is also one of the most complex and uncertain processes facing the soldier in live combat. As a result, the modeling and simulation community has yet to adequately model the perceived BDA process in combat models. This research effort examines the BDA process from a perception standpoint and proposes a methodology to collect the pertinent data and model this perception in the Army’s current force-on-force model, CASTFOREM. A subject …

An Adaptable Energy-Efficient Medium Access Control Protocol For Wireless Sensor Networks, Justin T. Kautz

Theses and Dissertations

Wireless networks have become ubiquitous recently and therefore their usefulness has also become more extensive. Wireless sensor networks (WSN) detect environmental information with sensors in remote settings. One problem facing WSNs is the inability to resupply power to these energy-constrained devices due to their remoteness. Therefore to extend a WSN's effectiveness, the lifetime of the network must be increased by making them as energy efficient as possible. An energy efficient medium access control (MAC) can boost a WSN's lifetime. This research creates a MAC protocol called Adaptive sensor Medium Access Control (AMAC) which is based on Sensor Medium Access Control …

Wright State University College Of Engineering And Computer Science Bits And Pcs Newsletter, Volume 22, Number 5, February 2006, College Of Engineering And Computer Science, Wright State University

BITs and PCs Newsletter

A six page newsletter created by the Wright State University College of Engineering and Computer Science that addresses the current affairs of the college.

A Modular Onboard Processing System For Small Unmanned Vehicles, Richard D. Garcia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This work describes the design and implementation of a generic lightweight onboard processing system for miniature Unmanned Vehicles (UVs) that is computationally powerful and highly adaptable. First, several classical approaches to giant scale and full size UV onboard processing systems are described along with their corresponding limitations. Second, a detailed study is presented that describes the key characteristics of an onboard system along with associated limitations. Next, an implementation of a generic onboard system capable of vision processing and servo based control is presented along with detailed hardware specifications and implementation software. Last, experimental data, both laboratory and field, are …

Wright State University College Of Engineering And Computer Science Bits And Pcs Newsletter, Volume 22, Number 4, January 2006, College Of Engineering And Computer Science, Wright State University

BITs and PCs Newsletter

A ten page newsletter created by the Wright State University College of Engineering and Computer Science that addresses the current affairs of the college.

Modeling Autonomous Agents In Military Simulations, Varol Kaptan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Simulation is an important tool for prediction and assessment of the behavior of complex systems and situations. The importance of simulation has increased tremendously during the last few decades, mainly because the rapid pace of development in the field of electronics has turned the computer from a costly and obscure piece of equipment to a cheap ubiquitous tool which is now an integral part of our daily lives. While such technological improvements make it easier to analyze well-understood deterministic systems, increase in speed and storage capacity alone are not enough when simulating situations where human beings and their behavior are …