Cyber Adversary Characterization

The wonders and advantages of modern age electronics and the World Wide Web have also, unfortunately, ushered in a new age of terrorism. The growing connectivity among secure and insecure networks has created new opportunities for unauthorized intrusions into sensitive or proprietary computer systems. Some of these vulnerabilities are waiting to be exploited, while numerous others already have. Everyday that a vulnerability or threat goes unchecked greatly increases an attack and the damage it can cause. Who knows what the prospects for a cascade of failures across US infrastructures could lead to. What type of group or individual would exploit this vulnerability, and why would they do it? "Inside the Mind of a Criminal Hacker" sets the stage and cast of characters for examples and scenarios such as this, providing the security specialist a window into the enemy’s mind - necessary in order to develop a well configured defense. Written by leading security and counter-terrorism experts, whose experience include first-hand exposure in working with government branches & agencies (such as the FBI, US Army, Department of Homeland Security), this book sets a standard for the fight against the cyber-terrorist. Proving, that at the heart of the very best defense is knowing and understanding your enemy. * This book will demonstrate the motives and motivations of criminal hackers through profiling attackers at post attack and forensic levels. * This book is essential to those who need to truly "know thy enemy" in order to prepare the best defense. * . The breadth of material in "Inside the Criminal Mind" will surprise every security specialist and cyber-terrorist buff of how much they do and (more importantly) don't know about the types of adversaries they stand to face.

The objective of this SMS effort is to provide a probabilistic characterization of adversary behavior in cyber security. This includes both quantitative (data analysis) and qualitative (literature review) components. A set of real LLNL email data was obtained for this study, consisting of several years worth of unfiltered traffic sent to a selection of addresses at ciac.org. The email data was subjected to three interrelated analyses: a textual study of the header data and subject matter, an examination of threats present in message attachments, and a characterization of the maliciousness of embedded URLs.

This book is intended to give researchers and practitioners in the cross-cutting fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning (AI/ML) and cyber security up-to-date and in-depth knowledge of recent techniques for improving the vulnerabilities of AI/ML systems against attacks from malicious adversaries. The ten chapters in this book, written by eminent researchers in AI/ML and cyber-security, span diverse, yet inter-related topics including game playing AI and game theory as defenses against attacks on AI/ML systems, methods for effectively addressing vulnerabilities of AI/ML operating in large, distributed environments like Internet of Things (IoT) with diverse data modalities, and, techniques to enable AI/ML systems to intelligently interact with humans that could be malicious adversaries and/or benign teammates. Readers of this book will be equipped with definitive information on recent developments suitable for countering adversarial threats in AI/ML systems towards making them operate in a safe, reliable and seamless manner.

We depend on information and information technology (IT) to make many of our day-to-day tasks easier and more convenient. Computers play key roles in transportation, health care, banking, and energy. Businesses use IT for payroll and accounting, inventory and sales, and research and development. Modern military forces use weapons that are increasingly coordinated through computer-based networks. Cybersecurity is vital to protecting all of these functions. Cyberspace is vulnerable to a broad spectrum of hackers, criminals, terrorists, and state actors. Working in cyberspace, these malevolent actors can steal money, intellectual property, or classified information; impersonate law-abiding parties for their own purposes; damage important data; or deny the availability of normally accessible services. Cybersecurity issues arise because of three factors taken together - the presence of malevolent actors in cyberspace, societal reliance on IT for many important functions, and the presence of vulnerabilities in IT systems. What steps can policy makers take to protect our government, businesses, and the public from those would take advantage of system vulnerabilities? At the Nexus of Cybersecurity and Public Policy offers a wealth of information on practical measures, technical and nontechnical challenges, and potential policy responses. According to this report, cybersecurity is a never-ending battle; threats will evolve as adversaries adopt new tools and techniques to compromise security. Cybersecurity is therefore an ongoing process that needs to evolve as new threats are identified. At the Nexus of Cybersecurity and Public Policy is a call for action to make cybersecurity a public safety priority. For a number of years, the cybersecurity issue has received increasing public attention; however, most policy focus has been on the short-term costs of improving systems. In its explanation of the fundamentals of cybersecurity and the discussion of potential policy responses, this book will be a resource for policy makers, cybersecurity and IT professionals, and anyone who wants to understand threats to cyberspace.

This book presents the first reference exposition of the Cyber-Deception Chain: a flexible planning and execution framework for creating tactical, operational, or strategic deceptions. This methodology bridges the gap between the current uncoordinated patchwork of tactical denial and deception (D&D) techniques and their orchestration in service of an organization’s mission. Concepts for cyber- D&D planning operations and management are detailed within the larger organizational, business, and cyber defense context. It examines the necessity of a comprehensive, active cyber denial scheme. The authors explain the organizational implications of integrating D&D with a legacy cyber strategy, and discuss trade-offs, maturity models, and lifecycle management. Chapters present the primary challenges in using deception as part of a security strategy, and guides users through the steps to overcome common obstacles. Both revealing and concealing fact and fiction have a critical role in securing private information. Detailed case studies are included. Cyber Denial, Deception and Counter Deception is designed as a reference for professionals, researchers and government employees working in cybersecurity. Advanced-level students in computer science focused on security will also find this book useful as a reference or secondary text book.

Cyber-Security Threats, Actors, and Dynamic Mitigation provides both a technical and state-of-the-art perspective as well as a systematic overview of the recent advances in different facets of cyber-security. It covers the methodologies for modeling attack strategies used by threat actors targeting devices, systems, and networks such as smart homes, critical infrastructures, and industrial IoT. With a comprehensive review of the threat landscape, the book explores both common and sophisticated threats to systems and networks. Tools and methodologies are presented for precise modeling of attack strategies, which can be used both proactively in risk management and reactively in intrusion prevention and response systems. Several contemporary techniques are offered ranging from reconnaissance and penetration testing to malware detection, analysis, and mitigation. Advanced machine learning-based approaches are also included in the area of anomaly-based detection, that are capable of detecting attacks relying on zero-day vulnerabilities and exploits. Academics, researchers, and professionals in cyber-security who want an in-depth look at the contemporary aspects of the field will find this book of interest. Those wanting a unique reference for various cyber-security threats and how they are detected, analyzed, and mitigated will reach for this book often.

As you read this your computer is in jeopardy of being hacked and your identity being stolen. How can you protect yourself? The world's foremost cyber security experts from FBI Director Robert S. Mueller, III to Special Assistant to the President Howard A. Schmidt, share critical practical knowledge on how the cyberspace ecosystem is structured, how it functions, and what we can do to protect it and ourselves from attack

In this paper we construct taxonomies of cyber adversaries and methods of attack, drawing from a survey of the literature in the area of cyber crime. We begin by addressing the scope of cyber crime, noting its prevalence and effects on the US economy. We then survey the literature on cyber adversaries, presenting a taxonomy of the different types of adversaries and their corresponding methods, motivations, maliciousness, and skill levels. Subsequently we survey the literature on cyber attacks, giving a taxonomy of the different classes of attacks, subtypes, and threat descriptions. The goal of this paper is to inform future studies of cyber security on the shape and characteristics of the risk space and its associated adversaries.

In-depth counterintelligence tactics to fight cyber-espionage "A comprehensive and unparalleled overview of the topic by experts in the field."--Slashdot Expose, pursue, and prosecute the perpetrators of advanced persistent threats (APTs) using the tested security techniques and real-world case studies featured in this one-of-a-kind guide. Reverse Deception: Organized Cyber Threat Counter-Exploitation shows how to assess your network’s vulnerabilities, zero in on targets, and effectively block intruders. Discover how to set up digital traps, misdirect and divert attackers, configure honeypots, mitigate encrypted crimeware, and identify malicious software groups. The expert authors provide full coverage of legal and ethical issues, operational vetting, and security team management. Establish the goals and scope of your reverse deception campaign Identify, analyze, and block APTs Engage and catch nefarious individuals and their organizations Assemble cyber-profiles, incident analyses, and intelligence reports Uncover, eliminate, and autopsy crimeware, trojans, and botnets Work with intrusion detection, anti-virus, and digital forensics tools Employ stealth honeynet, honeypot, and sandbox technologies Communicate and collaborate with legal teams and law enforcement