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Semester 4: Cyber Security
Introduction: Threats overview, security fundamentals, malware types
Cyber Security
Introduction to Cyber Security
Cyber security encompasses the practices and technologies designed to protect networks, devices, and data from unauthorized access or criminal use. With the rise of digital infrastructure, the importance of robust cyber security measures has greatly increased.
Threat Overview
Cyber threats can be categorized into various types, including phishing attacks, ransomware, and distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Understanding these threats is essential for effective risk management and protection strategies.
Security Fundamentals
Basic principles include confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA triad), which form the foundation of security protocols. Implementing strong passwords, encryption, and multi-factor authentication are key strategies.
Malware Types
Malware types include viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, and spyware. Each type operates differently, but all have the potential to cause significant harm to individuals and organizations.
Cyber Crime Tools and Methods: Proxy servers, phishing, keyloggers, DoS attacks
Cyber Crime Tools and Methods
Proxy Servers
Proxy servers act as intermediaries between users and the internet, allowing cyber criminals to mask their IP addresses and appear anonymous. This makes it difficult for authorities to trace cyber crimes. Additionally, proxy servers can be used to bypass network restrictions and access restricted or blocked content.
Phishing
Phishing involves tricking individuals into providing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details. Cyber criminals often use emails, SMS, or fake websites that resemble legitimate ones to conduct these attacks. Effective phishing campaigns leverage social engineering to manipulate targets.
Keyloggers
Keyloggers are malicious software or hardware devices that record keystrokes on a user's device. This allows attackers to capture sensitive information such as passwords and account numbers. Keyloggers can be installed covertly on a victim's device, making detection difficult.
DoS Attacks
Denial of Service (DoS) attacks aim to make a service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic. Cyber criminals use various methods to achieve this, including flooding a target with requests or exploiting vulnerabilities. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks involve multiple compromised systems attacking a single target, making them even more difficult to mitigate.
Cyber Law: Indian IT Act, amendments, legal frameworks, challenges
Cyber Law: Indian IT Act and Related Aspects
Introduction to Indian IT Act
The Indian Information Technology Act 2000 was enacted to provide legal recognition to electronic transactions and facilitate e-commerce. It aims to promote the growth of the IT sector while safeguarding the interests of consumers and businesses. Key provisions include defining cybercrime, rules for digital signatures, and regulations surrounding data protection.
Amendments to the IT Act
Several amendments have been introduced to address emerging cyber threats and incorporate changes in technology. Notable amendments include the IT (Amendment) Act 2008, which expanded the scope of cyber offenses and introduced sections dealing with data theft, cyber terrorism, and identity theft.
Legal Frameworks in Cyber Law
The framework surrounding cyber law in India consists of various acts, rules, and guidelines including the IT Act, Indian Penal Code, and Data Protection Rules. This comprehensive legal setup governs the conduct of digital transactions, protection of sensitive data, and cybercrime laws.
Challenges in Cyber Law Enforcement
Enforcement of cyber laws poses significant challenges, including jurisdiction issues over transnational cyber crimes, lack of technical expertise among law enforcement agencies, and a shortage of swift judicial processes. Misuse of technology for illegal activities and the rapid pace of technology evolution further complicates law enforcement.
Future Directions and Recommendations
The landscape of cyber law is continuously evolving, and future directions should focus on strengthening legal frameworks, enhancing international cooperation for cybercrime investigations, and promoting public awareness. Recommendations include updating laws to match technological advancements and improving digital literacy to reduce the risk of cyber attacks.
Digital Forensics: Evidence, lifecycle, chain of custody, forensic analysis
Digital Forensics
Digital evidence refers to any information stored or transmitted in digital form that can be used in a legal investigation.
emails
documents
images
logs
Crucial for establishing facts in cybercrime cases.
Identification
Preservation
Analysis
Presentation
Review
Each stage is essential to ensure that digital evidence is handled and evaluated correctly to maintain its integrity.
A process that ensures the evidence is accounted for at all times.
Collection
Documentation
Storage
Access Control
Maintains the integrity of evidence and its provenance in legal settings.
Data Recovery
File Analysis
Network Forensics
Malware Analysis
Techniques used to examine and interpret digital evidence to support legal investigations.
Security Technologies: Firewalls, intrusion detection, access control, cryptography
Security Technologies
Firewalls
Firewalls serve as a barrier between an internal network and external threats. They monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. Firewalls can be implemented as hardware devices, software applications, or in a hybrid form. They are classified into several types, including packet filtering firewalls, stateful inspection firewalls, and application-layer firewalls.
Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
Intrusion Detection Systems are designed to detect unauthorized access or anomalies in a network. IDS can be host-based or network-based. They operate by monitoring traffic patterns and system logs, generating alerts upon detecting suspicious activity. Advanced IDS solutions incorporate machine learning to improve anomaly detection capabilities.
Access Control
Access control mechanisms regulate who can access resources within a network. This includes identification, authentication, authorization, and auditing. Various models exist for access control, such as discretionary access control (DAC), mandatory access control (MAC), and role-based access control (RBAC). Each model offers different levels of security and flexibility.
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice of securing information by transforming it into an unreadable format. It uses algorithms to encrypt and decrypt data, ensuring confidentiality, integrity, and authenticity. Public key infrastructure (PKI) is a common framework that uses asymmetric cryptography to secure communications over insecure channels. Symmetric and asymmetric key cryptography are two primary types utilized in various security protocols.
