Posted: February 9th, 2015

Network Security

Paper, Order, or Assignment Requirements

 

 

1. [16 points total, TCP/IP]
2. Unlike IP fragmentation (which can be done by intermediate devices), IP reassembly can be done only at the final destination. What problems do you see if IP reassembly is attempted in intermediate devices like routers? [8 points]

Answer:

1. Let’s assume that Host A (receiver) receives a TCP segment from Host B (sender) with an out-of-order sequence number that is higher than expected as shown in the diagram. Then, what do Host A (receiver) and host B (sender) do? [8 points]

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2. Describe or propose a way to detect ARP spoofing attack. What could be a possible weakness in your proposed method? Please do not discuss any prevention method (e.g., port security is an example of a preventive method). [8 points]

Answer:

 

3. [Wireless LAN Security-WEP] What is the main difference between the FMS attack and Chopchop attack? Clearly explain your answer [8 points]

Answer:

 

4. A huge enterprise decides to use a symmetric encryption to protect routing update messages between its own routers (i.e. entire routing update messages are encrypted by a strong shared symmetric key). They think this will prevent routing table modification attacks. Do you think their decision is appropriate? Do you see any problems or issues with their decision? [10 points]

Answer:

5. An ACK scan does not provide information about whether a target machine’s ports are open or closed, but rather whether or not access to those ports is being blocked by a firewall. If there is no response or an ICMP “destination unreachable” packet is received as a response, then the port is blocked by a firewall. If the scanned port replies with a RST packet, then ACK packet reached its intended host. So the target port is not being filtered by a firewall. Note, however, that port itself may be open or closed.

Describe a rule (or a set of rules) that could be used by Snort to detect an ACK scan. Cleary express your assumption and explain your rules. Do you think Bro can do a better job detecting an ACK scan? Explain your answer. [15 points]

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6. Explain the main difference between SQL injection and XSS attacks. [10 points]

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7. As shown in the above diagram, Kevin, the system admin, installed a text-message sender and a text-message receiver in a Multi-Level-Secure (MLS) environment. In the MLS environment, two security levels exist (i.e., Unclassified (Low) and Classified (High) levels). His goal is to enforce the Bell-La Padula (BLP) access control model in the network. In a nut shell, the BLP model defines two mandatory access control rules:

 

• No Read Up Rule: a subject (Low) at a lower security level must not read an object (High) at a higher security level. Simply, a Low entity cannot have read-access to a High object.
• No Write Down Rule: a subject (High) at a higher security level must not write to any object (Low) at a lower security level. Simply, a High entity cannot have a write-access to a Low object.

 

In this scenario, enforcing the BLP model means no confidential information flows from Classified LAN (High) to Unclassified LAN (Low). However, information can still flow from Unclassified LAN to Classified LAN.

 

To achieve his goal, he configured both text message sender and receiver as follows:

• The text message sender is configured to send a text message to the text message receiver via TCP/IP protocol.
• The text message receiver is configured to receive a simple text message from the sender via TCP/IP protocol.
• The following IP/port is       given to each machine:
  • Text message sender : 192.168.2.2 and port 9898 is open
  • Text message receiver: 192.168.3.3 and port 9999 is open
  • A text message is allowed to be sent only from port 9898 of 192.168.2.2 (sender) host to port 9999 of 192.168.3.3 (receiver) host.

 

 

Part A) As you can see from the diagram above, the text message sender and receiver have been compromised by the adversary and the Trojan, respectively. However, the router with Snort IDS installed (router/snort) is securely protected and can be fully trusted.

Write efficient Snort rules and access control lists which will be implemented on the router/snort to detect or block confidential information leakage from High to Low. Write your rationale for writing your rules and access control lists. For example, if the text message receiver (Trojan at High LAN) attempts to send a text message (confidential information) to the text message sender (the adversary at Low LAN), the attempt will be either blocked by your access control list(s) or detected by your snort rule(s).

Do not write more than 5 rules and lists in total. At least one access control list must be included. [15 points]

Hint: Access control lists are discussed in Module 10 and snort rules are covered in Module 7 as well as Lab2. To see more snort options, please refer to chapter 3 of Snort User Manual 2.9.1 by the Snort Project (link: http://www.snort.org/assets/166/snort_manual.pdf)

Answer:

 

 

Part B) Describe a way for the Trojan to covertly transmit 4 characters (e.g., A, B, C and D) to the adversary without being detected or blocked by your rules and access control lists provided in Part A.

[9 points].

 

 

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8. [topic: IPsec VPN] What do you think are the advantages & disadvantages of using both AH and ESP protocols on the same end to end IPsec connection (transport mode)? In addition, it is recommended that the ESP protocol should be performed before the AH protocol. Why is this approach recommended rather than authentication (AH) before encryption (ESP)? [9 points]

Answer: