Dynamic Reconfiguration Enables Generalized Obfuscation Technologies for Cyber Security

Abstract

The growing cyber threat is well recognized, and the cost of exploits grows daily. TodayÕs static security practices allow potential intruders the opportunity to study possible avenues of attack, giving them an edge. Our work in dynamic reconfiguration of software provides active security mechanisms in defense of systems; these mechanisms negate any value of an intruderÕs patient observations of how the system operates. We have demonstrated the value of these mechanisms at small scale, and now propose to study their efficacy in larger scale systems, using rule-based techniques to manage systems-of-systems. We further propose to study how such tools might support emerging work in data obfuscation, so that once a live interaction is determined to be of malicious intent, the system can immediate reconfigure to deny further exfiltration of valuable data yet do so while maintaining the illusion of continued system penetration. Subsequent data provided to the intruder would instead be crafted to deceive and potentially enable tracking of its use elsewhere.

Document Details

Document Type
DoD Grant Award
Publication Date
Jun 10, 2016
Source ID
N000141612107

Entities

People

  • James Purtilo

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research
  • United States Navy
  • University of Maryland

Tags

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Cybersecurity.
  • Distributed Systems and Data Platform Development

Technology Areas

  • Cyber