Logical security
Encyclopedia
Logical Security consists of software
safeguards for an organization’s systems, including user identification and password access, authentication, access rights and authority levels. These measures are to ensure that only authorized users are able to perform actions or access information in a network
or a workstation. It is a subset of computer security
.
Logical Security is also the name of the company started by Certified Information Systems Security Professional
(CISSP) trainer and author Shon Harris.
s which are small devices that authorized users of computer systems or networks carry to assist in identitfying that who is logging in to a computer or network system is actually authorized. They can also store cryptographic keys and biometric data. The most popular type of security token (RSA’s SecurID
) displays a number which changes every minute. Users are authenticated by entering a personal identification number and the number on the token. The token contains a time of day clock and a unique seed value, and the number displayed is a cryptographic hash of the seed value and the time of day. The computer which is being accessed also contains the same algorithm and is able to match the number by matching the user’s seed and time of day. Clock error is taken into account, and values a few minutes off are sometimes accepted. Another similar type of token (CRYPTOCard) can produce a value each time a button is pressed. Other security tokens can connect directly to the computer through USB
, Smart card
or Bluetooth
ports, or through special purpose interfaces. Cell phones and PDA
's can also be used as security tokens with proper programming.
(root) privileges. Guest and Superuser accounts are the two extremes, as individual access rights can be denied or granted to each user. Usually, only the system administrator (a.k.a. the Superuser) has the ability to grant or deny these rights.
Guest accounts, or anonymous logins, are set up so that multiple users can log in to the account at the same time without a password. Users are sometimes asked to type a username. This account has very limited access, and is often only allowed to access special public files. Usually, anonymous accounts have read access rights only for security purposes.
The superuser is an authority level assigned to system administrators on most computer operating systems. In Unix and related operating systems, this level is also called root, and has all access rights in the system, including changing ownership of files. In pre-Windows XP and NT systems (such as DOS and Windows 9x), all users are effectively superusers, and all users have all access rights. In Windows NT and related systems (such as Windows 2000 and XP), a superuser is known as the Administrator account. However, this Administrator account may or may not exist, depending on whether separation of privileges has been set up.
Computer software
Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
safeguards for an organization’s systems, including user identification and password access, authentication, access rights and authority levels. These measures are to ensure that only authorized users are able to perform actions or access information in a network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
or a workstation. It is a subset of computer security
Computer security
Computer security is a branch of computer technology known as information security as applied to computers and networks. The objective of computer security includes protection of information and property from theft, corruption, or natural disaster, while allowing the information and property to...
.
Logical Security is also the name of the company started by Certified Information Systems Security Professional
Certified Information Systems Security Professional
Certified Information Systems Security Professional is an independent information security certification governed by International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium ²...
(CISSP) trainer and author Shon Harris.
Elements of logical security
Elements of logical security include:- User IDs, also known as logins, user names, logons or accounts, are unique personal identifiers for agents of a computer program or network that is accessible by more than one agent. These identifiers are based on short strings of alphanumeric characters, and are either assigned or chosen by the users.
- AuthenticationAuthenticationAuthentication is the act of confirming the truth of an attribute of a datum or entity...
is the process used by a computer program, computer, or network to attempt to confirm the identity of a user. Blind credentials (anonymous users) have no identity, but are allowed to enter the system. The confirmation of identities is essential to the concept of access control, which gives access to the authorized and excludes the unauthorized. - BiometricsBiometricsBiometrics As Jain & Ross point out, "the term biometric authentication is perhaps more appropriate than biometrics since the latter has been historically used in the field of statistics to refer to the analysis of biological data [36]" . consists of methods...
authentication is the measuring of a user’s physiological or behavioral features to attempt to confirm his/her identity. Physiological aspects that are used include fingerprints, eye retinas and irises, voice patterns, facial patterns, and hand measurements. Behavioral aspects that are used include signature recognition, gait recognition, speaker recognition and typing pattern recognition. When a user registers with the system which he/she will attempt to access later, one or more of his/her physiological characteristics are obtained and processed by a numerical algorithm. This number is then entered into a database, and the features of the user attempting to match the stored features must match up to a certain error rate.
Token Authentication
Token Authentication comprises security tokenSecurity token
A security token may be a physical device that an authorized user of computer services is given to ease authentication...
s which are small devices that authorized users of computer systems or networks carry to assist in identitfying that who is logging in to a computer or network system is actually authorized. They can also store cryptographic keys and biometric data. The most popular type of security token (RSA’s SecurID
SecurID
SecurID, now known as RSA SecurID, is a mechanism developed by Security Dynamics for performing two-factor authentication for a user to a network resource.- Description :...
) displays a number which changes every minute. Users are authenticated by entering a personal identification number and the number on the token. The token contains a time of day clock and a unique seed value, and the number displayed is a cryptographic hash of the seed value and the time of day. The computer which is being accessed also contains the same algorithm and is able to match the number by matching the user’s seed and time of day. Clock error is taken into account, and values a few minutes off are sometimes accepted. Another similar type of token (CRYPTOCard) can produce a value each time a button is pressed. Other security tokens can connect directly to the computer through USB
Universal Serial Bus
USB is an industry standard developed in the mid-1990s that defines the cables, connectors and protocols used in a bus for connection, communication and power supply between computers and electronic devices....
, Smart card
Smart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
or Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
ports, or through special purpose interfaces. Cell phones and PDA
Personal digital assistant
A personal digital assistant , also known as a palmtop computer, or personal data assistant, is a mobile device that functions as a personal information manager. Current PDAs often have the ability to connect to the Internet...
's can also be used as security tokens with proper programming.
Password Authentication
Password Authentication uses secret data to control access to a particular resource. Usually, the user attempting to access the network, computer or computer program is queried on whether they know the password or not, and is granted or denied access accordingly. Passwords are either created by the user or assigned, similar to usernames. However, once assigned a password, the user usually is given the option to change the password to something of his/her choice. Depending on the restrictions of the system or network, the user may change his/her password to any alphanumeric sequence. Usually, limitations to password creation include length restrictions, a requirement of a number, uppercase letter or special character, or not being able to use the past four or five changed passwords associated with the username. In addition, the system may force a user to change his/her password after a given amount of time.Two-Way Authentication
Two-Way Authentication involves both the user and system or network convincing each other that they know the shared password without transmitting this password over any communication channel. This is done by using the password as the encryption key to transmit a randomly generated piece of information, or “the challenge.” The other side must then return a similarly encrypted value which is some predetermined function of the originally offered information, his/her “response,” which proves that he/she was able to decrypt the challenge. Kerberos (a computer network authentication protocol) is a good example of this, as it sends an encrypted integer N, and the response must be the encrypted integer N + 1.Common setup and access rights
Access Rights and Authority Levels are the rights or power granted to users to create, change, delete or view data and files within a system or network. These rights vary from user to user, and can range from anonymous login (Guest) privileges to SuperuserSuperuser
On many computer operating systems, the superuser is a special user account used for system administration. Depending on the operating system, the actual name of this account might be: root, administrator or supervisor....
(root) privileges. Guest and Superuser accounts are the two extremes, as individual access rights can be denied or granted to each user. Usually, only the system administrator (a.k.a. the Superuser) has the ability to grant or deny these rights.
Guest accounts, or anonymous logins, are set up so that multiple users can log in to the account at the same time without a password. Users are sometimes asked to type a username. This account has very limited access, and is often only allowed to access special public files. Usually, anonymous accounts have read access rights only for security purposes.
The superuser is an authority level assigned to system administrators on most computer operating systems. In Unix and related operating systems, this level is also called root, and has all access rights in the system, including changing ownership of files. In pre-Windows XP and NT systems (such as DOS and Windows 9x), all users are effectively superusers, and all users have all access rights. In Windows NT and related systems (such as Windows 2000 and XP), a superuser is known as the Administrator account. However, this Administrator account may or may not exist, depending on whether separation of privileges has been set up.
See also
:Category:Authentication methods- Kerberos
- Physical securityPhysical securityPhysical security describes measures that are designed to deny access to unauthorized personnel from physically accessing a building, facility, resource, or stored information; and guidance on how to design structures to resist potentially hostile acts...
- SecuritySecuritySecurity is the degree of protection against danger, damage, loss, and crime. Security as a form of protection are structures and processes that provide or improve security as a condition. The Institute for Security and Open Methodologies in the OSSTMM 3 defines security as "a form of protection...