understanding e-mail and web security

U N C L A S S I F I E D


Understanding e-mail and webSecurity

ByRichard Hammer

LANLLA-UR-08-2558



In the news!•The initial entry of malware into the ORNL networks reportedly came via a phishing email that took advantage of a temporary vulnerability in the Internet Explorer (a Microsoft fix came April 12, a day after the lab identified the intrusion). knoxnews.com

•RSA, the security division of EMC, has revealed the firm's data breach in mid March was the result of a spear phishing attack. The spear phishing attack exploited an Adobe Flash vulnerability that was unpatched at the time. computerweekly.com

•Sony is warning customers who use the Playstation Network and/or Sony Online Entertainment to be on the alert for possible spearphishing attacks. The company suffered a data breach and says a hacker may have gained access to over 24 million accounts including email addresses, birthdates, phone numbers, passwords, and more-including credit card numbers, which have been spotted for sale in several cybercrime forums. allspammedup.com

•Epsilon--the largest distributor of permission-based email in the world--revealed that millions of individual email addresses were exposed in an attack on its servers. While no other information was apparently compromised, security experts are warning users to brace for a tidal wave of more precise spear phishing attacks. pcworld.com

•Among Epsilon’s clients affected are three of the top ten U.S. banks – JP Morgan Chase, Citibank and U.S. Bank — as well as Barclays Bank and Capital One.



Old and New Threats



What attackers need from us!

• Need us to execute a program• Need us to NOT securely configure our programs/systems• Need us to NOT pay attention• Need us to NOT patch/update• Need us to be careless, gullible or curious• Need us to NOT understand the technology

Computing as a Privileged User makes it real easy!

“It’s that easy because we allow it to be that easy”Frank Abagnale



Understanding e-mail

• Clear text e-mail is completely unreliable.

• How do you recognize bogus e-mail?• What is URL redirection?• How do you protect yourself?• Secure settings?• Stop Phishing!• Outlook?



Why you should not Trust Clear Text e-mail

• Do not know who sent it• Do not know who sees it• Do not know where it went• Do not know who read it• Do not know if content changed• Still on server, backups?• Sys Admins have full access



Encrypting e-mail?

• Only Intended Recipients can read messages or open files

• Data has not been modified• Data is from the expected source• Not readable in transit

• Not just SSL/TLS to server• PGP/SMIME/Entrust



How do you recognize bogus e-mail?

• Don’t know the sender?• Is the offer “too good to be true?”• Asks for personal information!• Embedded links that point to an address that

doesn’t appear right.• Your email address is not listed on the “TO” or

“CC”.• The “FROM” & “Return-Path” don’t match.• Unexpected attachments.



Phishing right here in LA!

• Guy Lisella“Anytime they ask for personal

information, it’s a scam.”• Legitimate businesses will

NEVER ASK for personal information to be transmitted over clear text e-mail!

• If unsure, call them.



What is wrong?



Understanding URLs/Redirection

http://computername.subdomain.domain.name/directoryname/resourcefile.htm

Where you thought you were going:

http://www.dncu.org/login.aspx?update

Computer name – wwwDomainname – dncu.orgIP Address – 206.107.78.175Resource file – login.aspx

Where you are redirected:

http://www.dncu.org.hi-position.com/register/login.html

Computer name – wwwSubdomain – dncu.orgDomainname – hi-position.comIP Address – No longer registered, but was 202.168.210.1XXDirectory – registerResource file – login.html



Look at the e-mail header• Eudora – Blah, Blah, Blah• Outlook – Open Message, Message tab, Options, Internet Headers• Webmail – Click on Full Headers• Thunderbird – Menu Bar, VIEW/HEADER, ALL



http://www.facebook.com.herrazzb.eu/...



http://up-dates.lanl.gov.secure.1-central.net/...



Stop Right There!



E-mail client configuration

• Do NOT auto execute anything

• Do NOT automatically download HTML graphics or content

• Do NOT display graphics in message• Do NOT allow executable html content• Turn OFF Attachment Preview

• If NOT sure configure to “WARN ME BEFORE”



Outlook Settings (Tools/Trust Center)



Before and After (Mac Mail)



Outlook, do you see Xs?



What’s Wrong? Unknown sender, not addressed to me, has an attachment I did not expect.



Virus protection caught it three weeks later, don’t be the first to open it!



Web Browser Security

• Understand how it works• SSL/TLS• Privacy Settings• Security Settings• “Warn me” is always a good option when not

sure• Scripts• Understand Threats• Internet Explorer?



Web Access (SSL/TLS)

• SSL Developed by Netscape (1994)• Certificate Exchange• System to System• Certificate Authority

• Should only use SSL 3.0 or TLS 1.0

• Is it secure?• Redirection• Man-in-Middle Attack



Keeping Track of State

• SessionID

https://ucfy.ucop.edu/ucfy/BaseServlet;jsessionid=0000q9ZvjIPe7xWTjxeftFjTqBy:-1

• Cookie– Persistent– Non- Persistent

• Hidden Form Element





Redirection and Man-in-Middle

WWW Server

Desktop Client

TCP/IP Port 443

WWW Server

Desktop Client

TCP/IP Port 443

Bad Guy

TCP/IP Port 443



Warning, should I proceed?



Secure ???



Private Browsing (Firefox)

<Tools><Start Private Browsing>



InPrivate Browsing (IE)

<Tools><InPrivate Browsing>



Security Settings (Firefox)

<Tools><Options>



Firefox - Noscript



Firefox – Noscript (2)



Firefox – Noscript, Temporary Allow ALL



Recipe for a Secure Web Transaction

• Ensure SSLv3/TLS (one time thing)

• Open New Firefox Browser• Start Private Browsing • You initiate the connection• Only go to sites associated with transaction• Use Noscript and only allow needed scripts• Pay attention to error messages• Logout when done

THESE ARE NOT THE SAME!!!• Close browser



Redirection, not just networking



Passwords Everywhere?



Client Protection Summary

• User vs Admin Privilege• Virus Protection• Spyware/Adaware Protection• Keep Systems & Applications updated• Remove programs you don’t need• Secure Program Settings• Don’t Auto execute




• DO NOT open attachments unless you expect them.

• Don’t click on embedded links• Pay attention to warning messages• POP-UP blockers• Clear privacy settings• Noscript




• If it’s “too good to be TRUE,” it is!• When configuring programs keep

personal information to a minimum.• Stay away from shady web sites• Backup your data• One-time Credit Card Numbers• Shutdown when not using system




• Encrypt sensitive information• Password Wallet• Application Layer Personal Firewall• Outlook and Internet Explorer:

– Consider replacing these programs.– Keep them patched/updated.



Educate Yourself!

&Always Initiate

the Communication

understanding e-mail and web security

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