threats

Cyber Threat Maps

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A cyber threat map, sometimes known as a cyber attack map, is a live map of current computer security attacks. These maps allow one to observe attacks as they pass through countries and continents. The majority of the cyber threat maps resemble video games, with colorful light beams indicating attacks from one region of the world to another.

Cyber threat maps can be highly useful in examining past attacks in terms of locations, volumes, and patterns. They can also help someone who is just starting out in their studies to acquire a sense of what is involved in the intricate world of cybersecurity. Last week, I had my introductory lecture on cyber security at Malmö University. I used cyber threat maps in my lecture to help raise awareness of how prevalent cyber security attacks are.

Kaspersky Cyberthreat Real-Time Map

Here are three of my favorite cyber threat maps (listed in no particular order):

• Check Point ThreatCloud Live Cyber Threat Map

• FireEye Cyber Threat Map

• Kaspersky Cyberthreat Real-Time Map

If you want to learn more about the topic of attack detection and how cyber threat maps work, you are welcome to get in touch.

A Research Proposal about Poisoning Attacks

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On Tuesday, 29th June, I did my last presentation before taking my Summer vacation. In the presentation, I talked about a potential research proposal concentrated on data poisoning attacks. Specifically, I discussed how this attack class could target an IoT-based system, such as a smart building, resulting in potentially severe consequences to a business. While poisoning attacks have been researched for a bit, they are relatively understudied especially in contexts involving online learning and interactive learning.

Here is a link to a redacted version of my presentation:

Research ProposalDownload

In case you want to know more about cyber security especially its application to the IoT and Machine Learning based systems you are welcome to drop me a message.

Sweden’s cyber range and cyber security

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On Wednesday, 2nd June, I attended an interesting online program about cybersecurity. This program was organized by the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE). Its main theme was about the inauguration of RISE’s cyber range and cyber security in Sweden.

A cyber range is a virtual environment that companies can use typically for cyber warfare training. Sweden’s own cyber range was introduced as a multipurpose state-of-the-art cybersecurity research environment, test, and a demo arena. Using RISE’s cyber range it appears that real-world applications, for example, vehicles and automotive systems, could be tested, in a safe environment, against real-world attacks. This is done using a sandboxed virtualised network environment that is managed and operated by professionals.

In addition to cyber range, there were other topics presented from a variety of compelling speakers. Particularly, topics about the Swedish bug bounty, cyber security at the EU level, and cyber security investment opportunities. One delivery (in Swedish) that I think was riveting was an interview with an (unnamed) ethical hacker.

  • Carl Heath (RISE) interview an ethical hacker.

Cyber security is a topic that is becoming increasingly important, especially as more systems are getting interconnected. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of skilled and qualified individuals to fill the increasing demands for cyber security professionals.

From an academic perspective, we have been for years, and especially in recent years, developing and running courses about cybersecurity. However, this year, in Sweden, we are developing something that specifically is meant to help advance cyber security research and competence. More on that in a later post.

My Presentation at FHNW

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This week, between August 19-23 2019, I was in Switzerland attending the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) Summer School at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW) in Brugg/Windisch.  Attending this school is of great benefit to strengthen your network of professional and academic contacts, especially for those working on Information Privacy.  Topics covered in the jam-packed schedule included:  the ethics of Artificial Intelligence, sensors and biometrics, privacy by design (PbD), identity management, users and usability, and more.

On Tuesday 20, I presented my paper therein titled: “On the Design of a Privacy-Preserving Data Lifecycle for Smart Living Spaces” in the “Privacy by Design” track. I had a 30 mins presentation slot and following that a 10 mins critical review from two pre-assigned paper discussants including questions from the attendees. I have to say that I have received very positive and constructive feedback. Hereunder, is a photo of myself presenting some of the related work in PbD, threat analysis, and threat modeling.

Explaining the related research work before positioning my contribution.

Overall, I can say that there were some fantastic keynotes and excellent presentations from diverse Phd students.  Especially, I liked the keynote “Privacy as Innovation opportunity” by Marc van Lieshout from Radboud University.  In particular, I enjoyed his mentioning of Alan Westin’s privacy dimensions: reserve, intimacy, anonymity, and solitude; and how these are to different extents being hampered by privacy-evasive technologies, affecting the physical, individual, collective, and virtual dimensions of human beings. At the same time, I like his take on the increasing market of privacy, in particular with privacy service features such as activity monitoring, assessment manager, data mapping, etc.

My advice, if you are a doctoral student or interested in learning information privacy from a computer science or informatics standpoint, then I highly recommend you to attend the IFIP school at some point. Typically, there are ECTS credits for this course, (possibly 1.5 HP – 3 HP) if you attend and/or present your paper. In the meantime, check out my presentation (redacted version). The full version will be uploaded after the paper gets published.

On the Future of Cybercrime

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As computers get faster cybercrime will get faster. As computers permeate more of our society cybercrime will enter those same areas. As computers become more autonomous – with AI and machine learning – crime will become more autonomous. Cybercrime will enter as well areas such as driverless cars, implanted medical devices, and more.

Image result for cybercrime !img

So you look at something like ransomware which is basically a ransom crime (that is old!). Project that onto computers and as a consequence of that you have to pay to get your data back. Project that onto a car. You wake up in the morning you go out to your car and instead of being able to turn it on there’s a note saying you pay a hundred dollars to unlock your car. That’s coming so just watch where the computers go and you see where the crime goes.

The above text is an abstract extracted from the YouTube clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2VzjeAOksc. More information related to this can be found in the documentary titled: “Dark Web: Fighting Cybercrime”.