Information Security : Information Security Don’t Be the Weakest Link or “But, I use a password!!”


A Matter of Balance: A Matter of Balance There is an inverse relationship between convenience (ease-of-use) and security. As you increase security, you lose convenience. Convenience Security


What is Security?: What is Security? Webster’s Dictionary: Measures taken to guard against espionage or sabotage, crime, attack, or escape H. Stanley Judd: The ultimate security is your understanding of reality.


Threat Categories: Threat Categories Natural Disasters – Fire, flood, tornado, etc. Nonhuman – Product failures, bugs, etc. Human ☹ Malicious:  Insiders – Disgruntled employees  Outsiders – Hackers, crackers, etc. ☹ Nonmalicious: Untrained or uninformed employees


One of the Company’s Most Valuable Assets: One of the Company’s Most Valuable Assets The information stored in computer files on our desktop computers and on the local area network


Profiles: Who’s Breaking In?: Profiles: Who’s Breaking In? Corporate spies Governments Terrorists Career criminals Insiders Financial, competitive gain National interests Religious, political ideals Financial, control/power Financial, revenge


What Makes Us Vulnerable?: What Makes Us Vulnerable? Easily guessed passwords – Too short; too simple; common words Not keeping secrets – Writing passwords down; sending confidential data in e-mails Trusting things we get from others – Opening e-mail attachments that have a virus or other malicious code


Password: Password A string of characters, entered to verify that you are authorized to access computer resources, consisting of: Alphabetic – A to Z and a to z Numeric – 0 to 9 Special Characters – ~; !: @; #; $; %; ^; &; *; (; ); +; =; [; ]; {; }; /; ?; ; ,; ;; :; \; |; `; ’; ”; .


Problems with Passwords: Problems with Passwords There is a direct relationship between the ease with which a password can be remembered and the ease with which it can be guessed. Without a gimmick, a password that is difficult for an unauthorized person to guess is usually difficult for a user to remember (more about gimmicks later). If a password is easy to remember, it is probably easy for someone else to guess.


Password Security : Password Security Don’t tell anyone your password. Don’t write your password down anywhere. Make sure your password cannot be easily guessed. If you think there is even a slight chance someone knows your password, change it. Don’t let someone see what you are entering as your password.


Don’t Choose a Weak Password:: Don’t Choose a Weak Password: With fewer than eight characters. That could be found in a dictionary. That uses public information about you or your family or friends (Soc Sec #; birthdate; credit card number; telephone number, etc.). That you have used before. That is a variation of your user ID. That is something significant about you.


Do Choose a Strong Password:: Do Choose a Strong Password: That is at least eight characters long. That contains uppercase and lowercase letters. That contains at least one number or special character. That is not a dictionary word in any language, slang, or jargon. That cannot be easily guessed and is easy to remember. Remember to change your password every 90 days.


Weak Passwords (examples):: Weak Passwords (examples): cat dog diego querty hart heat heart mary 1dennis2 hartelephone lintelco hartwell eednyw ydnew kayak palindrome september superman mickeymouse r2d2 aaaabbbccd 12345678 a1b2c3d4 zxcvbnm bonvoyage mercibeaucoup volkswagen mircrosoft colorprinter windows98 nowisthetimeforallgoodmentocometotheaid


Strong Passwords (examples):: Strong Passwords (examples): Wwe&nadtd 2BoN2bTist? IsfgaWDo6 3bmstfw1491 Mdi#1imh 52eobbowtffcd tmb1W2rpw mkrG8b$ I know what you are thinking: “Wait one minute, you geek – you said it must be easy to remember!” Let me explain mnemonics.


Mnemonics Made Easy: Mnemonics Made Easy Take a phrase that is easy for you to remember and convert it into characters. It could be the first line of a poem or a song lyric. “Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink” (Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner) converts to Wwe&nadtd. “We Three Kings from Orient Are” converts to w3KfOr3691. (3691 is the year 1963 spelled backward to extend beyond six characters.)


Protect the Security of the Company’s Information As If Your Job Depends on It, Because…: Protect the Security of the Company’s Information As If Your Job Depends on It, Because… IT DOES!