Machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques have now become commonplace in software products and services. When threat modelling a system, it is therefore important that we consider threats unique to ML and AI techniques, in addition to threats to our software. In this paper, we present a threat model that can be used to systematically uncover threats to AI based software. The threat model consists of two main parts, a model of the software development process for AI based software and an attack taxonomy that has been developed using attacks found in adversarial AI research. We apply the threat model to two real life AI based software and discuss the process and the threats found.
The ever-evolving capabilities of cyber attackers force security administrators to focus on the early identification of emerging threats. Targeted cyber attacks usually consist of several phases, from initial reconnaissance of the network environment to final impact on objectives. This paper investigates the identification of multi-step cyber threat scenarios using kill chain and attack graphs. Kill chain and attack graphs are threat modeling concepts that enable determining weak security defense points. We propose a novel kill chain attack graph that merges kill chain and attack graphs togeth…
The ability to analyze network threats is very important in security research. Traditional approaches, involving sandboxing technology are limited to simulating a single host, missing local network attacks. This issue is addressed by designing a threat analysis framework that uses software-defined networking for simulating arbitrary networks. The presented system offers flexibility, allowing a security researcher to define a virtual network that is able to capture malicious actions and to be restored to the initial state afterwards. Both the framework design and common usage scenarios are desc…
In recent years, there has been a growing concern with software integrity, that is, the assurance that software has not been tampered with on the path between developers and users. This path is represented by a software development pipeline and plays a pivotal role in software supply chain security. While there have been efforts to improve the security of development pipelines, there is a lack of a comprehensive view of the threats affecting them. We develop a systematic threat model for a generic software development pipeline using the STRIDE framework and identify possible mitigations for ea…
Software updates reduce the opportunity for exploitation. However, since updates can also introduce breaking changes, enterprises face the problem of balancing the need to secure software with updates with the need to support operations. We propose a methodology to quantitatively investigate the effectiveness of software updates strategies against attacks of Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). We consider strategies where the vendor updates are the only limiting factors to cases in which enterprises delay updates from 1 to 7 months based on SANS data. Our manually curated dataset of APT attack…
The Resource Public Key Infrastructure (RPKI) aims to secure internet routing by creating an infrastructure where resource holders can make attestations about their resources. RPKI Certificate Authorities issue these attestations and publish them at Publication Points. Relying Party software retrieves and processes the RPKI-related data from all publication points, validates the data and makes it available to routers so they can make secure routing decisions. In this work, we create a threat model for Relying Party software, where an attacker controls a Certificate Authority and Publication Po…
The adoption of digital contact tracing (DCT) technology during the COVID-19pandemic has shown multiple benefits, including helping to slow the spread of infectious disease and to improve the dissemination of accurate information. However, to support both ethical technology deployment and user adoption, privacy must be at the forefront. With the loss of privacy being a critical threat, thorough threat modeling will help us to strategize and protect privacy as digital contact tracing technologies advance. Various threat modeling frameworks exist today, such as LINDDUN, STRIDE, PASTA, and NIST, …
Digital Manufacturing (DM) refers to the on-going adoption of smarter, more agile manufacturing processes and cyber-physical systems. This includes modern techniques and technologies such as Additive Manufacturing (AM)/3D printing, as well as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and the broader trend toward Industry 4.0. However, this adoption is not without risks: with a growing complexity and connectivity, so too grows the cyber-physical attack surface. Here, malicious actors might seek to steal sensitive information or sabotage products or production lines, causing financial and reputat…
The in-vehicle diagnostic and software update system, which supports remote diagnostic and Over-The-Air (OTA) software updates, is a critical attack goal in automobiles. Adversaries can inject malicious software into vehicles or steal sensitive information through communication channels. Therefore, security analysis, which identifies potential security issues, needs to be conducted in system design. However, existing security analyses of in-vehicle systems are threat-oriented, which start with threat identification and assess risks by brainstorming. In this paper, a system-oriented approach is…
This paper describes the process of developing data visualisations to enhance a commercial software platform for combating insider threat, whose existing UI, while perfectly functional, was limited in its ability to allow analysts to easily spot the patterns and outliers that visualisation naturally reveals. We describe the design and development process, proceeding from initial tasks/requirements gathering, understanding the platform's data formats, the rationale behind the visualisation's design, and then refining the prototype through gathering feedback from representative domain experts wh…
Cyber security threats to the payment and banking system have become a worldwide menace. The phenomenon has forced financial institutions to take risks as part of their business model. Hence, deliberate investment in sophisticated technologies and security measures has become imperative to safeguard against heavy financial losses and information breaches that may occur due to cyber-attacks. The proliferation of cyber crimes is a huge concern for various stakeholders in the banking sector. Usually, cyber-attacks are carried out via software systems running on a computing system in cyberspace. A…
Assisted-navigation applications have a relevant impact on our daily life. However, technological progress in virtualization technologies and Software-Defined Radios recently enabled new attack vectors, namely, road traffic poisoning. These attacks open up several dreadful scenarios, which are addressed in this contribution by identifying the associated challenges and proposing innovative countermeasures.
With rising cyberattack frequency and range, Quantum Computing companies, institutions and research groups may become targets of nation-state actors, cybercriminals and hacktivists for sabotage, espionage and fiscal motivations as the Quantum computing race intensifies. Quantum applications have expanded into commercial, classical information systems and services approaching the necessity to protect their networks, software, hardware and data from digital attacks. This paper discusses the status quo of quantum computing technologies and the quantum threat associated with it. We proceed to outl…
Despite increasing uptake, there are still many concerns as to the security of virtual assistant hubs (such as Google Nest and Amazon Alexa) in the home. Consumer fears have been somewhat exacerbated by widely-publicised privacy breaches, and the continued prevalence of high-profile attacks targeting IoT networks. Literature suggests a considerable knowledge gap between consumer understanding and the actual threat environment; furthermore, little work has been done to compare which threat modelling approach(es) would be most appropriate for these devices, in order to elucidate the threats whic…
Advanced Topic Modeling Techniques for Categorizing Software Vulnerabilities
Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Amrita School of Computing, Bengaluru, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India（计算机科学与工程系，Amrita计算学院，班加罗尔，Amrita世界大学，印度）
