NCJ Number
57705
Date Published
1978
Length
325 pages
Annotation
METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY TO FIND WAYS OF PROTECTING DATA IN THE INTERACTIVE ANALYST CONSOLE, THE AN/GYQ-21(V). AN ENGINEERING MODEL IS SPECIFIED.
Abstract
THE METHOD USED IN EVALUATING ALTERNATIVE COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE IS TO ASSUME THE CRIMINAL HAS GAINED ACCESS TO THE TERMINAL AND IS HIGHLY TRAINED AND TALENTED IN USING THE MOST EFFECTIVE PENETRATION TACTICS. COMPARISONS OF ESTIMATED PENETRATION TIMES FOR ALTERNATIVE COMPUTER ARCHITECTURE DETERMINES THE ONE WITH MOST EFFECTIVE SECURITY. THE FOLLOWING ALTERNATIVES ARE CONSIDERED: (1) DATABASE GUARD, WHICH ALLOCATES ONE CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT FOR EACH SECURITY COMPARTMENT; (2) ENCIPHERED RECORD, WHICH PRESUMES THE PROCESSOR IS A HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT AND APPLIES THE PRINCIPLES OF RED/BLACK ISOLATION AS USED IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS; AND (3) THE TAG APPROACH, WHICH USES AN ENCIPHERED TAG TO INFORM THE EXIT GUARD OF RECORD CLASSIFICATION. THE DATABASE GUARD APPROACH APPEARS THE LEAST VULNERABLE, BUT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE. FOR THIS REASON, IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR IMPLEMENTATION. ON THE BASIS OF DATA OBTAINED, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE POTENTIAL VULNERABILITIES OF THE ENCIPHERED RECORD APPROACH CAN BE MADE IMPENETRABLE AND, THEREFORE, THE ENCIPHERED RECORD CAN BE USED AS A BASIS FOR DEVELOPING AN IMPENETRABLE INTERACTIVE ANALYST SYSTEM. UNDER THE ENCIPHERED RECORD APPROACH, THE RECORDS OF THE DATA BASE ARE ENCIPHERED, AND EVEN IF ACCESSED, ARE USELESS WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO DECIPHER THEM. POTENTIAL VULNERABILITIES OF THE SYSTEM CONSIST OF ACCESS CONTROL MECHANISM, RED PROCESSOR, CRACKING THE CODE, AND STEALING THE KEY. WAYS TO COMBAT THESE VULNERABILITIES ARE DESCRIBED. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT RESEARCH CONTINUE BY IMPLEMENTING THE PROTOTYPE OF THE ENCIPHERED RECORD SYSTEM AS SPECIFIED IN THIS REPORT. FIGURES ILLUSTRATE THE TEST AND PROGRAM LISTINGS ARE CONTAINED IN THE APPENDIX. (RCB)