Centre for Cybercrime and Computer Security – Threats and Trust in Cyberspace Conference – 2011 – Review

Proposed Solutions discussed included –

Portable browser on a USB stick – This enables a survivor to access support service websites, after which the browsing history is not stored on the PC and is instead stored on the memory stick which the survivor keeps.

Single use URL’s – A survivor is given a URL (web address) which on the first use goes to the intended web site. Such as a support service website. When ever that URL is used again, it then goes to a pre-defined, user defined ‘SAFE’ URL/website which the survivor has determined as being safe. Such as a news website for example.

History Deletion Agent – A piece of software which safely and securely erases the electronic tracks of the survivor, such as internet browsing history etc.

How-To Courses – Training courses (such as on You-Tube) to educate and enable survivors to survive, such as teaching them to use different PC’s, web cafe’s, library’s, trusted friends and family members PC’s and also how to properly erase their tracks online.

NFC & QR Codes – Using QR codes, on the likes of postcards, posters, flyers and advertisements which survivors can access the support services website by scanning the QR code (a bar code for web site address which take users to that given website) by using a smart phone.

Overall, the work to help survivors is being undertaken by Newcastle University in order to re-address the balance and put the balance of survival or not back in the favour of the victim, the survivor by utilising –

  • Ease of Use Solutions
  • New Access Technologies
  • USB Portable Survivor Tools
  • Directory of available Support Services
  • Technical Survival Courses

Demonstrations:

Running along side the professionals and academics conference, were a number of free interactive demonstrations, highlighting work and studies carried out by both under and post graduate students.

These demonstrations included –

  • Draw a Secret – Haryani Zakaria and Paul Dunphy

Why are passwords or PINs always words or numbers – why not a picture you can draw? The demonstration showed you several graphical passwords that are easy to remember but hard to copy by a stranger watching over your shoulder.

  • Contactless Credit Card Skimming – Martin Emms

The Banks and Credit Card companies are introducing contactless credit cards into the UK, many people are already carrying them without realising. The demonstrated showed how easy it is to retrieve the account information from contactless cards, without having to touch the card, simply by walking pased someone with a card in their pocket and using a sutible ‘scanning’ device, the infomration can be read.

  • Keystroke Dynamics

Like every individual’s finger print, each person’s typing is unique. The question is, can we detect who is typing and could the police use this to identify criminals? This showed that with only a few samples a computer programme can recognize your typing.

  • Spam and CAPTCHAs – Ahmad Salah El Ahmad

When you need to set up a digital registration you will often be asked to read a distorted word that you then must type in correctly. These difficult to read words are called CAPTCHAs. Why do you need to do this? And can a computer decipher these CAPTCHAs the way you can?

  • User Managed Access – Maciej Machulak, Lukasz Moren and Maciej Wolniak

Many of us have provided personal information to Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites, without giving it much thought. But this could be very dangerous. Maciej demonstrated alternative internet services that allow you to retain control over your own data, wherever it lives on the web.

  • Phishing and Identity Theft – Su-Yang Yu

Identity thieves try to trick you into giving away your personal data. They do this by showing you a web page that looks like a genuine page from your bank, or school, but the data you supply is collected by the identity thieves. This demo showed you how it is done, and you can play games that explain how to protect yourself.

Summary:

In summary, the Centre for Cybercrime and Computer Security Conference 2011 was very interesting. From the start with a well prepared and informative welcome pack with the usual free goodies to regular coffee intervals allowing for real face to face social networking between academics and professionals alike, whilst having the opportunity to view and interact with the free demonstrations taking place in the exhibition space next to the main conference, offering an insight into the new and upcoming technologies currently being developed and improved by the students of today, the professionals and academics of tomorrow.

The £60 entrance fee per attendee does seem a little steep for the average student, who, in order to keep up to date with current and future technology is likely to attend in order to aid in their personal and professional development. However, given the calibre of guest speakers, the venue, the refreshments on offer and the fact that most professionals and academics will claim the cost back through their place of work, it is understandable.

We’ll look forward to the next Centre for Centre for Cybercrime and Computer Security Event from Newcastle University.

Links –

Acknowledgements –

  • Centre for Cybercrime and Computer Security – Newcastle University
  • Newcastle University
  • Centre for Software Reliability
  • Detective Sergeant – Alan Batey – Northumbria Police
  • Northumbria Police
  • Martin Emms – Newcastle University
  • Dr Andy Dale – Newcastle University
  • Professor Angela Sasse – University College London
  • Professor David Walls – Durham University
  • Lukasz Moren – SMART Developer, Newcastle University
  • Eve L. Maler – UMA WG Chair, Specification Editor
  • Aad van Moorsel – SMART PL, Newcastle University
  • Maciej Machulak – SMART Developer, Newcastle University
  • Domenico Catalano – Graphics/UX Editor

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