Ethics and Computer Security

1
Ethics and Computer Security

• Phillip G. Bradford
• Computer Science
• University of Alabama

2
Outline

• Ethics
• Data, Computers, and Networks
• Ciphers in War Peace
• Caesar
• Turing
• ITAR --- Computer Security as military weapons
• Very Strong Computer Security
• Has the Game Changed?
• Economic Applications
• Human Rights Applications

3
Objectives

• Philosophical and Historical Perspective
• Understanding the Foundations
• Keeping Data Secure
• Why keep computers secure?
• Bad People using Computer Security
• Whos side am I on, anyway?
• It is not all about War!
• Examples from Humanistic Applications

4
Ethics

• Rules, standards, principles
• Govern right conduct
• Who is to say what is right ?
• What information about you is on Computer?
• What standards do you expect?
• Privacy Rights In Different Countries

5
Ethics

• Free, Capitalist Societies and Ethics
• Freedom of speech, association,
• Freedom of the press
• Must be able to demonstrate some truth
• Technology has been an enabler here!
• Printing Press
• TV, Radio
• The Internet!

6
Sword and Plow-share

• All technology is a double-edge sword
• Applications can be good or bad
• Almost every Technological Advance
• Is intended to do Good
• Unfortunately, high ethical standards are not
  universal
• Further, what is ethical can be subjective

7
Sword and Plow-share

• Albert Einstein
• Concern for man himself must always constitute
  the chief objective of all technological effort
• So that the results of our scientific thinking
  may be a blessing to mankind, and not a curse

8
Algorithms and Secret Codes

• Julius Caesar
• Credited with the Caesar cipher
• Encryption Algorithm
• 2001 by Kubrick
• Computer named HAL
• Shift-by-one
• H ? I
• A ? B
• L ? M

9
Computers and Secret Codes

• Alan M. Turing
• Famous Mathematician/Computer Scientist
• Computer Sciences Turing Award
• Team Cracked the Nazi Enigma
• Helped Allies Win the War
• Used electro-mechanical computers
• Towards general Universal stored program computer

10
Much Stronger Ciphers Today

• 1970s Bad News in Computer Science
• Some classes of problems seem very hard to solve!
• 1970s-1980s Reframe Bad News to Good News
  for Computer Security!
• Use seemingly very hard problems to hide secrets!

11
An Example Hard Problem

• Towers of Hanoi
• Start Configuration

A
B
C
12
An Example Hard Problem

• Rules
• Move Only One Disk at a Time!
• Smaller Disks Must Be on Top!
• Final Configuration Desired

A
B
C
13
An Example Hard Problem

• What Algorithm Can We Use?

A
B
C
A
B
C
A
B
C
14
An Example Hard Problem

• More of the algorithm

A
B
C
A
B
C
A
B
C
15
An Example Hard Problem

• Finally

A
B
C
16
An Example Hard Problem

• What about 4 Disks?

A
B
C
A
B
C
How Much MORE work than for 3 Disks?
17
The ITAR Controversy

• ITAR Related Laws
• International Traffic in Arms Regulations
• Good Intent to Restrict Export
• Restrict Strong Ciphers to the US, Canada
  Allies
• Bad Economic Consequences
• Put US software sales at a disadvantage
• Other Consequences?

18
Computers in Society

• How do Human Rights Groups use Computer Security?
• Justice Brandeis
• "Sunlight is the best disinfectant."
• Getting detailed information Out
• Using Laptops and Cellular
• Videotape

19
Computers in Society

• What does Encryption Do Here?
• Hide the data (testimony) from Rights Violators
  Until it is safely stored
• Hide the identities of those whom testify
• Hide the Enablers helping people fight for Human
  Rights
• Allow Secret Transmission of Data

20
Computers in Society

• Documenting Human Rights Abuses
• Gain Understanding of Scale, types,
• Present detailed facts to United Nations,
• Prepare for intervention
• De-motivate Rights Abusers
• Presents the possibility of the real history
  existing!

21
Computers in Society

• The International Center for Human Rights
  Research and partners
• 5,000 Human Rights Violation Testimonies
• Between 1994 and 1995
• No paper trail
• Easy analysis of data
• Extremely strong Ciphers!

22
Computers in Society

• Unfortunate data to gather
• Does not diminish its importance
• Forensic Analysis of Data
• Very sensitive data
• Time sensitive, need speed
• Storing, understanding and analyzing data
• Successful long-term Intervention requires (deep)
  Understanding

23
Computers in Society

• Haiti between 1993 and 1994
• Political Murders Peak At Certain Times
• Document and Chronicle
• High Coordination of Political Terror
• Must be Government Sponsored
• Police and underground criminals coordinated
• Likely explanation
• Terrorize people and aid workers to reject calls
  for US intervention

24
Conclusions

• Computers Information About us
• Need Computer Security!
• Many Ethical Issues Arise with Computer Security
• Good and Bad Uses
• Many Hard Ciphers Exist
• We can use Computer Security for Many Good things
• Lets Keep it that way!