Hardware-based Computer Security Techniques to Defeat Hackers: From Biometrics to Quantum Cryptography

Hardware-based Computer Security Techniques to Defeat Hackers: From Biometrics to Quantum Cryptography

by Roger R. Dube
Released August 2008
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470193396

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Book description

Presents primary hardware-based computer security approaches in an easy-to-read toolbox format

Protecting valuable personal information against theft is a mission-critical component of today's electronic business community. In an effort to combat this serious and growing problem, the Intelligence and Defense communities have successfully employed the use of hardware-based security devices.

This book provides a road map of the hardware-based security devices that can defeat—and prevent—attacks by hackers. Beginning with an overview of the basic elements of computer security, the book covers:

  • Cryptography

  • Key generation and distribution

  • The qualities of security solutions

  • Secure co-processors

  • Secure bootstrap loading

  • Secure memory management and trusted execution technology

  • Trusted Platform Module (TPM)

  • Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs)

  • Hardware-based authentification

  • Biometrics

  • Tokens

  • Location technologies

    • Hardware-Based Computer Security Techniques to Defeat Hackers includes a chapter devoted entirely to showing readers how they can implement the strategies and technologies discussed. Finally, it concludes with two examples of security systems put into practice.

    The information and critical analysis techniques provided in this user-friendly book are invaluable for a range of professionals, including IT personnel, computer engineers, computer security specialists, electrical engineers, software engineers, and industry analysts.

    Table of contents

    1. Cover Page
    2. Title Page
    3. Copyright
    4. Dedication
    5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
    6. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    7. CONTENTS
    8. PREFACE
    9. INTRODUCTION
    10. CHAPTER 1: THE ELEMENTS OF COMPUTER SECURITY
      1. CRYPTOGRAPHY
      2. PASSWORDS AND KEYS
      3. RANDOM-NUMBER GENERATORS
      4. SECURITY AND THE INTERNET
      5. REFERENCES
    11. CHAPTER 2: CRYPTOGRAPHY APPROACHES AND ATTACKS
      1. SYMMETRIC KEY CRYPTOGRAPHY
      2. REFERENCES
    12. CHAPTER 3: KEY GENERATION AND DISTRIBUTION APPROACHES AND ATTACKS
      1. KEY GENERATION
      2. KEY DISTRIBUTION
      3. REFERENCES
    13. CHAPTER 4: THE QUALITIES OF WORKABLE SECURITY SOLUTIONS
      1. SECURE COPROCESSORS
      2. SECURE BOOTSTRAP LOADING
      3. SECURE MEMORY MANAGEMENT
      4. TRUSTED PLATFORM MODULE
      5. LAGRANDE (TRUSTED EXECUTION TECHNOLOGY)
      6. FIELD-PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAY
      7. HARDWARE-BASED AUTHENTICATION
      8. REFERENCES
    14. CHAPTER 5: SECURE COPROCESSORS
      1. THE NEED FOR SECURE COPROCESSORS
      2. PHYSICAL SECURITY
      3. INITIALIZATION
      4. USABILITY, ACCESSIBILITY, AND SECURITY
      5. SUPPORT AND UPGRADES
      6. ANTICIPATORY DESIGN
      7. AUTHENTICATION
      8. REFERENCES
    15. CHAPTER 6: SECURE BOOTSTRAP LOADING
      1. THE NEED FOR SECURE BOOTSTRAP LOADING
      2. IMPLEMENTATION
      3. HARDWARE, FIRMWARE, AND SOFTWARE
      4. THE TRUSTED COMPUTING BASE
      5. CONCLUDING REMARKS
      6. REFERENCES
    16. CHAPTER 7: SECURE MEMORY MANAGEMENT AND TRUSTED EXECUTION TECHNOLOGY
      1. THE NEED FOR SECURE MEMORY MANAGEMENT
      2. BUFFER OVERFLOWS
      3. MEMORY POINTER ATTACKS
      4. THE IMPACT OF MEMORY-MANAGEMENT ATTACKS
      5. MINIMIZING MEMORY-MANAGEMENT ATTACKS
      6. PLATFORM-DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
      7. TRUSTED EXECUTION TECHNOLOGY
    17. CHAPTER 8: THE TRUSTED PLATFORM MODULE
      1. THE NEED FOR INCREASED NETWORK AND PC SECURITY
      2. TRUST
      3. THE NEED FOR A TRUSTED PLATFORM MODULE
      4. THE CONCEPT OF TRUSTED COMPUTING
      5. THE TRUSTED PLATFORM MODULE
      6. REFERENCES
    18. CHAPTER 9: FIELD-PROGRAMMABLE GATE ARRAYS
      1. BACKGROUND
      2. WHY USE AN FPGA?
      3. SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS
      4. ATTACK VECTORS
      5. PREVENTING ATTACKS
      6. REFERENCES
    19. CHAPTER 10: HARDWARE-BASED AUTHENTICATION
      1. WHO IS AT THE OTHER END?
      2. AUTHENTICATION OF A PERSON
      3. COMMON BIOMETRIC TECHNOLOGIES
      4. AUTHENTICATION OF A DEVICE
      5. AUTHENTICATION OF THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT
      6. REFERENCES
    20. CHAPTER 11: A CLOSER LOOK AT BIOMETRICS
      1. FINGERPRINT SCANNERS
      2. THE BASICS OF FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS
      3. IRIS SCANS
      4. ILLUMINATION
      5. RETINAL SCANS
      6. REFERENCES
    21. CHAPTER 12: TOKENS: SOMETHING YOU HAVE
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. RADIO-FREQUENCY IDS
      3. SMART CARDS
      4. INTERACTIVE TOKENS
      5. REFERENCES
    22. CHAPTER 13: LOCATION TECHNOLOGIES
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. LOCATION'S PLACE IN SECURITY
      3. GEOLOCATION
      4. GEOLOCATION ATTACK VECTORS
      5. WI-FI HOT-SPOT TRIANGULATION
      6. TIME OF FLIGHT
      7. SHORT-RANGE BEACONS
      8. RF POWER SPECTRUM
      9. RF SIGNATURES
      10. IP ADDRESS AND CLOCK SKEW
      11. REFERENCES
    23. CHAPTER 14: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
      1. OVERVIEW
      2. THE CHECKLIST
      3. COMMON ELEMENTS
      4. SPECIFIC ELEMENTS
      5. TWO EXAMPLES OF SECURE IMPLEMENTATIONS
      6. CONCLUDING REMARKS
    24. Glossary
    25. INDEX

    Product information

    • Title: Hardware-based Computer Security Techniques to Defeat Hackers: From Biometrics to Quantum Cryptography
    • Author(s): Roger R. Dube
    • Release date: August 2008
    • Publisher(s): Wiley
    • ISBN: 9780470193396