Plan-based simulation of malicious intruders on a computer system [electronic resource]

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Authors
Roberts, Christopher C.
Subjects
Advisors
Rowe, Neil C.
Date of Issue
1995-03
Date
March 1995
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
en_US
Abstract
The problem addressed by this work was to reduce the time taken to train system administrators in detecting computer security problems in system audit logs. The approach taken was to develop a simulator which generates realistic audit logs that illustrate both non-malicious and malicious behavior. These logs can be used to train system administrators. The simulator was written in Prolog and used means-ends analysis to simulate seventeen combinations of general system functions which includes the following: logins, editing, file deletions, file copying, changing file access rights, obtaining superuser privileges, sending mail and logouts. The simulation manipulates virtual system files analogously to what real users do. This creates realistic audit file logs that include a mixture of normal and malicious activity. More impressive is that the entire source program requires only 19.1 kbytes of space, making it small enough to be compatible with a personal computer.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Computer Science
Organization
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
NA
Format
41 p.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.
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