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Software Security

Software Security. David Wagner University of California at Berkeley. Critical infrastructure is dependent on computer security. Internet security incidents reported to CERT. Security break-ins are all too prevalent. Software vulnerabilities reported to CERT.

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Software Security

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  1. Software Security David WagnerUniversity of California at Berkeley

  2. Critical infrastructure is dependent on computer security

  3. Internet security incidents reported to CERT Security break-ins are all too prevalent

  4. Software vulnerabilities reported to CERT Typical cause: Security defects in our software

  5. Talk Outline • Why is our software so buggy? • What can we do about software security?

  6. What makes simple mechanical systems predictable? Linearity (or, piecewise linearity) Continuity (or, piecewise continuity) Small, low-dimensional statespaces Systems with these properties are(1) easier to analyze, and (2) easier to test. x y

  7. Computers enable highly complex systems • And today’s software is taking advantage of this • Highly non-linear behavior; large, high-dim. state spaces

  8. Problem Summary • Complexity breeds bugsand unpredictable behavior • Bugs and unpredictabilityare the bane of security

  9. Mitigating the Risks How can we improve software security? • Correctness by construction(e.g., K.I.S.S., defensive coding, least privilege) • Automated analysis of software,new models of software behavior • Formal verification: proving programs free of defects

  10. X MOPS Warnings aboutundisciplined code Hard-workingprogrammer Buggy, insecureapplication Tools for Software Security • If secure programming is hard, let’s build tools that make it easier to get security right • MOPS: scanning for bugs using software model checking • CQual: security-typed programming discipline • We’re finding--and fixing--vulnerabilities in open-source applications (Linux kernel, sendmail,Apache, wu-ftpd, …)

  11. Conclusion • Computer security problems are endemic. • Our software is a weak spot.Network-layer defenses must make up for software inadequacies. • The problem will likely remain with us as long as users value features (complexity) over security (simplicity).

  12. Questions? And remember to look out for rakes…

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