CS 4235 - Summer 2007
Introduction to Information Security
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Homework 4
Dates
- Homework assigned: June 21, 2007
- Homework due: June 26, 2007
Assignment
Each question suggests a recommended answer length. This is just a guideline, but please keep your answers short, while still addressing the question fully. Be sure to fully read each question and answer each part of the question in order to get full credit for your answers.
All answers must be typed and printed. The hard copy with your answers must be turned in at the start of class on the due date.
Be sure to put your name and GTID on the top of every page of your assignment. Multiple pages should be stapled together.
This homework assignment must be done individually, it is not a group work assignment.
(1) Explain the differences between mandatory access control (MAC) and discretionary access control (DAC). Give one example of an operating system that includes MAC and one example of an operating system that only has DAC. [1 paragraph]
(2) What is meant by the phrase 'trusted computing base'? Describe what is included in the trusted computing base for Microsoft Windows XP. Conclude by stating how this affects the overall security of Windows. [1 paragraph]
(3) We learned in class that passwords are vulnerable to 'cracking' if an attacker accesses the password hashes. Describe two improvements to traditional password authentication that would stop these types of 'cracking' attacks from working. Compare the security, usability, and implementation complexity of your two improvements. [2 paragraphs]
(4) Memory paging can be viewed as a type of capability system. Describe what a capability is and how memory paging works. In what way(s) is memory paging similar to a capability system? In what way(s) is it different? [3 paragraphs]