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Cybercrimes against the electricity infrastructure
Descriptive
TitleInfo
Title
Cybercrimes against the electricity infrastructure
SubTitle
exploring hacker and industry perceptions
Name
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Rege
NamePart
(type = given)
Aunshul
NamePart
(type = date)
1979-
DisplayForm
Aunshul Rege
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
author
Name
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Clarke
NamePart
(type = given)
Ronaldd
DisplayForm
Ronaldd Clarke
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
chair
Name
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Samuels
NamePart
(type = given)
Norman
DisplayForm
Norman Samuels
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
internal member
Name
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Miller
NamePart
(type = given)
Joel
DisplayForm
Joel Miller
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
internal member
Name
(type = personal)
NamePart
(type = family)
Newman
NamePart
(type = given)
Graeme
DisplayForm
Graeme Newman
Affiliation
Advisory Committee
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
outside member
Name
(type = corporate)
NamePart
Rutgers University
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
degree grantor
Name
(type = corporate)
NamePart
Graduate School - Newark
Role
RoleTerm
(authority = RULIB)
school
TypeOfResource
Text
Genre
(authority = marcgt)
theses
OriginInfo
DateCreated
(qualifier = exact)
2012
DateOther
(qualifier = exact);
(type = degree)
2012-05
CopyrightDate
(qualifier = exact)
2012
Place
PlaceTerm
(type = code)
xx
Language
LanguageTerm
(authority = ISO639-2b);
(type = code)
eng
Abstract
(type = abstract)
The US electricity infrastructure uses Industrial Control Systems (ICS) to oversee its operations. These systems are connected online for better efficiency, making them susceptible to cyberattacks. Current research has extensively addressed ICS vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cybercriminals. Vulnerabilities, however, are only one of the many factors influencing offender decision-making in cyberattacks. Furthermore, numerous conceptions of threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences exist, which further complicate ICS security assessments. This exploratory study therefore has two main goals. First, it seeks to compare industry and hacker perceptions on electricity ICS threats, vulnerabilities, and consequences. Second, it seeks to identify a broader set of factors that influence offender decision-making in ICS cyberattacks. Routine activity and rational choice theories guided this study. Nine preliminary offender decision-making factors were organized to create the PARE RISKS framework: Prevention Measures; Attacks and Alliances; Result; Ease of Access; Response and Recovery; Interconnectedness and Interdependencies; Security Testing, Assessments, and Audits; Knowledge, Skills, Research and Development; and System Weaknesses. A total of 323 participants from both industry and (ethical) hacking communities completed PARE RISKS surveys, which were analyzed using non-parametric statistical tests and exploratory factor analysis. Seven interviews were conducted and subjected to a thematic analysis to supplement survey findings. The hypotheses that guided this research were all confirmed. It was found that hackers and industry experts differed in their perceptions of threats, consequences, system vulnerabilities and prevention measures. Hackers were more likely than industry respondents to believe that cybercriminals accessed hacking forums, exploited internet and email access, and exploited poor password practices. Industry respondents were more likely than hackers to believe that the desired outcomes of cyberattacks included information corruption, inaccurate information processing, and denial/disruption of service. The PARE RISKS framework was also found to be useful in identifying factors in the pre-attack and attack-in-progress environments that influenced offender decision-making. Hackers and industry respondents believed that cybercriminals engaged in extensive research to select targets; used an assortment of techniques; operated in anonymous, compartmentalized groups; required adequate skills, money, and time; and employed cost-benefit analysis and strategic attack plans both before and during attacks.
Subject
(authority = RUETD)
Topic
Criminal Justice
RelatedItem
(type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier
(type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_4009
PhysicalDescription
Form
(authority = gmd)
electronic resource
InternetMediaType
application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
vi, 194 p. : ill.
Note
(type = degree)
Ph.D.
Note
(type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Note
(type = vita)
Includes vita
Note
(type = statement of responsibility)
by Aunshul Rege
Subject
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Electric industries--Equipment and supplies
Subject
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Hacktivism--United States
Subject
(authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Cyberterrorism--United States
Identifier
(type = hdl)
http://hdl.rutgers.edu/1782.1/rucore10002600001.ETD.000065057
RelatedItem
(type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School - Newark Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier
(type = local)
rucore10002600001
Location
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(authority = marcorg);
(displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
NjNbRU
Identifier
(type = doi)
doi:10.7282/T33R0RVX
Genre
(authority = ExL-Esploro)
ETD doctoral
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Rights
RightsDeclaration
(ID = rulibRdec0006)
The author owns the copyright to this work.
RightsHolder
(type = personal)
Name
FamilyName
Rege
GivenName
Aunshul
Role
Copyright Holder
RightsEvent
Type
Permission or license
DateTime
(encoding = w3cdtf);
(qualifier = exact);
(point = start)
2012-04-17 15:46:49
AssociatedEntity
Name
Aunshul Rege
Role
Copyright holder
Affiliation
Rutgers University. Graduate School - Newark
AssociatedObject
Type
License
Name
Author Agreement License
Detail
I hereby grant to the Rutgers University Libraries and to my school the non-exclusive right to archive, reproduce and distribute my thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and/or my abstract, in whole or in part, in and from an electronic format, subject to the release date subsequently stipulated in this submittal form and approved by my school. I represent and stipulate that the thesis or dissertation and its abstract are my original work, that they do not infringe or violate any rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to my thesis or dissertation and its abstract. I represent that I have obtained written permissions, when necessary, from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis or dissertation and will supply copies of such upon request by my school. I acknowledge that RU ETD and my school will not distribute my thesis or dissertation or its abstract if, in their reasonable judgment, they believe all such rights have not been secured. I acknowledge that I retain ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use all or part of this thesis or dissertation in future works, such as articles or books.
Copyright
Status
Copyright protected
Availability
Status
Open
Reason
Permission or license
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Technical
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1183744
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windows xp
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ETD
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application/pdf
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application/x-tar
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1187840
Checksum
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