Accession Number:

ADA465048

Title:

Covert Channels - Here to Stay

Descriptive Note:

Conference paper

Corporate Author:

NAVAL RESEARCH LAB WASHINGTON DC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIV

Personal Author(s):

• Moskowitz, Ira S.
• Kang, Myong H.

Report Date:

1994-07-07

Pagination or Media Count:

11.0

Abstract:

We discuss the difficulties of satisfying high-assurance system requirements without sacrificing system capabilities. To alleviate this problem, we show how trade-offs can be made to reduce the threat of covert channels. We also clarify certain concepts in the theory of covert channels. Traditionally, a covert channels vulnerability was measured by the capacity. We show why a capacity analysis alone is not sufficient to evaluate the vulnerability and introduce a new metric referred to as the small message criterion.

Descriptors:

• *PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING)
• *INFORMATION THEORY
• *CHANNELS
• REPRINTS
• SYMPOSIA
• VULNERABILITY
• INFORMATION ASSURANCE
• INFORMATION SECURITY
• COMPUTER NETWORKS
• RELIABILITY
• DATA PROCESSING SECURITY
• COMPUTER COMMUNICATIONS

Subject Categories:

• Computer Systems Management and Standards

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE