One of the most potent and potentially disruptive threats enterprises face is the use of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing between various departments and those outside the company, linked via the P2P Service. The devastating impact of having P2P software running on internal workstations, servers and laptops is seen regularly in theft of corporate digital assets, but identity theft of the actual users of these services as well (Bailes, Templeton, 2004). Even the most inexperienced hackers can gain access to private IP addresses using P2P services, which routinely show the full OP address, subnet mask and if the IP address is status, the name of the person and their location (Bailes, Templeton, 2004). This situation has become so pervasive and potentially lethal to intellectual property, the U.S. government now forbids its use in any government-related organization (Swartz, 2007). While departments within companies routinely download these applications and use them for sharing digital assets of imagery, music and applications, it is often at great risk to both the identity of the person doing the downloading the company they are a member of. P2P connections punch a hole in the firewall of a business and make it easy for intruders to gain access to advanced databases and corporate information (Becker, Clement, 2006). Downloading applications for sharing content may appear to be a very inexpensive way to gain access to many different digital assets ranging from images to music and video, the risks it puts companies at is too significant to risk. The intent of this analysis is to provide a Technology Evaluation Matrix to guide your organization through the process of eradicating P2P software and the inherent threats it presents. In addition there are a series of recommendations in the conclusion of this document to resolve the security challenges inherent in having P2P software already installed, in addition to prescriptive guidance for resolving the most major forms of threats.
¶ … Security Best Practices: Assessing the Risks Associated with Unauthorized Installation of File-Sharing Software
One of the most potent and potentially disruptive threats enterprises face is the use of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing between various departments and those outside the company, linked via the P2P Service. The devastating impact of having P2P software running on internal workstations, servers and laptops is seen regularly in theft of corporate digital assets, but identity theft of the actual users of these services as well (Bailes, Templeton, 2004). Even the most inexperienced hackers can gain access to private IP addresses using P2P services, which routinely show the full OP address, subnet mask and if the IP address is status, the name of the person and their location (Bailes, Templeton, 2004). This situation has become so pervasive and potentially lethal to intellectual property, the U.S. government now forbids its use in any government-related organization (Swartz, 2007). While departments within companies routinely download these applications and use them for sharing digital assets of imagery, music and applications, it is often at great risk to both the identity of the person doing the downloading the company they are a member of. P2P connections punch a hole in the firewall of a business and make it easy for intruders to gain access to advanced databases and corporate information
(Becker, Clement, 2006). Downloading applications for sharing content may appear to be a very inexpensive way to gain access to many different digital assets ranging from images to music and video, the risks it puts companies at is too significant to risk. The intent of this analysis is to provide a Technology Evaluation Matrix to guide your organization through the process of eradicating P2P software and the inherent threats it presents. In addition there are a series of recommendations in the conclusion of this document to resolve the security challenges inherent in having P2P software already installed, in addition to prescriptive guidance for resolving the most major forms of threats.
Technology Evaluation Matrix
The following is a technology matrix of potential solutions to using a P2P file sharing services throughout your enterprise. The focus is on how to use security technologies to enable greater levels of protection against future P2P-based software intrusions.
What Is the Risk or Vulnerability?
What Needs to Be Protected? (e.g., passwords, data, file backups, system registry)
Candidate Technology Solution
How the Technology Solution Works
Effectiveness (High, Medium, Low)
Very High due to P2P Software being able to capture IP Addresses
IP addresses throughout the network are compromised when P2P protocols are used (Becker, Clement, 2006)
Intelligent Firewall that traps all inbound and outbound P2P requests
Looks for applications with no Directory Services and shuts them down
High
High due to P2P Networks being accessible from any known IP address outside the company
The identity of the user, once an IP address is discovered (Risk Management, 2003)
Using IP blocking applications as part of a broader firewall
Using proxy server configurators, provides "synthetic" IP addresses to protect actual user and network identity
High
Medium level security due to password capture and trapping once IP address is known
Passwords need to be reset and secondary authentication used for managing the security levels of networks
Using secondary and multistep authentication (Hosein, Tsiavos, Whitley, 2003)
Forces a refresh of passwords in real-time to the network and also blocks "spoofed" passwords as well
Medium - High
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