Network Attacks And The Impact Assessment Study

Attack effect evaluation technology for computer networks is an important and challenging subject of security evaluation in information systems. Nowadays, corresponding theory is not mature and correlative research reports are few. In this paper several currently primary evaluation techniques of information security are concisely analyzed. Then three evaluation models, i.e., the evaluation technique based on network information entropy, the security evaluation framework based on analytical hierarchy and the synthetical evaluation technique based on analytical indexes, are presented in order to conveniently measure and estimate the attack effect. Finally, sonie problems which must be paid attention to in practice are pointed.Firstly, the paper gives overall and systematic research on the basic principles of network attack techniques and nowadays popular attack methods. The characters of invading network such as goals, steps, hierarchy and measures are presented in detail, and at the same time a group of network performance indices that can be utilized for evaluating the effect of attack are presented as far as the purpose of network attack be concerned. Secondly, some methods for collecting information from networks such as sniffering, scanning and network flow information acquisition are discussed in detail, and a real-time information collecting system is designed. In the third part of this paper, the effect evaluation technology is presented in emphasis. Finally, an applicable framework to verify the effect evaluation model is given.