A shell-based approach to information security

Abstract

Modem computer systems are truly awe-inspiring fetes of detailed design. Millions of transistors perform billions of instructions every second, linking thousands of people from every continent with a remarkable degree of reliability and accuracy. Yet all of this seems insignificant when compared with the complexities found in nature. Numerous design ideas, for example airplanes, have been inspired by nature. The knowledge of the feasibility of flight served as incentive to achieve such design. This paper will explore some of the similarities between nature and information systems. It will, however, become clear that there is at least one major difference. This difference lies in the instincts of wild animals to "protect themselves. Computer systems, however, have no natural protection mechanisms. Many protection mechanisms have been designed by practitioners in the field of information security. However, current security models are largely based on the domestic protection model. These models can be compared to a shepherd looking after a flock of sheep. Any predator • wishing to pray on the flock need only eliminate or avoid the shepherd. A traditional computer system can be compared to a sheep, not having any natural resilience to fend off attacks from predators. In contrast to this scenario most animals that live in the wild have built in protection mechanisms to address its security needs. The tortoise is a very good example of such an animal, carrying around a shell that is impervious to almost all of the tortoise's enemies. The shell is very portable and also acts as protection against the elements allowing the tortoise to be a very independent and relatively secure animal. This paper proposes a model for protecting information based on the security functionality of the tortoise shell. The model draws on the availability of object technology and suggests the use of an autonomous object based shell to provide a form of "self-protection" similar to that of the tortoise. The shell will possess a degree of intelligence that will restrict access to its data based upon the person or mechanism wishing to access it, as well as the perceived safety of the environment in which this access will take place.