NS/EP Telecommunications Security Concerns

The Public Switched Network (PSN) provides telecommunications services throughout the United States. The PSN consists of both voice and data communication networks and provides a wide range of services to a vast number of businesses, organizations, and individuals. National Security/Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) telecommunications services are those used to maintain a state of readiness or to respond to and manage any event or crisis (local, national, or international) that causes or could cause injury or harm to the population, damage to or loss of property, or degrades or threatens the NS/EP posture of the United States [3]. A significant portion of NS/EP telecommunications relies on the PSN, therefore, NS/EP telecommunications is concerned with the protection of the PSN to ensure that telecommunications services are available and reliable.

A 1989 report ``Growing Vulnerability of the Public Switched Networks: Implications for National Security Emergency Preparedness'' by the National Research Council (NRC) addresses concerns that the nation's networks are becoming more vulnerable to serious network disruptions [4]. The report reached several conclusions and listed numerous recommendations to reduce network vulnerabilities. Several conclusions reached by the National Research Council are listed below:

• The evolution of switching technology is resulting in fewer switches, a concentration of control, and thus greater vulnerability of the public switched networks.

• The public switched networks are increasingly controlled by and dependent on software that will increase access to executable code and databases for user configuration of features, a situation that creates vulnerability to damage by ``hackers,'' ``viruses,'' ``worms,'' and ``time bombs''.

• The power of optical fiber technology is diminishing the number of geographic transmission routes, increasing the concentration of traffic within those routes, reducing the use of other transmission technologies, and restricting spatial diversity. All these changes are resulting in an increase in network vulnerability.

• There is a progressive concentration of various traffic in and through single buildings resulting in increasing vulnerability. As a result this trend increases the potential for catastrophic disruption that may be caused by damage to even a single location.

In 1990, the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) initiated the Network Security Task Force to address network security concerns. The findings of the Network Security Task Force are documented in the ``Report of the Network Security Task Force'' [5]. Some of the conclusions of this report are highlighted below:

• There are software security vulnerabilities in the public switched network. Some of these vulnerabilities could impact NS/EP telecommunications capabilities.

• There is a threat to the PSN in the form of computer criminals or intruders who penetrate the various systems of the PSN. The threat to software security is international and in some cases penetrations originate from overseas.

• The current risk, which is a function of vulnerabilities and threats, is highly uncertain. Until there is confidence that strong, comprehensive security programs are in place, the industry should assume that a motivated and resourceful adversary, in one concerted manipulation of network software, could degrade at least portions of the PSN and monitor or disrupt the telecommunications serving NS/EP telecommunications users.

As described above, reports from the National Research Council and the National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee ([4], [5]) indicate that because of converging trends in technology, economics, and regulatory practice, the PSN is vulnerable to numerous security threats. It is possible that vulnerabilities in the PSN could be exploited and result in degradation or disruption of service. Disruption of NS/EP telecommunications services represents a threat to public safety and security. The report ``Electronic Intrusion Threat to NS/EP Telecommunications'' notes that hackers have the capability to launch sophisticated widespread attacks on the PSN and these types of attacks could result in significant degradation in the nation's NS/EP telecommunication capabilities, create significant public health and safety problems, and cause serious economic shocks [19].

• Assets To Be Protected
• Security Threats
  • Denial of Service
  • Impersonating a User
  • Disclosure of Information
  • Message Stream or Data Modification
  • Traffic analysis
• Potential Impact on NS/EP Telecommunications
  • Denial or Disruption of Service
  • Unauthorized Monitoring and Disclosure of Sensitive Information
  • Unauthorized Modification of Network Databases/Services
  • Fraud
• Sources of Security Threats
  • Employees/Insiders
  • Malicious Hackers
  • Natural Disasters
  • Foreign Adversaries
  • Hostile Attacks