Living in SYN
Thu, Feb 29
By the mid-1990s, the Internet had replaced all other computer networks as the global focal point for online life. Accordingly, hackers pivoted to the exploration and exploitation of TCP/IP networks. This involved more technically rigorous study of operating systems and network stacks than what had taken place in the 1980s, as well as the cultivation of C programming skills that were on par with or surpassed those of professional programmers. Hackers also moved their technical infrastructure to the Internet, leaving behind their BBSs for public websites and private multi-user Unix servers. During this period, corporations and governments begin to appreciate the work of the underground hacker scene. We have three learning goals for today. By the end of our lecture class, you will:
- Understand how the Internet became ascendant in the 1990s.
- Be able to interpret TCP/IP packets in a sociocultural sense.
- Gain basic skill in using low-level network diagnostic tools used by both hackers and network administrators.
The digital artifact for today is the nmap network scanner.
The slides for today's lecture are available here.
Read This:
Today's readings are three technical textfiles from the 1990s that could have been read in an offensive or defensive way, depending on whether one was a hacker or network administrator.
The Sniffer FAQ, authored by Internet Security Systems, Inc., an early computer security company founded in 1994 and acquired by IBM in 2006.
The Art of Port Scanning by Fyodor, which appeared in Phrack Magazine Issue 51 (1997). It introduced the nmap network scanner.
Remote OS Detection via TCP/IP Stack FingerPrinting by Fyodor, which appeared in Phrack Magazine Issue 54 (1998). It introduced the concept of determining the type and version of an operating system by examining network packets.
Do This:
Writing Reflection 03
See the instructions posted on the assignment's page.
This writing reflection is due on 3/5 at 5pm.