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CyberCivics

August 18, 2008

What is CyberCivics?

Study of contemporary social and political issues that grow out of computer-science related technologies Examples: Privacy of digital communications,

electronic voting, data mining, digital surveillance, digital rights management, and more

Being an engaged citizen of the modern world requires an understanding of computing technologies

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Evaluate proposed uses of technology Citizens must consider proposed uses of

technology Should we replace paper ballots with

electronic voting systems? Should we have a national identification

card? Should it have an RFID tag? Should public records be available online? Should emails be admissible evidence in

court? Difficult to weigh the issues without

understanding the technologies themselves, right?

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Watch for impact of technology on our rights Citizens should know how technology

impacts their traditional rights Examples?

Do we have a right to sell our copy of a movie if we no longer want it?

Do we have a right to know when our files/emails are searched? If they are stored in our home? at our Internet service provider?

Do we have a right to understand/investigate the process through which our votes are counted?

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Shape our society for the better Citizens need to advocate for regulations

that control misuse of technology Do we want a world where

Where companies track and sell private information about individuals?

Someone’s web browsing and media consumption habits are linked to their credit report?

Where people’s location is tracked at all times? Technology easily enable these abuses

Do companies or the government have vested interest in preventing them?

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CyberCivics = Contemporary Issues + Hands-on Computer Science Curricula that discusses contemporary issues

and engages students in hands-on activities that help them better understand emerging technologies Computer networking Programming Databases

Dual benefits Be a more informed citizen Gain skills that prepare them for high-tech careers

Institute Overview

Day 1: Overview of CyberCivics, Network Security and Privacy

Day 2: Database PrivacyDay 3: RFID and SurveillanceDay 4: Electronic VotingDay 5: Computer Science Careers,

Lesson Planning and Tools Overview

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Activities

Network tracing and analysis Wireless network configuration Writing database queries Writing simple computer programs Analyzing a “hacked” computer

program for vulnerabilities Along the way

Discussions, readings, films, useful web sites, useful tools

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Deliverables

Each day, you take notes about what you think would work in your classroom Turn in notes and 1 page comments days 2-5

Write a “citizen’s response” What will you take away personally as a

citizen? Day 5

In teams write plan for lesson segment including a hands-on computer science activity

Give 10 minute demonstration of your lesson segment

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Two Activities to Highlight Two Pieces of CyberCivics

Headline search Fake Email

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Headline search

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Headlines

Veterans Administration Loses Data on 1.8 million-- Consumer Affairs, 2/13/07

Sony BMG Hacking into CD Buyers’ Computers-- FOX News, 11/3/05

Audit Finds Many Faults in Cleveland’s ’06 Voting-- NY Times, 4/20/07

Machines Record Votes Inaccurately in Tests-- Dayton Daily News, 3/20/07

Experts: Wi-Fi Eavesdropping Persists…-- Boston Globe, 8/7/07

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Fake Email

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Protocol

If two people are going to communicate, they must agree on a language

Protocol = language defining the expected order and meaning of messages they exchange. Hi …Hi…Got the time?….two oclock

SUCCESSFUL EXCHANGE Hi…Don’t bother meXX ABORTED Allo…

Hello..Quelle heuere a’til …..XX<blank stare> MISMATCH

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Layered Architectures

Human beings are able to handle lots of complexity in their language processing. Ambiguously defined Many interactions all at once

How do computers manage complex protocol processing? Specify well defined protocols to enact. Decompose complicated jobs into layers

that each have a well defined task

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Layered Architectures

Break-up big job into smaller, more manageable jobs.

Different entity does each job

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Physical Mail

Assistant X

Secretary X

Mailroom X

Post Office X

CEO X

Assistant Y

Secretary Y

Mailroom Y

Post Office Y

CEO YLunch?

Schedule?

Important Note?

Internal mail info

External mail info

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Physical Mail

Assistant X

Secretary X

Mailroom X

Post office X

CEO X

Assistant Y

Secretary Y

Mailroom Y

Post office Y

CEO Y“Lunch?”

“Lunch?”

“Lunch?”

“Lunch?”

“Lunch?”

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Envelopes Exercise

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Layered Architectures

Break-up big job into smaller, more manageable jobs.

Different entity does each job

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Computer Networking

Web browser

TCP server

IP server

ethernetdriver/card

user X

HTTP

TCP

IP

Web server

TCP server

IP server

ethernetdriver/card

user Y

IEEE 802.3 standard

electric signals

English (?)

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Computer Networking

Web browser

TCP server

IP server

ethernetdriver/card

user X, wants page

Web server

TCP server

IP server

ethernetdriver/card

user Y, posted pageGet page

Get page

Get page

Get page

Get page

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First Look At Wireshark

Capturing Get a web page Look At One Package Look At One Conversation

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One more complication

Assistant

Secretary

Mailroom

outgoing

CEO A

Post office

in out

Assistant

Secretary

Mailroom

incoming

CEO B

Post office

outin

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Computer Networking

HTTP

TCP

IP

ethernet

Host A

IP

ethernet

Router R

link

HTTP

TCP

IP

ethernet

Router W

Host B

IP

ethernetlink

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Traceroute/tracert

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Graphical Traceroute (plus DNS information )

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Another Look At Wireshark

http vs https Pop

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Trace Your Own

Rules for tracing Answer questions Discussion of privacy concerns

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Know your network neighborhood Hubs vs Switchs Do you trust the administrator?

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Wireless networks

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Outtakes

Day 1: Overview and NetworksOverview of CyberCivicsHands-on exercises with open source

network protocol analysis software Hands-on exercises illustrating the

weaknesses of typical wireless network configurations

Network communication in the headlines

Day 2: Database Privacy

Readings on data mining and privacyHands-on exercises writing simple

database queriesHands-on exercises with inference

control and database privacyDocumentary: “No More Privacy, All

About You”Database privacy in the headlines

Day 3: RFID and SurveillanceReadings on RFID, video surveillance,

and REAL-IDHands-on exercises with RFID

experiment kitsRFID and surveillance in the headlines Documentary: “Hacking Democracy”

(preparation for Day 4)

Day 4: Electronic Voting

Readings on electronic voting Hands-on exercises with Python

programmingHands-on exercise reading source code

for electronic voting system and running mock election

Electronic voting in the headlines

Day 5: CS Careers, Lesson Planning and ToolsExploration of on-line Occupational

Outlook HandbookHands-on exercises with CyberCivics

tools and “kits” (virtual machines, LiveCDs)

Lesson planning activity and feedback

Kits Materials budget to provision “kits” that

teachers can check out and use Kits will include

CDs with virtual machine images and LiveCDs Collections of readings (loose leaf for ease of copying) Hardware such as wireless access points and RFID kits Copies of relevant DVDs and books

On-line “kit” supplements will contain downloadable files, pointers to on-line resources including where to buy materials, etc.

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