'DNA-proofing' for computer systems-A new approach to computer security?

C. P. Louwrens, S. H. von Solms

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Modem day network-centric computing can increasingly be viewed as a vast, extremely involved organism, of which the boundaries are not clear, and most of the constituent parts are unknown from any given viewpoint. It may even become impossible to ensure the security of computing systems in future with current approaches to computer security. On the other hand, nature has been successful in defending its complex biological systems from infection and damage for countless millennia by using highly specialized and evolved immune systems. It is therefore postulated that a highly effective defensive mechanism can be developed, to transparently enforce an acceptable level of security in very extensive and complex computer networks and systems, by building very basic, but specialized autonomous agents, that follow basic rules that can be deduced from biological immune systems. Key to this concept is the biological system's ability to distinguish what belongs to it and what is foreign and therefore needs to be destroyed. This is done, inter alia, via genetic information contained in the DNA of each cell. Central to the proposed immune model is thus the concept of 'DNA-proofing'.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationInformation Security for global information infrastructures IFIP TC11- 16th Annual Working Conference on Information Security, 2000
EditorsJan H.P. Eloff, Sihan Qing
PublisherSpringer New York LLC
Pages121-129
Number of pages9
ISBN (Print)9781475754797
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017
Event16th IFIP World Computer Congress, WCC 2000 - Beijing, China
Duration: 21 Aug 200025 Aug 2000

Publication series

NameIFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology
Volume47
ISSN (Print)1868-4238
ISSN (Electronic)1868-422X

Conference

Conference16th IFIP World Computer Congress, WCC 2000
Country/TerritoryChina
CityBeijing
Period21/08/0025/08/00

Keywords

  • Anti-virus technology
  • Autonomous intelligent software agents
  • Biological model
  • Computer security
  • DNA-proofing
  • Immune system

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Information Systems and Management

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