Security according to Leafcutter Ants - EEMA · 2018-11-27 · 2 © 2016 IBM Corporation 3 Why...

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© 2016 IBM Corporation

Security according to Leafcutter Ants Collaboration strategy based on 120 million years of warfare experience Mike Chung | Associate Partner IBM Security May 2016

2 © 2016 IBM Corporation

Items

!  Why ants?

!  How do ants deal with security?

!  What can we learn?

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Why ants?


Ants in everyday life

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Origins


Classification

Hymenoptera

Formicidae

Wasps

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Classification

Hymenoptera

Formicidae Atta and Acromyrmex

Wasps Other 8 genera


Eusociology

Larvae

Colony

Adults

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Eusociology

Larvae

Colony

Adult generation 1 Adult generation 2


Eusociology

Larvae

Colony

Adult generation 1 Adult generation 2

Reproductive members

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Share of eusocial insects

Total number of animal species (2 million)

Number of insect species (1 million)

Eusocial insect species (0.02 million)


Share of eusocial insects

Total bio-mass of animals

Eusocial insects' bio-mass (30%)

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Security according to Leafcutter Ants


Life of Leafcutter Ants Cutting and gathering leaves

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Life of Leafcutter Ants Cutting and gathering leaves Gardening fungus


Life of Leafcutter Ants Cutting and gathering leaves Gardening fungus Raising offspring

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Threat landscape Environmental threats:

-  Flooding -  Drought

Enemies:

-  Predators -  Competitors




Enemies:

-  Predators -  Competitors

Pests:

-  Parasitic flies -  Parasitic fungi

Diseases:

-  Crop diseases -  Infections

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Roles

Non-reproductives

Reproductives


Roles

Non-reproductives

Reproductives Queen Males Reproductive

females

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Roles

Non-reproductives


females


Roles

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors

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Roles

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors

Soldiers Foragers

Assemblers Carers Hitchhikers Gardeners


Roles

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors

Soldiers Foragers

Assemblers Carers Hitchhikers Gardeners

Age

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Roles: defense

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors

Predators

Competitors

Environmental threats


Roles: defense

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors

Predators

Competitors

Parasitic flies Parasitic fungi

Crop diseases Infections


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Roles: defense

Non-reproductives


females

Majors

Minors

Predators

Competitors

Parasitic flies Parasitic fungi

Crop diseases Infections


Genetic diversity


Complexity of environment vs. flexibility of roles

Static roles Dynamic roles

Low complexity, e.g. desert

High complexity, e.g. rain forest

Ants

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Complexity of environment vs. flexibility of roles

Static roles Dynamic roles

Low complexity, e.g. desert

High complexity, e.g. rain forest

Ants

Humans in IT


Nest architecture

Nest

Queen’s chamber

Mound

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Nest architecture

Nest

Queen’s chamber

Larvae & cocoons chamber

Waste chamber

Mounds “Emergency” exit/entrance

Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber


Nest architecture

Nest

Queen’s chamber

Empty chamber Larvae & cocoons chamber

Fungus chamber

Waste chamber Fungus

chamber

Alternate chamber


Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber

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Nest architecture: defense components

Nest

Queen’s chamber


Fungus chamber


chamber

Alternate chamber


Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber

Hard surface



Nest

Queen’s chamber


Fungus chamber


chamber

Alternate chamber


Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber

Hard surface

Multiple exits/entrances

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Nest

Queen’s chamber


Fungus chamber


chamber

Alternate chamber


Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber

Hard surface


Escape rooms

Blocks

Blocks



Nest

Queen’s chamber


Fungus chamber


chamber

Alternate chamber


Main tunnel

Penduncle

Egg’s chamber

Hard surface


Escape rooms

Blocks

Blocks

Sanitation

Disinfection

Humidity and temperature regulation

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Risk-spreading and alternatives

Nest

Queen

Nuptial flights

New nest

New queen


Risk-spreading and alternatives

Nest

Queen

Nuptial flights

New nest

New queen

Merging/joining

Usurping

Hibernation

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Continuity alternatives

Threat(s) Plan A: Fight back Continuation of colony

Plan C: Disperse (only when reproductive females present)

B1: Join

Survival of genes

Plan B: Move to family nest

B2: Usurp


Security-driven architecture

Leafcutter Ants

Security prerequisites

No single point of failure

Flexible nest architecture

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Security-driven architecture

Leafcutter Ants Humans in IT

Security prerequisites

No single point of failure

Flexible nest architecture

Financial/business prerequisites

“Crown jewels”

Inflexible IT architecture


Communication

Pheromones ALERT!

Pheromone and poison detection

Touch communication

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Communication

Poison excretion DANGER!

Pheromones ALERT!

Stridulation HELP!

Pheromone and poison detection

Vibration detection

Touch communication


Communication: information sharing

Potential threat

Colony/group of ants

Ant 1

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Potential threat


Pheromone mark

Ant 1


Pheromone mark


Potential threat


Ant 1

Ant 2, 3

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Potential threat


Ant 1

Ant 2, 3



Potential threat


Ant 1

Many ants

Ant 2, 3

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Collaboration

Threat(s) Information gathering


Collaboration

Threat(s) Information gathering Immediate alert Massive response

Grave danger

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Collaboration


Alert Correlation

Grave danger

Local danger

Response


Collaboration


Alert

Collective storage of events

Correlation

Grave danger

Local danger

False alarm

Response

Sharing of information

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Shared collective ledger of knowledge

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Communication



1

Communication

2

Update

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1

Communication

2

Update

3 Consensus and validation


Shared knowledge

Leafcutter Ants Humans in IT

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Enemies:

-  Predators -  Competing ants

Pests:

-  Parasitic flies -  Parasitic fungi

Diseases:

-  Crop diseases -  Infections


Mitigations Environmental threats:

•  Alternative locations

•  “Hibernation”

Enemies:

•  Nest architecture •  Physical defense mechanisms

Pests:

•  Polyethism •  Ventilation system

Diseases:

•  Sanitation •  Polyandry (genetic diversity)

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Recommended literature

!  Bert Hölldobler, Edward O. Wilson: The Leafcutter Ants, Civilation by Instinct, 2011

!  Bert Hölldobler, Edward O. Wilson: The Super-Organism, The Beauty, Elegance, and Strangeness of Insect Societies, 2009

!  Deborah M. Gordon: Ant Encounters, Interaction Networks and Colony Behavior, 2010


Contact details

Drs. Mike Chung RE CISSP

Associate Partner IBM Security

[email protected]

+31 6 2565 7593

Security according to Leafcutter Ants - EEMA · 2018-11-27 · 2 © 2016 IBM Corporation 3 Why...

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Transcript of Security according to Leafcutter Ants - EEMA · 2018-11-27 · 2 © 2016 IBM Corporation 3 Why...