Assignment

Description: The scenario description and requirements for Short Paper #1:

Prepare a short research paper of approximately 1300-1500 words, double-spaced, exclusive of cover, title page, and table of contents, endnotes and bibliography. Your paper must use APA formatting with the exception that tables and figures can be inserted at the appropriate location rather than added at the end. Submit the paper in your assignment folder as a Word attachment with the following file name:

YourlastnameFirstname INFA640 SP1.doc

(For example, my submission file would be PathakDivakerINFA640 SP1.doc)

If you are unable to virus check your document, please submit as an rtf file rather than as a doc file. Please do not use macros in your document.

Be certain that your paper contains the required certification as specified in the syllabus.

Assume the following incidences happened five years ago so neglect recent agreements between the US and the Cayman Island government.

Scenario:

Angela, a high net worth customer, banks on-line at Trustworthy Bank and Trust (TBT) and has agreed to use 3DES (also known as Triple DES) in communicating with TBT. One day, Angela received a statement showing a debit of $1,000,000 from her account. On inquiring, she was told that the bank manager, Jolene, transferred the money out of Angela's account and into an account of her own in an offshore bank in the Cayman Islands. When reached via long distance in the Cayman Islands, Jolene produced a message from Angela, properly encrypted with the agreed upon 3DES keys, saying:

"Thanks for your many years of fine service, Jolene. Please transfer $1,000,000 from my account to yours as a token of my esteem and appreciation; Signed Angela.

Angela filed suit against Jolene, TBT and the government of the Cayman Islands, claiming that the message was a forgery, sent by Jolene herself and asking for triple damages for pain and suffering. TBT likes to file a counter suit against Angela, claiming that all procedures were followed properly and that Angela is filing a nuisance suit.

You have been employed by TBT as a cryptographic expert and consultant to investigate, give recommendations based on your findings including how to proceed with the suit and to produce a report for the TBT Board of Directors, which will provide basis for them in determining how to proceed in this matter.

Your report to the Board of Directors should address but not limited to the following issues:

• From the facts as presented, what can be determined about whether Angela intended to make Jolene a gift of $1,000,000? What are the critical points in determining intention of Angela? State your conclusion and how did the facts help you in forming your conclusion?

• What is the significance of Cayman Island? Did it affect your conclusion?

• Assuming TBT wishes to continue using only 3DES as its cryptographic system, what advice would you give to TBT and the customer or what could TBT and Angela have done to protect against this controversy arising?

• Would this controversy have arisen if TBT had been using AES rather than 3DES?

• What is a plausible explanation of what may have happened in this case?

Your report should clearly address these issues, with sufficient detail and background to allow the "cryptographically challenged" Board of Directors to understand the issues involved and recommendation to formulate plans for how to approach the immediate issue with Angela, and to continue business in the future, assuming that they want to continue using 3DES

Assuming TBT wishes to continue using 3DES as its cryptographic system, explain what TBT and Angela could have done to protect against this controversy arising.