Denial of Service Attacks: Difference in Rates, Duration, and Financial Damages and the Relationship Between Company Assets and Revenues
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Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2020 Denial of Service Attacks: Difference in Rates, Duration, and Financial Damages and the Relationship Between Company Assets and Revenues Abebe Gebreyes Walden University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Databases and Information Systems Commons This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection at ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Walden University College of Management and Technology This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Abebe Gebreyes has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Robert Haussmann, Committee Chairperson, Applied Management and Decision Sciences Faculty Dr. Kenneth Levitt, Committee Member, Applied Management and Decision Sciences Faculty Dr. Keri Heitner, University Reviewer Applied Management and Decision Sciences Faculty Chief Academic Officer and Provost Sue Subocz, Ph.D. Walden University 2020 Abstract Denial of Service Attacks: Difference in Rates, Duration, and Financial Damages and the Relationship Between Company Assets and Revenues by Abebe Gebreyes MPhil, Walden University, 2020 MS, American University, 2003 MA, Howard University, 1996 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Management Walden University October 2020 Abstract Denial-of-service/distributed denial-of-service (DoS) attacks on network connectivity are a threat to businesses that academics and professionals have attempted to address through cyber-security practices. However, currently there are no metrics to determine how attackers target certain businesses. The purpose of this quantitative study was to address this problem by, first, determining differences among business sectors in rates and duration of attacks and financial damages from attacks and, second, examining relationship among assets and/or revenues and duration of attacks and financial damages. Cohen and Felson’s routine activity theory and Cornish and Clarke’s rational choice theory served as frameworks as they address the motivations and choices within criminal targeted attacks. Using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman’s correlation analysis, data, compiled from online database, on 100 U.S. businesses that were attacked in a 19-year period were analyzed. Kruskal-Wallis test indicated financial and informational sectors had higher attack rates; educational and informational sectors experienced longer attacks; and retail and informational sectors suffered greater financial damages. Results of Spearman’s correlation showed that there was a significant negative relationship between duration and assets across all sectors but a significant positive relationship between duration and assets within the financial sector. A key recommendation is for cyber security professionals to better understand DoS attacks and to develop protections targeted business sectors. The implications of positive social change include the potential for security professionals to improve their security defenses from targeted attacks and trigger scholars to further research using the issues presented in the study. Denial of Service Attacks: Difference in Rates, Duration, and Financial Damages and the Relationship Between Company Assets and Revenues by Abebe Gebreyes MPhil, Walden University, 2020 MS, American University, 2003 MA, Howard University, 1996 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Management Walden University October 2020 Dedication First and foremost, I would like to give honor to my God (Elohim) almighty for giving me the never-ending perseverance and strength to deal with this strenuous process. This study is dedicated to my mother, Zenebech Wondim who encouraged me to get education. I would also like to honor, acknowledge, and dedicate this study to my family, Emaways Assefa, Abel, Ethael, and Bruk Abebe who endured my long journey for this doctoral research: I thank you for your support and patience with me during this protracted journey. I also thank my sister (Yeshi), brothers (Arega, Moges, Getachew, Teklu, Zewdu, Alemayehu) and relatives for their encouragement and assistance through this doctoral research process: you contributed everything in your power to make sure I had the proper resources I need to accomplish my dissertation. I could not have reached this point without all of you. Acknowledgments In this dissertation process, I would like to express my sincere appreciation and gratefulness to my chairperson, Dr. Robert Haussmann. Dr. Haussmann, I thank you enormously for your guidance throughout my long journey. I have learnt wisdom and vision from your immediate and valuable feedback to my research. I give thanks also to Dr. Ken Levitt my second committee member and methodology expert. Thank you for accepting my request during a difficult time. Thanks to all of you for ensuring that my dissertation met the University’s rigorous requirements Table of Contents List of Tables ................................................................................................................. vi Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ................................................................................1 Background of the Study ............................................................................................4 Problem Statement .....................................................................................................7 Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................9 Research Questions and Hypotheses ..........................................................................9 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................ 12 Routine Activity Theory .................................................................................... 13 Rational Choice Theory ..................................................................................... 14 Nature of the Study .................................................................................................. 15 Definitions ............................................................................................................... 18 Assumptions ............................................................................................................ 21 Scope and Delimitations .......................................................................................... 21 Limitations............................................................................................................... 22 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................... 23 Significance to Theory ...................................................................................... 24 Significance to Practice ..................................................................................... 25 Significance to Social Change ........................................................................... 26 Summary ................................................................................................................. 27 Chapter 2: Literature Review ......................................................................................... 29 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 29 i Cyber-Attacks .......................................................................................................... 31 Type of Attacks........................................................................................................ 33 Malware Attacks ............................................................................................... 34 Cryptolocker ..................................................................................................... 35 Denial-of-Services/Distributed Denial-of-Services Attack ........................................ 37 Smurf Attack ..................................................................................................... 39 Fraggle Attack ................................................................................................... 39 SYN Flood Attack ............................................................................................. 39 The Ping-of-Death Attack ................................................................................. 40 The Teardrop Attack ......................................................................................... 40 Launching DDoS Attacks .................................................................................. 41 Commonly Used Attack Tools ................................................................................. 44 Trinoo.. ............................................................................................................. 44 Tribe Flood Network Tool ................................................................................