Usable Security for Science Challenges and Next Steps Jens Jensen Science and Technology Facilities...
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Transcript of Usable Security for Science Challenges and Next Steps Jens Jensen Science and Technology Facilities...
Usable Security for Science
Challenges and Next StepsJens Jensen <j.jensen @ rl ac uk>Science and Technology Facilities
CouncilTrust and Security 2nd Workshop
Oxford 8-9 May 2008
This Talk…
• Is about security – practical security• Mainly from the service provider’s view• Broader view rather than narrow tech• Mostly about AAA in line with
workshop’s theme• Tried to be provocative now and then
Large scale sciencefacilities with users
across the world
All Images © STFC
all areas of scienceBiology andmedicine
Space
Earth
Materials
Physics
Arts andhumanities
Environmentand energy
…
Technology
Chemistry
Why Security?
• Protect our infrastructure (and users’ data)
• Enforce allocations• Accounting for resource use• Track resource misuse• Peering – across UK, Europe, World
Practical AspectsMost technology is experimental
Standard
Java LibraryImplementation
C/C++ LibraryImplementation
… thirdimplementation
Practical Aspects• A spec alone is useless...(without
implementations)• Java (alone) is useless• C can be linked into everything
(almost)– Perl, python, …
• Need >2 independent implementations– Interoperating !!
• Usable licence
Practical Aspects
Standards arevery important
Sometimesthere aretoo many
Practical Aspects
like traffic(sort of)
Technology, Grids,it’s experimental
Never ever justtrust the standard
What we have for AuC
• Site security – physical (people, doors, access cards, keys)
• Site computing – Active Directory• e-Science CA (IGTF/X.509)• Shibboleth• Credential conversion (later in talk)
Whose
• Developer• Service provider• Sysadmin• Supporter• Accounting
• Facility provider• User office• Granting body• PI• End user
Dimensions
• Time (user’s)• Time (ours)• Space (geo)• Financial/
resources• Ease of use
• Assurance• Trust• End to end (user
to system)
Interest in
proposal
Registration
Authorisation
Users’ timeline
Science!
Termination
(or not?)
Weak AUC
Stronger AUC
STATE of AUC?
Organisation Timeline
Preserving data, curation
Technology migration
Lower costs…
User Offices HR
Integrated AccountManagement
STAFFVISITORAGENCY STAFF External
Diamond?Other STFC sitesPPARC/CCLRC
Usability for users
Should be like a duck
Who moves across the pond
Paddling of feet unseen
Usability for service provider
Let the good guys in
Keep the bad guys out
Minimal supportrequirements
How we achieve (some of) it
Credential Conversion
Scientist wishes to do work
Logs in Uses resource
Account mgmt and AuZ
• Site single sign on databases (connected)
• fedId, DN, resource username• Granting access to resources (AuZ)• Single account management
– Also holds customers – e.g. beamline scientists
• Adding more resources
Example Resource
• SCARF cluster• External users use certificates• All staff have a default SSO account
– Temporary limited recyclable accounts• Staff can apply for permanent acct• License management for all users
– Commercial libraries
MyProxy for CC
http://grid.ncsa.uiuc.edu/myproxy/
Grids (NGS,gLite/GridPP,SRB)
Kerberosor
Active Directory
Users do not see the certificate – it's all managed behind the scenes (duck paddling)
Applications integrated security
• We adapt science applications to use the Grid
• End to end• Interfaces to security infrastructure• Often security is added only as
necessary?– Imposed by Grid infrastructure
Shib for CC
Password Shibboleth
Resource access
NGS
• Deploy production services for Grids• SARoNGS – Jan 07 – Jan 08 for NGS
– Integrate ShibGrid and SHEBANGS– Shibboleth access with VO attrs from
VOMS
NGS
• e-Science CA: accepted internationally• High assurance level• Works because everybody in the world
is on the same level• Robots for automated services (or
portals)• Not necessarily needed for normal
users?
Why does it work?
Interoperable Standards
based
Tested!
Er, what was the question again?
How important is usability for my users?• Very• More for some than for others
– Health workers seem to have particular difficulties
– Physicists are more hardy folk
…Usability?
Security…
…a necessary evil?
ExperiencesUsable security
…satisfying user and site requirements…
…makes happy(er) andproductive users
…And the second question?
Usability and interoperability?• Interoperability improves
reusability• Reusable means more versatile• Improves usability
…And the final question?
What we learn from other communities?• Pick usable components for reuse• Build on experiences• Deploy services for
other communities– Try to adapt what they
already have
Don’t reinvent the
But did they want this?
or this? or this?
Final words (promise)
• Aim to meet user and site requirements• Build on stuff that works (or build stuff
that works…)• Users don’t always know what they want• Don’t forget, it’s an experimental
science – across all dimensions