Wetzel and Yang to present Anti-Phishing Research at APWG’s eCrime Summit

HOBOKEN , N.J. — As phishing and pharming become more prevalent, researchers at Stevens Institute of Technology have taken steps to mitigate the risk posed by such online threats. Susanne Wetzel, Assistant Professor, and Liu Yang, Research Scholar, both in the Stevens’ Computer Science Department, will participate in and present their research findings at the Anti-Phishing Working Group eCrime Researchers Summit in Orlando , Nov. 16-17.

The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) is joining with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Florida State University and the University of Central Florida to host its first research summit. The conference will present original, unpublished research results, and/or best practices in the area of online fraut; explore research gaps/opportunities/challenges and the state-of-the-art with respect to forensic practice (methods, tool and techniques) for investigating scams based on phishing, pharming and crimeware; and discuss innovative ideas related to eCrime mitigation efforts.

Wetzel and Yang will present findings from their paper, “Warkitting: The Drive by Subversion of Wireless Routers,” written in collaboration with Alex Tsow, Visiting Research Associate, and Markus Jakobsson, Associate Director, CACR, both from Indiana University.

“In this paper, we introduce the notion of warkitting as the drive-by subversion of wireless home routers through unauthorized access by mobile WiFi clients. Until recently, the perceived risk of wireless routers has centered around unauthorized network and bandwidth use. However, as we illustrate in this paper, the risks are far greater,” said Wetzel. “Our analysis shows that it is possible in practice to carry out warkitting attacks with low-cost equipment widely available today, and that the volume of credential theft possible through warkitting exceeds current estimates of credential theft due to phishing.”

By bringing together academics, law enforcement and ITSec practitioners, the summit will facilitate collaborations between PIs and centers of research developing eCrime forensics and/or eCrime countering technologies.

About the Anti-Phishing Working Group

The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) is the global pan-industrial and law enforcement association focused on eliminating the fraud and identity theft that result from phishing, pharming and e-mail spoofing of all types. It includes more than 2,500 members from more than 1,600 companies and agencies worldwide. Of these, members make up eight of the top 10 US banks, four of the top five US ISPs, hundreds of technology vendors and national and provincial law enforcement worldwide.

About Stevens Institute of Technology

Founded in 1870 and celebrating 140 Years of Innovation, Stevens Institute of Technology, The Innovation University, is one of the leading technological universities in the world dedicated to learning and research. Through its broad-based curricula, nurturing of creative inventiveness, and cross disciplinary research, the Institute is at the forefront of global challenges in engineering, science, and technology management. Partnerships and collaboration between, and among, business, industry, government and other universities contribute to the enriched environment of the Institute. A new model for technology commercialization in academe, known as Technogenesis®, involves external partners in launching business enterprises to create broad opportunities and shared value.

Stevens offers baccalaureates, master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering, science, computer science and management, in addition to a baccalaureate degree in the humanities and liberal arts, and in business and technology. The university has a total enrollment of 2,234 undergraduate and 3,700 graduate students with more than 400 faculty. Stevens’ graduate programs have attracted international participation from China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe and Latin America. Additional information may be obtained from its web page at www.stevens.edu.

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