Re: CRIME Re: cryptography

From: Heidi Henry (mcps@private)
Date: Fri Apr 19 2002 - 00:23:16 PDT

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    Zot wrote:You might want to check critical data flows, but I'd be more worried
    about data storage than transmission (if the transmission is encrypted).
    
    1.  If the transmission is encrypted: Sophisticated attackers are known to establish encrypted channels, rendering network surveillance ineffective, however it is still effective for proving that a communication occured between IP addresses. If a legal case should develop, this could become a valuable link for evidence.  (If I am wrong on this I am sure someone with more knowledge will correct me, which is very welcome, the technology and evidence rules in this field seems to be constantly changing)
    
    2.  Data storage: Is it still true that PKzip compressed files have no known method to extract well chosen passwords,  (not including brute-force or Beowulf cluster) or are there cracking tools available now that do not take weeks to make a successful crack?   
    
    Heidi Henry
    mcps@private
    
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Zot O'Connor
    Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2002 5:49 PM
    To: Seth Arnold
    Cc: crime@private
    Subject: Re: CRIME Re: cryptography
    
    A few points to add to the fray:
    
    1)  Things like SSL are *minimum* steps.  If a site does not even have
    SSL up and running, it tells me volumes about their *lack* of skill.
    Having it does not mean the credit card is not stored on a flat file
    available via network neighborhood, buts its a start.
    
    2)  Even weak cryptography raises the bar phenomenally.  I have done
    clean up jobs on boxes that has every single password for an ISP based
    on POP, FTP and telnet passwords.  It was in a nice neat formatted
    file.  Had the information been encrypted, it would have raised the bar.
    
    3)  So bad encryption worst problem is a false sense of security.  Had
    the script kiddees in the box in #2 had a ssh cracker, ssl crack, or
    other, they would of have more password.  The ISP *might* have noticed
    the load then.......
    
    So, does this mean you have to sprint out and replace all SSL right
    now?  No.  It should be included in all future maintenance and upgrades.
    
    You might want to check critical data flows, but I'd be more worried
    about data storage than transmission (if the transmission is encrypted).
    
    
    
    
    --
    Zot O'Connor
    
    http://www.ZotConsulting.com
    http://www.WhiteKnightHackers.com
    



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