Informations about SSL certificates and networks security
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This is a really interesting research result. This paper proves that two parties can create a secure communications channel using a communications system with a backdoor. It’s a theoretical result, so it doesn’t talk about how easy that channel is to create. And the assumptions on the adversary are pretty reasonable: that each party can … Read More “Subverting Backdoored Encrryption” »
Interesting research into undetectably adding backdoors into computer chips during manufacture: “Stealthy dopant-level hardware Trojans: extended version,” also available here: Abstract: In recent years, hardware Trojans have drawn the attention of governments and industry as well as the scientific community. One of the main concerns is that integrated circuits, e.g., for military or critical-infrastructure applications, … Read More “Adding Backdoors at the Chip Level” »
Seems like everyone is writing about encryption and backdoors this season. “Policy Approaches to the Encryption Debate,” R Street Policy Study #133, by Charles Duan, Arthur Rizer, Zach Graves and Mike Godwin. “Encryption Policy in Democratic Regimes,” East West Institute. I recently blogged about the new National Academies report on the same topic. Here’s a … Read More “Two New Papers on the Encryption Debate” »
Matthew Green wrote a fascinating blog post about the NSA’s efforts to increase the amount of random data exposed in the TLS protocol, and how it interacts with the NSA’s backdoor into the DUAL_EC_PRNG random number generator to weaken TLS. Powered by WPeMatico
The German Interior Minister is preparing a bill that allows the government to mandate backdoors in encryption. No details about how likely this is to pass. I am skeptical. Powered by WPeMatico
Both the New York Times and the Washington Post are reporting that Israel has penetrated Kaspersky’s network and detected the Russian operation. From the New York Times: Israeli intelligence officers informed the NSA that, in the course of their Kaspersky hack, they uncovered evidence that Russian government hackers were using Kaspersky’s access to aggressively scan … Read More “More on Kaspersky and the Stolen NSA Attack Tools” »
The ISO has decided not to approve two NSA-designed block encryption algorithms: Speck and Simon. It’s because the NSA is not trusted to put security ahead of surveillance: A number of them voiced their distrust in emails to one another, seen by Reuters, and in written comments that are part of the process. The suspicions … Read More “ISO Rejects NSA Encryption Algorithms” »
New research: “Verified Correctness and Security of mbedTLS HMAC-DRBG,” by Katherine Q. Ye, Matthew Green, Naphat Sanguansin, Lennart Beringer, Adam Petcher, and Andrew W. Appel. Abstract: We have formalized the functional specification of HMAC-DRBG (NIST 800-90A), and we have proved its cryptographic security — that its output is pseudorandom — using a hybrid game-based proof. … Read More “Proof that HMAC-DRBG has No Back Doors” »
Policy essay: “Encryption Substitutes,” by Andrew Keane Woods: In this short essay, I make a few simple assumptions that bear mentioning at the outset. First, I assume that governments have good and legitimate reasons for getting access to personal data. These include things like controlling crime, fighting terrorism, and regulating territorial borders. Second, I assume … Read More “Alternatives to Government-Mandated Encryption Backdoors” »
The US Senate just approved Signal for staff use. Signal is a secure messaging app with no backdoor, and no large corporate owner who can be pressured to install a backdoor. Susan Landau comments. Maybe I’m being optimistic, but I think we just won the Crypto War. A very important part of the US government … Read More “The US Senate Is Using Signal” »