Full Disclosure mailing list archives

Re: OpenBSD has Open Backdoored Software Distribution - admitted by Theo


From: The Sp3ctacle <sp3ctacle () gmail com>
Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:24:20 -0500

It shouldn't be that hard to bindiff the code compiled with with the
shipped compiler with the code from a compiler that predates the
latest backdoor shenanigans.  You could decompile the binary code and
then ask a cryptographer to audit.

On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 7:36 PM, mrx <mrx () propergander org uk> wrote:
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On 23/12/2010 00:00, Dan Kaminsky wrote:
On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 3:47 PM, Dave Nett <dave.nett () yahoo com> wrote:

http://marc.info/?l=openbsd-tech&m=129296046123471&w=2

Long mail which just admit has backdoor, poor Theo.



    (g) I believe that NETSEC was probably contracted to write backdoors
        as alleged.
    (h) If those were written, I don't believe they made it into our
        tree.  They might have been deployed as their own product.

You had only one more sentence to read!  Just one!




"> where would you start auditing the code? It's just too much.

Actually, it is a very small part of the tree..."


I am aware that compilers can be coded to introduce "features" into binaries that are not in the actual source code 
itself.
So with all due respect and possibly much ignorance on my part, what is a code audit going to achieve if one uses the 
shipped compiler to
compile the source? Unless one codes ones own compiler can any binary be trusted?

Would not reversing the compiled code lead to a proper insight? Are the compiled binaries that handle these crypto 
functions so complex that
they cannot be reversed by a skilled assembly coder? I guess that such a coder would have to be an expert 
cryptographer too, or at least
collaborate with one.

My curiosity is genuine, I am trying to educate myself about such things.

regards
Dave


- --
Mankind's systems are white sticks tapping walls.
Thanks Roy
http://www.propergander.org.uk
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