Re: Cookies as the second factor

[Eoin <eoinkeary () gmail com>]

If we go way back,
I dont believe the cookie was ever meant to be used for security but
for simple state operations.
Its like using crunchy peanut butter to slide down a pole easier.


On 20/07/06, Arian J. Evans <arian.evans () anachronic com> wrote:
> So going back to the start of the thread:
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Jeff Robertson [mailto:jeff.robertson () digitalinsight com]
> >
> > It seems like it's been mentioned on here before, that a
> > number of "two factor" or "multi factor" authentication
> > schemes actually use a cookie as the second factor.
>
> How, exactly, were you meaning? A persistent token of some
> sort, or some salted/magic/machine-unique identifier generated
> on the fly, or something generated by client side script?
>
> This thread went in many directions and I'm not sure we
> nailed your specific question down (which are usually good
> questions so I'm curious :)).
>
> > Anyone here have specific experience with such solutions, or opinions
> > about how much security they add to a system?
>
> Yes. In the CIA domain, there's been a lot of talk of this "something
> you have" type situation. I don't buy it.
>
> 'cause the problem is, everybody on the planet could have a copy of my
> signet ring, and nobody might realize it. If it were a cookie.
>
> Of course there are associations one can make w/a cookie to limit
> usage surface...mac, IP, etc., and their pluses and minuses which
> we've discussed extensively on this list, but...
> </caveats>
>
> There's enough negatives to a persistent "auth" cookie, like automagically
> being provided by the browser allowing things like session fixation
> and CSRF, and all the historical browser cross-domain access flaws,
> that I don't think the /caveats offset.
>
> But that is me, and most of the rest of the weird web world has voted
> otherwise. /$0.02
>
> -ae
>
>
>
>
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--
Eoin Keary OWASP - Ireland
http://www.owasp.org/local/ireland.html

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