Re: fringe: Researchers: Disk Encryption Not Secure

[Paul Stevens <paul () nosignal net>]

Some FDE products already provide a feature which applies a limitation  
to the time your passphrase will be be held in memory. Typically  
though, there's a checkbox underneath which allows it to remain cached  
permanently. Ease of use trumps security every time.

On 22 Feb 2008, at 4:25 PM, Friedlander, Gary S wrote:

> Maybe the software can be patched to wipe the key from memory after so
> many minutes of inactivity - requiring re-entering the passphrase to
> re-mount the drive or re-enter the folder.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dataloss-bounces () attrition org
> [mailto:dataloss-bounces () attrition org] On Behalf Of Evan Francen
> Sent: Friday, February 22, 2008 8:14 AM
> To: Roy M. Silvernail
> Cc: security curmudgeon; dataloss () attrition org
> Subject: Re: [Dataloss] fringe: Researchers: Disk Encryption Not  
> Secure
>
> Do you think it would be possible to patch encryption products with
> routines to wipe the memory address(es) where the key is stored at
> specific times (i.e. on lock, hibernate, sleep, and shutdown)?
>
>
> On 2/21/08, Roy M. Silvernail <roy () rant-central com> wrote:
> > On Thu, Feb 21, 2008 at 04:34:09PM -0500, Rory Wasserman wrote:
> > > Roy,
> > >
> > > I agree with what you are saying, however if a portable hardware
> device is
> > > used for multifactor authentication and the key is stored in a
> secure place
> > > on the device, off of the hard drive, then this type of attack
> would be
> > > futile.
> >
> >
> > I think you still misunderstand the threat model.  The threat is not
> > against authentication.  That has already been done and the
> > target machine is in a running state (though perhaps waiting at a
> > screensaver password).  In this state, the fully-encrypted disc is
> > mounted and decrypting for its proper user.  That means the FDE key
> > *must* be in core somewhere, so that the disc drivers can use it to
> > encrypt and decrypt the data as it is used.
> >
> > And once Mallory has the FDE key, he don' need no steenkin'
> > authentication.  He grabs an image of the disc and trots off to
> decrypt
> > at leisure.
> >
> > --
> > Roy M. Silvernail is roy () rant-central com, and you're not
> >   "A desperate disease requires a dangerous remedy."
> >                   - Guy Fawkes
> >            http://www.rant-central.com
> >
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>
> -- 
> Evan Francen, CISSP CCNP MCSE
> email: evan.francen () gmail com
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