oss-sec mailing list archives
Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython
From: gremlin () gremlin ru
Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2014 09:51:44 +0400
On 02-Aug-2014 16:31:17 -0400, Donald Stufft wrote:
loaded over HTTP. An attacker with fortuitous network position could execute code on a local IPython notebook by modifying the mathjax javascript.HTTPS wouldn't help much: the attackers (most of which are known to use 3-letter names) can (and they really do) issue a fake certificate for their decoy servers.There are attackers other than 3 letter agencies.
Those attackers don't have things like SORM-2 or Jindun Gongcheng.
In general, nothing received from the Net could be trusted. And the HTTPS doesn't guarantee anything beyond "this certificate was signed by this CA" - was that voluntary or forced.
Any objections on this point? :-)
Enforcing HTTPS for the whole site is even more stupid: normally only user-specific data (login procedure, personal settings for registered users, etc) should be forced to go through HTTPS; everything else should normally be left up to the users' wish.This is incredibly wrong. First off if only your login procedures, personal settings, etc are password protected
Why password? Use client certificates instead.
then it's trivial for a MITM to simply strip the HTTPS from the link to the login page.
At which point? Inside of my browser? Bwa-ha-ha... Redirect from http://example.net/login to https://example.net/login will perform just fine when there's a mistype.
The vast bulk of users simply won't notice that they are visiting a page via HTTP instead of HTTPS.
Nothing new: 95% of people are morons. But once you'll create a system which can be used even by morons, it will be used only by morons.
Furthermore, even if you manage to login over HTTPS, HTTP, being a stateless protocol, includes authentication credentials with every request. This is typically taken in the form of cookies which are sent with every request.
If you want to get some real security, use client certificates.
In order to protect these cookies they need to only be sent over a HTTPS connection.
"This is incredibly wrong." // (q) Donald Stufft, 2014-08-02 Here's my cookie named "auth": d4791d97c2e8aebfb09b0ce1e5d5bcc998fcdc02a2d4d7a5f7669c01d28fac5b It is known to contain my IPv4 address (among other information) and be Blowfish-encrypted. You've intercepted it. Next action? Another option: I browse online shop anonymously (without logging in, which is wise: I don't want to see offers on things I don't actually need). You've intercepted my cookies. Next action?
[...] So sure, this doesn't prevent a TLA with access to a root key doing a targeted attack against a site, however it does prevent an attacker who just happens to be on the same network (Coffeshop Wifi etc) from attacking you.
Unlike TLA, an attacker in the same network can only eavesdrop passively. So, I can either keep anonimity (without logging in) or switch to HTTPS intentionally. Just don't push me there unless I've logged in... (Normally I use secure tunnel to the trusted server when using public hotspots, so this is just to keep the discussion).
But the terminal state of mental disability is... yes, using scripts from outer sources: intercepting one popular source like https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/*/jquery.min.js will allow the attacker to not bother of intercepting other sites directly.
Any comments on this? -- Alexey V. Vissarionov aka Gremlin from Kremlin <gremlin ПРИ gremlin ТЧК ru> GPG: 8832FE9FA791F7968AC96E4E909DAC45EF3B1FA8 @ hkp://keys.gnupg.net
Current thread:
- CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython Kyle Kelley (Jul 31)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython gremlin (Aug 02)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython Donald Stufft (Aug 02)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython Kurt Seifried (Aug 02)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython gremlin (Aug 03)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython Donald Stufft (Aug 03)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython gremlin (Aug 05)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython Donald Stufft (Aug 02)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython gremlin (Aug 02)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython gremlin (Aug 02)
- Re: CVE Request: Enforce use of HTTPS for MathJax in IPython Donald Stufft (Aug 03)