PUBLIC MARKS from rike_ with tags security & hacking

Contrary to popular assumption, DRAMs used in most modern computers retain their contents for seconds to minutes after power is lost, even at operating temperatures and even if removed from a motherboard. Although DRAMs become less reliable when they are not refreshed, they are not immediately erased, and their contents persist sufficiently for malicious (or forensic) acquisition of usable full-system memory images. We show that this phenomenon limits the ability of an operating system to protect cryptographic key material from an attacker with physical access. We use cold reboots to mount attacks on popular disk encryption systems — BitLocker, FileVault, dm-crypt, and TrueCrypt — using no special devices or materials. We experimentally characterize the extent and predictability of memory remanence and report that remanence times can be increased dramatically with simple techniques. We offer new algorithms for finding cryptographic keys in memory images and for correcting errors caused by bit decay. Though we discuss several strategies for partially mitigating these risks, we know of no simple remedy that would eliminate them.

The Zero Day Initiative (ZDI), founded by TippingPoint, a division of 3Com, represents a best-of-breed model for rewarding security researchers for responsibly disclosing discovered vulnerabilities. The program's goal is threefold: 1. reward independent security research 2. promote and ensure the responsible disclosure of vulnerabilities 3. provide 3Com's TippingPoint division customers with the world's best security protection

Security-Freak.net is an attempt to lower the entry barrier for starting computer security research. During my interactions with security enthusiasts in general and students in particular, i have noticed that many lose interest because of the lack of organized learning resources in this area. This is not to undermine the sheer volume of tutorials written on various security related topics such as raw sockets, packet injection etc. But for most beginners it is very difficult to assimilate these voluminous documents at one go. This realization made me start Security-Freak.net .

invisiblethings.org is a non-profit website dedicated for sharing the thoughts of its author in the area of computer systems and network security. joanna rutkowska

CERIAS Weblogs » Reporting Vulnerabilities is for the Brave