- cypherpunks-legacy - lists.cpunks.org

Re: AOL monitoring
by Rich Salz 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

>How hard is it to record downloaded newsgroups/msgs from the news INN, probably the most popular NNTP news system, by default logs every time the client does a "group" command, typically sent by the newsreader when you enter a newsgroup. If you only fetch articles by messageid then you'll probably avoid anything other than connection logging. /r$

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FROM A FRIEND . . .
by Sandy Sandfort 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SANDY SANDFORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C'punks, Here is a press release that Netscape has issued (is about to issue?) concerning their recent miscue. S a n d y ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ---------- Forwarded message ---------- ********************************************************************* Potential Vulnerability in Netscape Products - Netscape Responding Immediately To Upgrade Customers and Minimize Risk of Future Threats Summary: During regular monitoring of Internet security newsgroups, Netscape has discovered a potential vulnerability in the current version of the Netscape Navigator. Late Sunday evening two UC-Berkeley students posted a message to the Internet detailing their efforts to reverse engineer some security capabilities of the Netscape Navigator. Their efforts revealed how the program generates session encryption keys, enabling them to replicate these keys with a moderate amount of computing power and decipher messages sent across the Internet. The potential vulnerability has since been confirmed by Netscape engineers. With this knowledge an experienced computer programmer could decrypt messages sent by Netscape Navigator to other computers in a few hours of computation time. Netscape secure software has been in use for almost a year on the Internet by millions of customers and no thefts of actual customer information protected by our security have been reported. This posting on the Internet reported a potential vulnerability, not the actual theft of customer information. Netscape plans to address this vulnerability quickly by providing updated software as soon as possible via the Internet. An updated version of Netscape Navigator 1.1 and 1.2 will be available for downloading on the Internet next week by existing customers. In addition, Netscape Navigator 2.0, which was announced yesterday and will be available next week in beta versions, includes this imporvement as well as a number of additional security features. Detailed Issue: Current versions of Netscape Navigator use random information to generate session encryption keys of either 40-bits or 128-bits in length. The random information is found through a variety of functions that look into a user's machine for information about how many processes are running, process ID numbers, the current time in microseconds, etc. The current vulnerability exists because the size of random input is less than the size of the subsequent keys. This means that instead of searching through all the 2^128 possible keys by brute force, a potential intruder only has to search through a significantly smaller key space by brute force. This is substantially easier problem to solve because it takes much less compute time and means 40-bit or 128-bit key strength is substantially reduced. Solution: Netscape is already implementing a fix to the specific portion of our software where this vulnerability exists. We plan to address the problem by significantly increasing the amount of random information that cannot be discovered by external sources from approximately 30-bits to approximately 300-bits. In addition, the random information will be made much more difficult to replicate because we will greatly expand the techniques and sources used to generate the random information. Once this improvement is made, protection of the random information will be as strong as the rest of the security built into Netscape. Netscape has also begun to engage an external group of world class security experts who will review our solution to this problem before it is sent to customers. These experts will validate Netscape's solution and insure that it is complete and effective in solving this vulnerability. The group will be used on an ongoing basis to work with Netscape's internal security experts to review the design and implementation of security in Netscape's products and to provide an additional measure of assurance that these products implement the highest levels of security possible. This discovery does not affect the strength or security of SSL, RC4, or any other portions of our security implementations. The fix will restore Netscape security across all products to the true 40-bit level for Export and true 128-bit level for U.S. Customers intended before this discovery. Current versions of Netscape Navigator should be replaced with updated versions that will be made available next week. In addition, the current version of the Netscape Commerce Server has a similar vulnerability during it's initial key-pair generation. Therefore, a patch will be made available from Netscape and should be applied by Commerce Server customers to generate a new key pair and server certificate. Updating Customers: Netscape will provide the fix for Export (40 bit) versions of Netscape Navigator later this week for downloading by customers on the Internet. Similarly, the Commerce Server patch for Export versions (40 bit) will be made available from our home page. Because downloading of 128 bit versions of the software is still not permitted by U.S. law, U.S. customers of Netscape Navigator, Netscape Navigator Personal Edition and Netscape Commerce Server using 128 bit versions can request the replacement from Netscape for delivery through the regular mail. For additional information or replacements for 128-bit versions of software that you have already purchased, please call the Netscape Replacement Desk at 415-528-3600, email replace(a)netscape.com, or contact your existing Netscape representative directly. We will inform you immediately when the updated software is available for download.

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Re: "Hackers"-- brief review and anecdote...
by Rich Salz 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

>> If it wasn't for ITAR the Net would already have secure encryption and >> authentication, and most such hacker attacks would be impossible (or at >> least impractical). >The non-responsive answer is stricken from the record. :-) >You mean "secure" as Netscape was secure from sameer et al.? I don't think it's non-response, I just think you don't understand yhour expert witness. If not for the ITAR then I could distribute my secure applications as a binary library with the security part as source. When you got Netscape you'd read the security code or ask local experts to do so. You'd verify that the code was correct (or at least not stupid). You'd then compile the security code and link it against the main object module and away you'd go. If you didn't have a C compiler, you'd get a binary from someone you trusted. Of course, all this would be going on in parallel at thousands of sites around the world. Everyone looking at the code, finding holes, reporting them, fixing security bugs, and so on. But ITAR won't let you do that. Or netscape would just make calls to the common open multiple-crypto API that existed in a shared library in your machine. But apparently the ITAR won't even let you do this. /r$

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2.5_bil
by John Young 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

The 2-15-96 NYT reports on the design and manufacture of the new high-tech Swiss bank note: The 50-franc bill is the world's first digital bank note -- designed on a computer that resolves its design into 2.5 billion points, each of them individually accessible electronically. There are more than 20 security features, though the precise number is a secret. Its design is vertical rather than horizontal. Ten printing processes are involved, including silk screening for the chameleon numbers and hot stamping for the silvery elements. The Swiss say American bills are "a little outdated, even the new ones, as far as the state of the art goes." 2.5_bil

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response to netscape's press release
by sameer 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

I plan on releasing a press release regarding the misleading statements made by Netscape in their statement about the seed bug, announcing the web page describing my objections in detail. The document is http://www.c2.org/hacknetscape/critique.phtml detailing my objections to their statements.. I would appreciate comments, corrections, and criticisms. Thanks. (The press release will not be written in the style of the web page. ;-) IN REPLY TO NETSCAPE Netscape announced that they are going to "fix" the problem. In traditional Internet style, I will respond to their post. With this knowledge, an experienced computer programmer could decrypt messages sent by Netscape Navigator to other computers in a few hours of computation time. "a few hours"? Ian and David's program generates keys in 25 seconds. The random information is found through a variety of functions that look into a user's machine for information about how many processes are running, process ID numbers, the current time in microseconds, etc. Specifically, the Parent Process ID, the Process ID, and the time in microseconds. See the exploit code for more details. The current vulnerability exists because the size of random input is less than the size of the subsequent keys. The vulnerability exists because the random input isn't random. Since when is the time "random"? I'm sure a few physicists would love to see your theories on that one. (Berkeley Standard Time notwithstanding) Once this improvement is made, protection of the random information will be as strong as the rest of the security built into Netscape Navigator. That's not saying much, considering that the security community has not had a chance to independently verify the security in Netscape Navigator. Netscape has also begun to engage an external group of world-class security experts who will review our solution to this problem before it is sent to customers. So after someone violates Netscape Navigator's security do they decide to have an external group verify their code. (Note that they still don't plan on making it available for the security community at large to review). According to RSADSI's Jim Bidzos, his company offered to review Netscape's security when it was first introduced, but Netscape declined. "They're asking us to review it this time," he said. This discovery does not affect the strength or security of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), RC4, or any other portions of our security implementations. True, but this implies that SSL is a secure protocol, which has been shown to be false. At the beginning of their release: Netscape secure software has been in use for almost a year on the Internet by millions of customers and no thefts of actual customer information protected by our security have been reported - this posting on the Internet reported a potential vulnerability, not the actual theft of customer information. Yes, Netscape is very lucky that Ian and David are students, and not criminals. I sincerely hope that the next time someone finds a hole in Netscape that it's someone who would rather win a free T-shirt than steal lots of money. -- sameer Voice: 510-601-9777 Community ConneXion FAX: 510-601-9734 An Internet Privacy Provider Dialin: 510-658-6376 http://www.c2.org (or login as "guest") sameer(a)c2.org

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PGP back in legal limbo?
by hoz＠univel.telescan.com 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

> WSJ, Sept 19, 1995. > Cylink Claims Right To Key Technology Involving > Encryption > ... The arbitrators > ruled that RSA hasn't had the right to sublicense the > Stanford patents since 1990. >Since PKP (and Bidzos, now president of >RSA) always said that DH covered all public key encryption, >it would seem that any RSA licensee would also need a license >from Cylink. So, I suppose this invalidates the RSA agreement that allows PGP to be distributed? What "fortunate" timing for the pro GAK folks! Okay, everybody in US, erase your copies, before the Feral government comes to get you....... Rick F. Hoselton (who doesn't claim to present opinions for others)

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[NOISE] Unabomber - crypto-anarchist?!?
by Sherry Mayo 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

Found this quote from the Electronic Telegraph, the online version of a UK daily newspaper. (world news section, Weds 20th Sept) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et/access?ac=116192744309&pg=//95/9/20/wunab20.h… "Editors forced to print manifesto of Unabomber By Charles Laurence in New York ...The heart of his argument is that industrial society has led to ways of life for which people are fundamentally unsuited. He calls for a crypto-anarchic revolution and a new order based on small, village-style units." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Uh? Crypto-anarchic? Surely he's not one of ours? ;-) ;-) ;-) Sherry ps You are supposed to register to read the ET but I registered as "cypherpunks" passwd "cypherpunks" - don't worry I didn't give the mailing list address.

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Re: "Hackers"-- brief review and anecdote...
by Rich Salz 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

>The question was, essentially, what do you think should happen to a >teenage hacker ... Oops. Sorry for the mistake. /r$

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Re: [NOISE] Unabomber - crypto-anarchist?!?
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

My almost-namesake Sherry Mayo wrote: >Found this quote from the Electronic Telegraph, the online version of >a UK daily newspaper. (world news section, Weds 20th Sept) >http://www.telegraph.co.uk/et/access?ac=116192744309&pg=//95/9/20/wunab20.h… > >"Editors forced to print manifesto of Unabomber > >By Charles Laurence in New York > >...The heart of his argument is that industrial society has led to ways of >life for which people are fundamentally unsuited. He calls for a >crypto-anarchic revolution and a new order based on small, village-style >units." >^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > >Uh? Crypto-anarchic? Surely he's not one of ours? ;-) ;-) ;-) I've read a good chunks of FR's work at http://www.ai.mit.edu/misc/unabomber and have to say he is making some very interesting and incisive arguments, not all of which I disagree with. But I also searched the text for mention of "crypto" and only came up with the fairly standard usage of "crypto leftist." My assumption then is that the meme of crypto anarchy has spread to the writer at that UK newspaper (I wonder if Brian Arthur has been talking to them?) and that he interpret's FR's screed in terms of crypto anarchy? Still, his writing style and some of his points seem close enough to some of my own points, not to mention his Northern California nexus and estimated age, that I'm expecting more inquiries (I deflected one already). After the call from the Sheriff's office about my alleged activities, I wonder.... --Tim May ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^756839 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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Re: NSA and Netscape Crack
by tcmay＠got.net 17 Dec '03

17 Dec '03

At 11:46 PM 9/19/95, Jim Ray wrote: >In the relatively short time I've been on this list, Cypherpunks >have bruted, and then found a weakness in, two kinds of Netscape >software. >[A fine public service, IMO. Congrats to all involved.] > >I don't expect to know NSA's specific brute-force capability, but >does anyone know if the NSA has *ever* found a glaring weakness in >software and then told its author(s) or owner(s) about it? Do "we" >perform the "COMSEC" role Tim was speaking of better than the NSA? Indeed, Jim is underscoring the point I was making, facetiously, that the NSA has abandoned all pretense of helping to actually secure commercial transactions (and no, I wasn't referring to Clipper...rather, I was facetiously referring to the short-lived Commercial COMSEC Endorsement Program, circa 1988-89). As I said in my message, I don't _want_ the NSA or NIST (the same, really) to be vetting commercial encryption. But I also don't want them claiming a role in securing commercial encryption when they clearly are not even doing as much as the Cypherpunks are doing. By the way, if we count our own Matt Blaze's work on exposing weaknesses of the Tessera/Skipjack/Clipper (they blur together) card as a "Cypherpunks achievement," then the Cypherpunks have actually played a dominant role in cracking these recent standards. (Not to mention the RC4 code postings, the various Cypherpunks involved in the RSA-129 and "BlackNet" factorizations, etc.) Well done, of course! --Tim May ---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---------:---- Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay(a)got.net 408-728-0152 | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero Corralitos, CA | knowledge, reputations, information markets, Higher Power: 2^756839 | black markets, collapse of governments. "National borders are just speed bumps on the information superhighway."

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