[149027] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: [Cryptography] Dumb idea: open-source hardware USB key for
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Bill Frantz)
Tue Jan 14 00:34:54 2014
X-Original-To: cryptography@metzdowd.com
Date: Mon, 13 Jan 2014 19:08:52 -0800
From: Bill Frantz <frantz@pwpconsult.com>
To: cryptography@metzdowd.com
In-Reply-To: <52D39B00.8040100@iang.org>
Errors-To: cryptography-bounces+crypto.discuss=bloom-picayune.mit.edu@metzdowd.com
On 1/13/14 at 11:51 PM, iang@iang.org (ianG) wrote:
>Don't lose your stick!
I think about how my car keys work. I have two cars, one with a
RF dongle, and one without. The one with the RF dongle is
clearly less secure than the one without. The RF dongle + the
key are two ways to get into the car. If you find a lost key
with the dongle, just walk thru the parking lot and push the
buttons -- the car will announce itself.
OTOH, the only way into the one without a dongle is to find the
car and open the lock. Either car is at risk from a MIT/Cal Tech
student who knows lock picking.
I think this analysis makes a good metaphor for the design of a
USB dongle.
Cheers - Bill
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