[35986] in bugtraq
Re: [Full-Disclosure] Clear text password exposure in Datakey's tokens
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Lee Dilkie)
Thu Aug 5 17:49:39 2004
Message-ID: <41123007.8080805@mitel.com>
Date: Thu, 05 Aug 2004 09:03:03 -0400
From: Lee Dilkie <lee_dilkie@mitel.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: Toomas Soome <Toomas.Soome@microlink.ee>
Cc: lionel.ferette@belnet.be, vuln@hexview.com,
full-disclosure@lists.netsys.com, bugtraq@securityfocus.com
In-Reply-To: <41114304.4090403@microlink.ee>
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Toomas Soome wrote:
> Lionel Ferette wrote:
>
>> Note that this is true for almost all card readers on the market, not
>> only for Datakey's. Having worked for companies using crypto smart
>> cards, I have conducted a few risk analysis about that. The
>> conclusion has always been that if the PIN must be entered from a PC,
>> and the attacker has means to install software on the system (through
>> directed viruses, social engineering, etc), the game's over.
>>
>> The only solution against that problem is to have the PIN entered
>> using a keypad on the reader. Only then does the cost of an attack
>> raise significantly. But that is opening another can of worms,
>> because there is (was?) no standard for card readers with attached
>> pin pad (at the time, PC/SCv2 wasn't finalised - is it?).
>>
>
> at least some cards are supporting des passphrases to implement
> secured communication channels but I suppose this feature is not that
> widely in use.... how many card owners are prepared to remember both
> PIN codes and passphrases...
>
> toomas
Perhaps I'm missing something here. As far as I can tell, no keys
located on the card were compromised, only the PIN was. Since this is a
two factor authentication system, possession of the PIN is of little
value without possession of the token itself.
Am I missing the point here?
regards,
-lee
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