Security Now with Steve Gibson and Leo Laporte

Nov 14th 2023

Security Now 948

What if a Bit Flipped?

Privacy Badger, Downfall, OpenVPN, Windshield Barnacle, Article 45

Records live every Tuesday at 4:30pm Eastern / 1:30pm Pacific / 21:30 UTC.
Category: Help & How To
  • Privacy Badger blocks trackers on news sites and prevents browser exposure to unwanted domains like TikTok and Datadog.
  • No major updates on EU's controversial Article 45 in eIDAS 2.0. Industry pushback continues as implementation would threaten encryption.
  • Cryptocurrency exchange Poloniex lost $130M in a hot wallet hack, the 14th largest crypto theft.
  • Decentralized finance platform Raft lost $3.3M due to an exploit.
  • Crook operated website iotaseed.io to generate wallet seed phrases, then recorded and stole them.
  • New Intel processor vulnerability called Downfall leaks encryption keys and sensitive data between users on shared systems.
  • Russia moves to formally ban all VPN use in the country.
  • Two new flaws found in OpenVPN software, one allowing memory access.
  • SpinRite development paused as DOS and Windows versions are complete.
  • Understanding assembly language helps malware analysis and exploit development, but high-level decompilers also useful.
  • Quantum-safe symmetric cryptography is limited compared to asymmetric crypto.
  • EU's Article 45 allows transparent decryption and traffic interception, supposedly for security purposes.
  • "Windshield Barnacle" parking enforcement device uses suction cups and 1000 lbs of force to immobilize vehicles until parking tickets are paid.
  • Sci-fi book series Aeon 14 by M.D. Cooper offers fun military space opera adventure.
  • 27-year-old theoretical crypto attack now shown practical. Passive network observers can steal SSH RSA keys if faulty signature generated, allowing impersonation.

Show Notes - https://www.grc.com/sn/SN-948-Notes.pdf

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For 16kbps versions, transcripts, and notes (including fixes), visit Steve's site: grc.com, also the home of the best disk maintenance and recovery utility ever written Spinrite 6.