6 ms·
> A final, and salient feature on the key distribution approach is that it allows only prospective eavesdropping -- that is, law enforcement must first target a
by cyphar 10y ago
> A final, and salient feature on the key distribution approach is that it allows only prospective eavesdropping -- that is, law enforcement must first target a particular user, and only then can they eavesdrop on her connections. There's no way to look backwards in time.
Actually, its even weaker of an attack than that. Signal (for example) stores a copy of the keys locally on the other person's device after a conversation has been initiated (and notifies users if they've changed). You could augment this with TUF or some other updating system to make additions of new devices (or removal of old ones) also secure. So really the distribution attack only works for first connection. And this is why PGP key signing parties are a thing (and why I ask for two forms of government ID before signing their keys).
- titanomachy 10y agoThe author said exactly this, in the paragraph right before the one you quoted: > Some communication systems, like Signal, allow users to compare key fingerprints in order to verify that each received the right public key.
- cyphar 10y agoThat's not what I said. Signal stores the key that you've already verified. So changing the key in the keyserver doesn't do anything to a device, since you haven't verified the new key from the keyserver (and it shows a warning).
- Natanael_L 10y agoTOFU / POP Trust on first use / persistence of pseudonym
- cyphar 10y agoYes, that is the phrase I was looking for. :P
- sievebrain 10y agoYou think. Remember that you don't know what binary you were delivered, unless you personally reverse engineered it yourself.
- cyphar 10y agoOr compiled and side-loaded it yourself.
- kijin 10y agoWhat if the government sends someone with fake IDs to your key signing party? Not sure if this actually happens, but they're the ones who are issuing all those government IDs in the first place so why not? This is a world where some guy can claim to be Satoshi Nakamoto and fool a bunch of Bitcoin experts in an offline demonstration. What chance would we stand against a real-life Jason Bourne?