3 ms·

HTTPS does not address state-level threats. Your browser trusts a load of entities by default, any of which could be forced to meddle with your data. Lenovo Su

HTTPS does not address state-level threats. Your browser trusts a load of entities by default, any of which could be forced to meddle with your data. Lenovo Superfish exposed the limitations of the CA system.

PoignardAzur 4y ago
I think saying it "doesn't address" these threats is a bit extreme. It significantly reduces the attack surface (Certificate Authorities vs every ISP), it makes it a lot harder for state actors to pull off those attacks deniably with a gag order, and it makes it a lot easier for an informed but non-expert consumer to pick a secure-by-default solution.
snowwrestler 4y ago
Lenovo Superfish was a local exploit; the software was installed at the factory. It could have been any sort of root kit or other client software. Once an attacker has control of your local device, lots of things are possible. It’s true that HTTPS won’t defend against local attacks, but that doesn’t really seem like a fair criticism since that is not what it is supposed to do. The defense against compromised certificate authorities starts with platforms and browser makers. They demand that CAs implement certificate transparency logs to be included in root stores. They also monitor CT logs, as do most large site operators. Facebook for example does not run an OS platform or browser, but has a robust CT monitoring program. So if one of the random little CAs in the root store of your browser issues a rogue cert for “google.com”, it will be logged and seen, and that CA will risk getting kicked out of the root store. That’s what happened to Symantec, which was not a small CA. In general it is safer and quieter for bad guys to target client devices with attacks like Pegasus, than systemic actors like entire CAs.
- danuker 4y ago
  > So if one of the random little CAs in the root store of your browser issues a rogue cert for “google.com”, it will be logged and seen The victim might be the only one getting a collision as governments target them (and no security researchers get the compromised site + public key), and the Superfish fiasco shows that a collision is simply ignored by the browser.

PoignardAzur 4y ago

I think saying it "doesn't address" these threats is a bit extreme. It significantly reduces the attack surface (Certificate Authorities vs every ISP), it makes it a lot harder for state actors to pull off those attacks deniably with a gag order, and it makes it a lot easier for an informed but non-expert consumer to pick a secure-by-default solution.

snowwrestler 4y ago

Lenovo Superfish was a local exploit; the software was installed at the factory. It could have been any sort of root kit or other client software. Once an attacker has control of your local device, lots of things are possible. It’s true that HTTPS won’t defend against local attacks, but that doesn’t really seem like a fair criticism since that is not what it is supposed to do. The defense against compromised certificate authorities starts with platforms and browser makers. They demand that CAs implement certificate transparency logs to be included in root stores. They also monitor CT logs, as do most large site operators. Facebook for example does not run an OS platform or browser, but has a robust CT monitoring program. So if one of the random little CAs in the root store of your browser issues a rogue cert for “google.com”, it will be logged and seen, and that CA will risk getting kicked out of the root store. That’s what happened to Symantec, which was not a small CA. In general it is safer and quieter for bad guys to target client devices with attacks like Pegasus, than systemic actors like entire CAs.

danuker 4y ago
> So if one of the random little CAs in the root store of your browser issues a rogue cert for “google.com”, it will be logged and seen The victim might be the only one getting a collision as governments target them (and no security researchers get the compromised site + public key), and the Superfish fiasco shows that a collision is simply ignored by the browser.