Re: passing username/passwd between two processes securely...

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Scherbina Vladimir wrote:
> Hello, Arnaud.
>
> "Arnaud Debaene" <adebaene@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:%23603$k$3FHA.3036@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Scherbina Vladimir wrote:
> >> - debugging your applications using SoftIce or another system
> >> debugger to find the place where your applications generate private
> >> keys
> >
> > This last point is moot : there is *no* way to protect oneself from a
> > system debugger from software only
>
> google for Themida, StarForce, Armadillo, AsProtect, ExeCryptor.

Even with the best exe-encryptors in the world, when the app runs,
there is a point when the code is in "clear assembly" in memory (so
that the processor can execute it), and where the sensitive data (eg,
private key in this case). At this point, a kernel debugger can examine
those structures.

Also, the old principle apply to exe-encryptors : since they need to
decrypt the exe at one point, it means the secret key for this
decryption is available "somewhere" on the system : with patience and
effort, a craker can find it, so this is just security by obscurity.

The whole point of the "Palladium" project (or whatever it is named
now) is precisely to put all sensitive data (and manipulation of this
sensitive data) in a specialized, "black box" hardware chipset which
cannot be debugged (except by using some kind of hardware monitor
tool).

Arnaud
MVP -VC

.

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