[117086] in Cypherpunks
Hierarchy of Shopping Bag Computer Intrusions
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Gary Jeffers)
Thu Aug 26 06:29:03 1999
Message-ID: <000901beefbc$1d2051a0$a9c7a5d0@jeffers>
From: "Gary Jeffers" <jeffers@htc.net>
To: <cypherpunks@cyberpass.net>
Date: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 05:11:18 -0700
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Hierarchy of Shopping Bag Computer Intrusions
My fellow Cypherpunks,
Shopping bag refers to "trusted" software or hardware. Particularly,
to shrink wrapped or store bought ware. Shopping bag computer intrusions
are particularly dangerous because they can become widespread, offer
general doorways into others computers, and are quite cheap and easily
done by State. While the absolute cost might be large, on a per unit
intrusion, it is dirt cheap. It would be a real economy deal to the
State.
I find security and its breaches come in layers or circles.
Below is a list of classes of shopping bag intrusions with easy
threat at the top to more severe threats as you to the bottom.
1. Applications such as games, spreadsheets, and business packages
with backdoors installed.
2. Sentinels (anti-virus ware) with backdoors.
3. Web browers and operating systems backdoored.
Note: The above 3 are especially bad when they are proprietary
with no source code offered.
4A. Motherboard Bio'es backdoored. This is read only memory - ROM.
4B. Motherboard Bio'es with backdoors in the interrupts. I believe that
all interrupts are contained in the Bio or in CMOS - battery
powered RAM. Is this a correct assumption? These are the interrupts
rather than the interrupt vectors. An interrupt is a small, low
level function that mates motherboards and their associated
peripherals to it with the software system.
5. Computer chips with malice code. Game Over?!!! I see no effective
way around these even in theory if they are implemented. We need
ideas on this.
Yours Truly,
Gary Jeffers
BEAT STATE!!!
=1A
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000=20
size=3D2> =
Hierarchy of=20
Shopping Bag Computer Intrusions</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2> My fellow =
Cypherpunks,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2> Shopping bag refers to=20
"trusted" software or hardware. Particularly,<BR>to shrink =
wrapped or=20
store bought ware. Shopping bag computer intrusions<BR>are particularly=20
dangerous because they can become widespread, offer<BR>general doorways =
into=20
others computers, and are quite cheap and easily<BR>done by State. While =
the=20
absolute cost might be large, on a per unit<BR>intrusion, it is dirt =
cheap. It=20
would be a real economy deal to the<BR>State.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2> I find security and its =
breaches=20
come in layers or circles.<BR>Below is a list of classes of shopping bag =
intrusions with easy<BR>threat at the top to more severe threats as you =
to the=20
bottom.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>1. Applications such as games, =
spreadsheets, and=20
business packages<BR> with backdoors installed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>2. Sentinels (anti-virus ware) with=20
backdoors.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>3. Web browers and operating systems =
backdoored.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2> Note: The above 3 are =
especially=20
bad when they are proprietary<BR> with no source code=20
offered.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>4A. Motherboard Bio'es backdoored. =
This is read=20
only memory - ROM.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>4B. Motherboard Bio'es with =
backdoors in the=20
interrupts. I believe that<BR> all interrupts are contained =
in the=20
Bio or in CMOS - battery<BR> powered RAM. Is this a correct=20
assumption? These are the interrupts<BR> rather than the =
interrupt=20
vectors. An interrupt is a small, low<BR> level function =
that mates=20
motherboards and their associated<BR> peripherals to it with =
the=20
software system.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>5. Computer chips with malice code. =
Game=20
Over?!!! I see no effective<BR> way around these even =
in=20
theory if they are implemented. We need<BR> ideas on=20
this.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2><BR>Yours Truly,<BR>Gary =
Jeffers</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>BEAT =
STATE!!!<BR>=1A</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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