Lest We Remember: Cold Boot Attacks on Encryption Keys

Describes the attacks that result from the remanence of encryption keys in DRAM after power loss.

For more information, visit:
http://citp.princeton.edu/memory

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Security
• Computers
• Memory
• Remanence
• Princeton
• CITP
• Vulnerability
• BitLocker
• FileVault
• TrueCrypt

[Evi1M4chine]

Also, TrueCrypt already fixed that problem, by never storing the key freely in RAM, a looong time ago.

[TheWanAntOnly]

Well, after that i'd say:

When the police stands in front of your door, shut the PC down.

Take your time, do something for at least 2 Minutes and the RAM is empty. - Safe -

[BigSwinginDjick]

@EUBG your an idiot... sure it could write 0's/random data on shutdown but if you f*cking pulled the plug/battery than that wont work..... you can just buy extra hardware for you computer that surges the ram with a internal battery when a voltage drop is detected or a shutdown... all else just turn off when done...

[freeforthought]

@Evi1M4chine Nope, see truecrypt docs

"Inherently, unencrypted master keys have to be stored in RAM too. "

[AngryC4t]

I think you'd look awfully suspicious sitting next to a computer with the back open hosing down the RAM with an aerosol can.

[Mystermask5047]

@Schwirrsi

Even if is not, is stupid, prove you can dump an encryption key with a residual image of the joconde.

If any letter or symbol or number is missing on the data file of encryption key it isnt work, all the blanc data need to be brute-forced. If you have more than 20 blank in the key code the probleme is the same has a long password, you need a supercomputer and some years to break it.

[Schwirrsi]

@Evi1M4chine Can you or anyone of your supporters prove that statement? Fixed? No. At least their documentation still says today: “Inherently, unencrypted master keys have to be stored in RAM too..”

This will not be subject to change – it is simply not possible without using a TPM.

[Schwirrsi]

@Evi1M4chine test

[donmontalvo1]

Mac OS X never offered full disk encryption. OS X 10.7 (Lion) does. Just an FYI...

[EUBG]

@TheWanAntOnly

Another nice (and easy to do) thing would just be ordering the machine to write all the bits in ram to 0 or 1 or so when it's ordered to shutdown. (Any Linux distro -> Very very easy, Windows -> can't tell, OS X -> can't tell.)

Wouldn't be hard to accomplish... :'D

[MsReefmaster]

i want to sex the mouth of the woman who narrates

[nosajj12345]

Anyone who carelessly leaves their laptop laying around is an idiot and deserves to lose it!