The physical components of an IT system.
5
votes
2answers
1k views
Tool or Process to check for AES-NI support on processor?
In another question: How to choose a stream cipher, Thomas' answer mentioned the AES-NI instruction set, which piqued my curiousity.
Is there a tool or process available out there to check whether ...
5
votes
2answers
325 views
Dangerous hardware ports?
Using Passware Forensic Toolkit you can extract the bitlocker key using live memory dumping through Firewire (either by using an existing Firewire port, or by inserting an pcmcia/expresscard ...
5
votes
3answers
345 views
Does any tablet support remote attestation?
Some PCs come with a TPM. One of the nifty capabilities of TPMs is the ability to perform remote attestation. Remote attestation allows your computer to tell a third computer what software your ...
5
votes
2answers
338 views
WORM media types
Why types of media are Write Once Read Many (WORM) other than CD-R, and DVD-R, say, something in the 100GB range?
Are there such devices?
What would it take to read them?
Are the devices like this ...
5
votes
2answers
161 views
How does the predator network prevent outside control by an attacker?
I read several articles saying some of the command and control fleet for the US robotic attack planes may have been infected with a virus.
Does this command and control system communicate with the ...
5
votes
3answers
184 views
Sourcing hardware that is least likely to contain backdoors
I understand that CPU silicon (for example) is scrutinized for backdoors but there are other aspects of a computer system that may "leak data" to the outside world unbeknownst to the owner regardless ...
5
votes
1answer
453 views
How does the encryption of FPGA works?
I know that FPGAS of Altera enables you to encrypt the RTL code while you work with it, what I can't understand is why it is really encrypted since once I have the FPGA, I can take it and with flash ...
5
votes
1answer
150 views
How does virtualisation (IaaS) protect from CPU microcode updates and firmware changes?
Is it safe to assume that it's impossible for CPU Microcode updates and firmware updates to be initiated from a guest VM?
What software or hardware technologies protect my guest OS from altering or ...
4
votes
4answers
591 views
Would you go with SSD or Disk Hard Drive?
I haven't really heard anything on how the Soild State Drives are doing out in the real world and I was wondering if they are better than traditional hard drives. Is a SSD more secure or less secure ...
4
votes
2answers
269 views
Are there volatile memory chips which dont retain data after power off?
It was demonstrated that dram modules can retain information up to 10 min after power off in certain conditions. My question - are there memory types which will retain data 10 sec at max even if being ...
4
votes
4answers
371 views
What do you do to protect data on a Macbook in the event of theft/loss of the device?
What setup do you recommend to protect data on a MacBook in the event of theft/loss of the device?
I'm specifically interested in Macs here, rather than laptops generally, and in concrete ...
4
votes
3answers
311 views
VGA/HDMI Based Attack
Can I attack a PC via the VGA port? Is VGA one way or does it accept data from the other side?
How about HDMI or DVI?
And if so, are there known malware or PoCs to do that? or is it theoretically ...
4
votes
5answers
360 views
Securing the hardware of my computer against remote exploits
How can I secure the BIOS, video card, network card, PCI, etc. of the computer against remote exploit? I have heard that it is possible to remotely exploit a computer using vulnerabilities in these ...
4
votes
2answers
129 views
What aspects of hardware configuration are significant from a security perspective?
What is worth keeping in mind (security-wise) when choosing a set of hardware?
For example, might a cheap (or obscure) setup like a Raspberry Pi make for a less secure server than a more standard ...
4
votes
1answer
158 views
What particular devices and processes are available to destroy hard drives, per DoD 5220.22-M?
DoD 5220.22-M specifies the following methods for destruction of hard drives with classified data:
Disintegrate
Incinerate
Pulverize
Shred
Melt
I've seen shredders of the type that might be used ...
4
votes
2answers
273 views
Can I use hardware random number generation on my computer? Am I already using it?
A lot of computer security depends on encryption: SSL connections, TCP packet sequencing, encrypted files, etc. These depend on random number generation to ensure that attackers can't guess the ...
4
votes
2answers
192 views
How is hibernation supported, on machines with UEFI Secure Boot?
I've been learning about UEFI Secure Boot, which attempts to prevent "bootkits" by locking down the boot process so that only signed bootloaders and kernels can be loaded.
Hibernation seems like a ...
3
votes
4answers
373 views
Is it ok to cut some digits from the front-face of a credit/debit card?
I'm a European expat living in Asia. I usually hide my credit card at my apartment. However, I'm a bit scared about losing it when I carry it (wallet robbed or lost).
That's why I already scrubbed ...
3
votes
3answers
173 views
Are there any hardware HSMs that can host/run custom applications using the HSM processor(s) within the hardened security boundary?
It seems that the majority of commercially available hardware HSMs are only designed to allow authenticated users to generate, store, and use cryptographic keys with various cryptographic algorithms ...
3
votes
4answers
252 views
Malware via power outlet
This is perhaps a very dumb question, but as I have no knowledge nor experience of IT security I have no option but to ask here.
Is it possible to get malware onto your computer or smartphone by ...
3
votes
2answers
82 views
Disk Erasing Security - Odd Number of Writes
As one can find in the Disk Utility/Erase/Security Options section, there are two options for erasing disks securely - zero out 7 times or zero out 35 times. Where these numbers come from?
3
votes
1answer
99 views
Is this a security risk for us to lost TPM or others to access to reset BIOS ?
In the previous post Physically secure the system case it is recommended to physically protect the system. But in case stolen laptops where intruder have physical access to TPMs. What are the security ...
3
votes
1answer
127 views
Equipment required for sniffing data / address buses via EM emission
What kind of equipment would be required to sniff data from the electromagnetic emissions of data / address buses on an average motherboard?
I'd imagine a sensitive hall probe, a faraday cage and ...
3
votes
1answer
225 views
How does UEFI Secure Boot prevent “evil twin” spoofing attacks?
I've been learning about UEFI Secure Boot. It is designed to prevent malware from infecting the boot process and overwriting the bootloader. It has hardware-level protections to ensure that only a ...
3
votes
1answer
253 views
Trial version security
I am developing stand-alone software in BDS 2006. I want to provide a trial version for 6 months -- the user can use it for just 6 months, but no more on a particular system.
I have handled most ...
2
votes
2answers
211 views
Literature about IT security from a hardware standpoint
Can you point me to any book, blog, paper, anything about IT security on the lowest possible level (hardware)?
I'm primary interested in the motherboard, CPU & GPU, however, if you know any good ...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Are auto-mounting hard drives a security issue?
Why are hard drives mounted by default in Windows OS, while they aren't in Linux OS? Is that a security issue?
If your computer was hacked, can unmounted drives be considered clean?
2
votes
2answers
251 views
Are there sensors/devices to be used for reading magnetic bits of hard disk
I would like to ask about the availability of any sensor or device that can be used to read magnetic bits inside hard disks? I tried to google that but I did not see any useful thing till now. I think ...
2
votes
2answers
243 views
Seeking advice on how to build a box to brute force hashes? [closed]
I work in a startup security firm, and I need to build a GPU-based to brute force password/hashes, which can be used to validate password strength and test hashing algorithms. I expect some high ...
2
votes
2answers
237 views
How do hard-wired backdoors work?
How can a vulnerability be hardwired?
Just read this article, which got me thinking. Is there simply vulnerable software running on a piece of hardware that is read/write only or..?
2
votes
1answer
423 views
EMV Security? How is it possible that it's secure?
I recently read some articles on EMV and the various ways in which it has been improved over the years. I then read this which shows that it has been possible for some time to exploit EMV via a man ...
2
votes
2answers
167 views
2
votes
2answers
238 views
Electromagnetic induction attacks - reverse TEMPEST?
I know that electromagnetic emissions from a device can be used to extract information from a system, e.g. TEMPEST or Van Eck phreaking.
I also know it's possible to induce a signal into a ...
2
votes
1answer
357 views
Is hardware based disk encryption more secure that software based?
As a spin-off of my question on "Advice on buying an encrypted disk" -- and in an effort to address the question "how is hardware based disk encryption better?" -- I've started a new question.
My ...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
What devices/types of devices typically have unique associated ID numbers?
Background (not necessary to read; just what makes me ask):
Say someone's computer has either been hacked, or is running software run by $LARGE_EVIL_CORPORATION, and the hacker/$L wants to collect as ...
2
votes
1answer
748 views
good product to physical lock down a mac mini server?
Since recent theft of a mac mini and macbook pro Im looking into products to lock down the mac mini server 2011 model. There are many cable solutions out there like kensington but the mac mini has no ...
2
votes
1answer
125 views
TrueCrypt External Multimedia Hard Drive
Hi Guys i am in a bit of a Bind and cant find the Answer on the WWW so her is my question
I have a external Multi Media Hard Drive (1.36tb) so i made 4 partition a 350 gb
Then i shredded the free ...
1
vote
1answer
93 views
Keyboards with built in SmartCard reader. PIN/Password to unlock not via Computer
I am looking for keyboards with a built in SmartCard reader, where the Smartcard can be unlocked directly without going via the computer. The keyboards I found so far connect the SmartCard reader via ...
1
vote
1answer
157 views
File system history on USB drives
I want to find out who deleted a specific file from a USB disk.
The disk is formatted as NTFS. The file was deleted while the disk was plugged into a Windows 7 system. However, while I do have ...
1
vote
1answer
238 views
What kind of hashing is generally used in log-in modules?
Do operating systems hash the log-in password?
What hash function is used in Windows XP, 7, 8,Linux Ubuntu, Debian, MAC Lion OS X ,...?
Where should I look to know these security considerations of an ...
1
vote
2answers
344 views
Sun ILOM / Out of band management security concerns
I would like to get some outside opinion on this if possible, although I do not know what to ask.
Sun ILOM is an Out-of-band management system. I understand it is a separate OS on the box that is ...
1
vote
0answers
112 views
Embedded hardware training courses in the UK? [closed]
To be honest I struggled a little to find an appropriate exchange to put this question..!
I like to study 'hardware hacking' i.e. reverse engineering of both the hardware components and the firmware ...
1
vote
0answers
179 views
What hardware tools are useful to detect cyber crimes? [closed]
As the title says, I would ask about some tools or sensors that are available to be used to detect cyber crimes, specially I am looking for sensors that can be used to read and recover data from ...
0
votes
3answers
377 views
Best practices for firewall hardware
I'm planning to implement a linux based firewall/router with at least 6 x 1Gb NIC's (network with ~300 computers/server with >=8 VLANs)
Can anybody recommend hardware best practices (reference to ...
0
votes
2answers
150 views
Bypassing Trusted Computing
I have not been able to find any information about trusted computing, scourge of freedom, on the Internet. I am reasonably sure that it's software manifestation can be bypassed by a Linux live disk, ...
0
votes
2answers
293 views
Encrypted flash drives
I have searched the web for information on secure encrypted USB flash drives. I have found that the most secure encryption is hardware-based like Kingstom DT4000 for example.
Why is a simple USB ...
0
votes
1answer
300 views
Is Intel AESNI supported by Xen in VPS/Cloud hosting environments? [closed]
I'm having trouble determining whether when using a hosting company that uses Xen virtualization and Intel processors with AESNI embedded encryption, I would have access to AESNI (i.e., is it an ...
0
votes
0answers
23 views
Secure delete with urandom? [duplicate]
What recovery techniques (if any) exist that can recover data from a mechanical HDD if the user has filled the disk with a single run of dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/[disk]?
Or in other words: is this ...
0
votes
1answer
103 views
How far beyond using Shred should I go when deleting files? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
How can I reliably erase all information on a hard drive?
I'm looking to securely erase my files. Is shred the best option besides ditching the hardware? To what lengths ...
0
votes
1answer
293 views
What kind of network tapping/sniffing hardware can be used to install NIDS or examine networks? [closed]
I'm looking for a device that can be plugged in between a client computer and a switch and records all ethernet packets and puts it into a pcap file or similar in order to analyse it with wireshark.
...
