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MagnusM
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MagnusM

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Google disables SSL compression in Chrome against new attack

So there is a new attack on SSL-encrypted sessions that is due to be presented soon. Google have disabled OpenSSL compression in Chrome (»chromiumcodereview.appsp ··· atch/1/2). This is in response to the new attack which was developed by the same guys who published the BEAST tool to hijack cookies from SSL sessions last year.

There is an excellent description of the (proposed) method by which this attack works over on Stackexchange: »security.stackexchange.c ··· 14#19914

Basically, by using the fact that a cookie string repeated twice in a HTTPS body will be compressed to different (known) sizes, the attackers can figure out the cookie value byte by byte. Disabling compression of SSL sessions prevents this.
MagnusM

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MagnusM

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The Chromium bug entry for this is at »code.google.com/p/chromi ··· d=139744 -- however, you will get a 403 forbidden when trying to view this, so this is a sure sign that it's pertaining to a security vulnerability. Normally Chromium bug entries are viewable by anyone.

I tried looking into the Firefox source code. As best I can tell, SSL compression is off in Firefox by default. Specifically, the file sslsock.c contains an array called sslOptions with this setting:


static sslOptions ssl_defaults = {
...
PR_FALSE, /* noLocks */
PR_FALSE, /* enableSessionTickets */
PR_FALSE, /* enableDeflate */


This should mean that SSL compression is not enabled by default in Firefox. I couldn't find any recent changes to this file either when checking the diffs.

Name Game
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Grand Rapids, MI

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From 2011....about the Beast.

New JavaScript hacking tool can intercept PayPal, other secure sessions
BEAST, a JavaScript hacking tool developed by two security researchers

»arstechnica.com/business ··· essions/
Name Game

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On the Beast last year....

"That decryption happens slowly, however; BEAST currently needs sessions of at least a half-hour to break cookies using keys over 1,000 characters long."

SSL Server Test

This free online service performs a deep analysis of the configuration of any SSL web server on the public Internet. Please note that the information you submit here is used only to provide you the service. We don't use the domain names or the test results, and we never will.
»www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/ ··· dex.html

FF4m3
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Crack in Internet's foundation of trust allows HTTPS session hijacking:

CRIME works only when both the browser and server support TLS compression or SPDY

Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Google's Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox browsers are all believed to be immune to the attack, but at time of writing smartphone browsers and a myriad of other applications that rely on TLS are believed to remain vulnerable.

Representatives from Google, Mozilla, and Microsoft said their companies' browsers weren't vulnerable to CRIME attacks. Both Google and Mozilla released patches after the weaknesses were privately reported by Juliano Rizzo and Thai Duong, the researchers who devised the CRIME exploits. Internet Explorer was never vulnerable because it never supported SPDY (pronounced "speedy") or the TLS compression scheme known as Deflate.

Even when a browser is vulnerable, an HTTPS session can only be hijacked when one of those browsers is used to connect to a site that supports SPDY or TLS compression.

Months ago I'd disabled SPDY in Firefox to ensure continued correct Proxo filtering. Looks like an even better decision now.

DownTheShore
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As a Pale Moon user (a Firefox variant), how can I tell if it is using the SSL compression or not? What do I query?

MagnusM
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MagnusM

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When I was looking at this I searched for an about:config setting, but as best I can tell there is no pre-entered setting for this. I'm sure there is a string you can enter to control it manually. There shouldn't be any need to, though, if they're using a recent branch off the Firefox source tree.

StuartMW
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join:2000-08-06

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StuartMW

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In about:config search for SPDY settings. Disable (set to false) all SPDY support.
quote:
network.http.spdy.enabled = false
network.http.spdy.enabledv2 = false (present in FF 15)


Don't forget to restart the browser!

Ref: »isc.sans.edu/diary/More+ ··· le/14089

DownTheShore
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DownTheShore

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Found the entries in Pale Moon (v.15.0):



StuartMW
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StuartMW

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From SPDY
quote:
SPDY is similar to HTTP, with particular goals to reduce web page load latency and improve web security.

...

An independent study shows that, in testing, the page load time with SPDY is not significantly different on most websites from HTTP or HTTPS, because old optimization techniques such as splitting the content between many hosts prevent pipelining from taking place.


FF4m3
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Set as above.

trparky
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So basically this issue is a problem for all browsers?

StuartMW
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said by trparky:

So basically this issue is a problem for all browsers?

No.

From the link I posted above.
quote:
Both the Firefox and Chrome browsers [and their variants] also support this protocol. Internet Explorer and Safari does not support SPDY and are not vulnerable.


norwegian
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Click for full size
I'm having troubles finding anything in Opera for SSL (other than SSLv3 - enabled) and/or SPDY. But as SSL loading has been a concern since ver 12 for me, I'm not getting anything loaded correctly.

But as it mentions a javascript process for it off the links from MagnusM See Profile this image suggests it is off by default in Opera, it is the only https item listed that could be relative.
Mele20
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Hilo, HI

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No, Fx 4.0.1 and Fx 10.0.7 Enterprise do NOT support this protocol.

Sea Monkey, older version 2.6.1, does NOT support this protocol. However, SM current version 2.12.1 does and has a bunch of entries in about:config.

So this protocol was added to Mozilla browsers within the last six months thereabouts. Just another reason to avoid the insanity of the current "race to death" frantic, constant updating of browsers. I don't see limitations in Fx 4, or 10, or the earlier SM, because they don't have this "feature". At least, I only have to disable in SM 2.12.1.

I haven't checked Opera 12 yet.

norwegian
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I did find this link at dev.opera though.

»dev.opera.com/articles/v ··· y-build/
quote:
SPDY would come in Opera 12.50 (if it's not hit by any major problems)
which isn't too far away? The team may review needs should this all come to head before release I would think? Speculation though.

StuartMW
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said by Mele20:

So this protocol was added to Mozilla browsers within the last six months thereabouts.

FF 12.0, which was released in late April 2012, included SPDY v1 support but it was disabled by default. As I recall v13.0 enabled it by default.

FF 15.0 has SPDY v1 and v2 enabled by default but v3 (supported) is disabled.

As I posted above disabling SPDY doesn't have much effect so just turn it off and be happy (or not)

Name Game
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Rizzo said that browsers that implement either TLS or SPDY compression are known to be vulnerable. That includes Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, as well as Amazon Silk. But the attack also works against several popular Web services, such as Gmail, Twitter, Dropbox and Yahoo Mail. SPDY is an open standard developed by Google to speed up Web-page load times and often uses TLS encryption.

Google and Mozilla have developed patches to defend against the CRIME attack, Rizzo said, and the latest versions of Chrome and Firefox are protected.

CRIME vs startups

»www.youtube.com/watch?fe ··· hHYyg9r4
Mele20
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Thanks for the link. That was an interesting article. I knew very little about SPDY and any browser until this thread and that article was informative not just for Opera but in a more general way also.

I don't use secure web browsing except for banking or logging in somewhere. It puzzles me why there is a push for secure browsing when it is just ordinary browsing. I saw the Opera article refer to a Fx extension that shows you when SPDY is being used. I hope it will install on SM since I don't have a Fx version that has SPDY.

I wonder if this is the beginning of the eventual end of Proxo? I don't use Proxo SSL because the only SSL I need is for banking, and logging in sites that require that, and the rare times when I purchase something on the internet (and I am extremely reluctant to do that so only if I absolutely have to as I can't find the item here or a reasonable substitute).

I obviously don't care how fast a browser is since my favorite browser is Fx 4 and it is much slower than Opera 12 but Opera 12 is an awful browser. Why sacrifice a good browser on the speed altar? So, I am not in need of SPDY and will disable it on any browser I see it on.

Name Game
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Looks to me one would still have to do a MITM for this one.

»blog.whitehatsec.com/cri ··· and-xss/

StuartMW
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said by Mele20:

It puzzles me why there is a push for secure browsing when it is just ordinary browsing.

Because using HTTPS makes snooping harder. I use SSL with Google/GoogleSharing to prevent my ISP from monitoring my searches. Bob might still be able to see stuff but without going to great lengths I can't stop that
Mele20
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said by Name Game:

SPDY is an open standard developed by Google to speed up Web-page load times and often uses TLS encryption.

So, this is a Google invention? That explains it. Google wants Proxo dead. (God forbid that any of us be able to block Google ads). Screw Google. I am so glad I don't use ANY of their crap except their search engine and I have Google Sharing extension on Fx and SM to thwart Google tracking me when using their search engine.
Mele20

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Well, I had forgotten momentarily that Google Sharing extension forces SSL connection. I love the extension but I see no real need for SSL for searches if the extension is scrambling and mixing up my search with a bunch of others. Because I don't use SSL for Proxo it means I see ads on Google searches using Google Sharing.

As for my ISP, well, gee, again I don't see why I should get upset about them theoretically being able to see every where I go. That has been the case since I got a computer in 1999. Why the sudden concern now, but not for all these past years? My ISP has never betrayed me (except for trying to force their search page for urls that are mistyped but I could easily and permanently opt out), but Google sure would just as Facebook, etc would.. and Yahoo...I haven't been to Yahoo about 10 years. They are the worst for betrayal and snooping...but my ISP? As I said, why would that suddenly concern me when it hasn't in all these years? I haven't seen my ISP suddenly becoming evel...maybe I am missing something though.....

Name Game
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Right and google invented SSL and TSL
Get real.
How can you protect yourself from CRIME, BEAST’s successor?
»security.blogoverflow.co ··· ccessor/

Crack in Internet’s foundation of trust allows HTTPS session hijacking
safari info added:

»quickiphoneapps.com/crac ··· jacking/

StuartMW
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said by Mele20:

...maybe I am missing something though.....

I think so.

Your ISP is Going to Spy on You Starting July 12, 2012
quote:
One year ago, the RIAA and the MPAA organized a project with the largest internet service providers in the US to begin monitoring their customer’s internet activity. This monitoring was introduced as a joint coalition to combat piracy.

Mele20
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Mele20

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Oh...the pirating thing....haven't done that in many years...errr...if I ever did. Yeah, I read that thread but that affects those who pirate. The ISPs have always been able to track the users so the only difference now is they will do so in connection with RIAA and that is the pits but unless you are a current pirate how does it affect you differently from before this?

I would be very pissed if my idiot state legislature had passed that hairbrained law that one representative introduced last session because she didn't know how to properly protect her website, but that got canned and I don't equate looking for pirates to be anything like what the state law would have been if passed and implemented. It is this latter crap that we must protest and stop.

Anon users
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SPDY ON on Firefox 15!!! not on 10ESR

No wonder why Firefox Mobile has discontinued 10.0.7 ESR and force users to use 15.0.1

Just turned off SPDY in Firefox mobile 15, Thx a million!!! Shame Mozilla!!!
Mele20
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SPDY is an open standard developed by Google so what do you mean by "get real"? I didn't claim Google invented SSL and TSL....geez. Just because you are madly in love with Google doesn't mean everyone is or that your admiration and love is not misplaced.

Name Game
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Name Game

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Then I would remind you that Crime exploits TLS.

"The researchers who developed the attack that exploits this weakness say that all versions of TLS are affected, including TLS 1.2, and that the cipher suite used in the encrypted session makes no difference in the success of the attack."

And...
»SSL is broken and nearly impossible to fix

If you use Opera..even many month ago..

SSL2 should be disabled.
TLS 1.1 and TLS 1.2 should be enabled and are preferred, though TLS 1.2 was not yet supported on many servers

But for Opera this was the problem even in Jan 2012

»my.opera.com/community/f ··· =1262702

Firefox, with "HTTPS Everywhere" (which forces TLS when available), along with "Perspectives" (which polls various certificate notaries to bolster the browsers trust for the Certificate in question) should have been used, if possible.

Sooo..getting back to the real world..

Rizzo confirmed Thursday via email that CRIME exploits that data compression feature of SSL and TLS. However, SPDY -- a networking protocol that uses a similar compression scheme -- is also vulnerable, he said.

»www.pcworld.idg.com.au/a ··· essions/
Mele20
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Mele20

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Yes, TLS is vulnerable although supposedly Fx and SM are now patched according to the Arstechnica artile linked here in this thread.

But I am talking about SPDY and not just in the context of this exploit. You ignored this and instead began discussing TLS which is related but not the subject. I didn't know hardly anything about SPDY until this thread (it is not available on my default browser or my other Fx browser or Opera or IE so this thread is the first I have heard of it). I don't like the possible threat it poses to Proxo even if you use Proxo with the files that make it able to filter HTTPS sites which I have never done. FF4m3 says he had to disable it in Fx so that Proxo will filter HTTPS correctly. So, I am talking about SPDY and you deliberately? or obtusely? changed the subject to TLS.

I am in the real world. You though wandered off somewhere else.