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#coldbootattack#dramremanence#bitlocker

Lest We Remember: Cold Boot Attacks on Encryption Keys

pucitp

344 subscribers • 1 video on Hallway

YouTube
  • Recommended by 1 person: 1 on Hacker News.

Intermediate. Assumes working knowledge.

748K views18 years ago1 recommendation

SecuritySystems programmingCryptographyExploits and vulnerabilitiesMemory management

Researchers demonstrate how encryption keys can be recovered from DRAM after a computer is powered down by freezing the memory modules.

Describes the attacks that result from the remanence of encryption keys in DRAM after power loss. For more information, visit: citp.princeton.edu/memory

Why it's here

1 person recommends this

What people say. Recommended as the classic, highly accessible demonstration of cold boot attacks and memory remanence.

JoachimSchipperon Hacker News • Recommends

On “Instapaper Server Update”

Indeed, the encryption keys can be recovered from memory fairly easily. link is very readable; link to this video is a well-made 5-minute introduction by the authors.

pjinon Hacker News • Mentions

On “Full disk encryption is too good?”

2. "with the cryogenic RAM freezing technique, presumably" - errr, no. With the "sit down at the computer and turn off the encryption/copy the data to an external drive technique", I think you'll find. Obvious bullsh*t to anyone technical but sounds 'cool' to your average 14yr old who reads these sort of sites. Errr, actually yes. You may be interested in 1 and 2. 1 link 2 link to this video

Bugeon Hacker News • Mentions

On “BusKill: A kill cord for your laptop”

You're right, I think an attack could be possible on some computers if the agents act very quickly. I don't think 30 minutes would be possible though, judging from what is said and shown in the original cold boot video: link to this video

wongarsuon Hacker News • Mentions

On “BusKill: A kill cord for your laptop”

For getting encryption keys from RAM after shutdown there's this video mentioned by another commentor: link to this video For using reflections, there's this paper implementing reading screen content from various things like reading glasses, a can of coke or even the user's eye (including a discussion of limitations): link Right now I can't find something on reading keyboard vibrations with lasers, but here's one doing it acoustically and one doing it via acclerometer of a phone on the table: link link