From owner-freebsd-security Sun Jan 14 1:49:53 2001 Delivered-To: freebsd-security@freebsd.org Received: from spammie.svbug.com (unknown [198.79.110.2]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1B5C837B400 for ; Sun, 14 Jan 2001 01:49:33 -0800 (PST) Received: from spammie.svbug.com (localhost.mozie.org [127.0.0.1]) by spammie.svbug.com (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id BAA00822; Sun, 14 Jan 2001 01:49:26 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from jessem@spammie.svbug.com) Message-Id: <200101140949.BAA00822@spammie.svbug.com> Date: Sun, 14 Jan 2001 01:49:24 -0800 (PST) From: opentrax@email.com Reply-To: opentrax@email.com Subject: Re: (no subject) To: ftobin@uiuc.edu Cc: freebsd-security@FreeBSD.ORG In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/plain; charset=us-ascii Sender: owner-freebsd-security@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.org On 14 Jan, Frank Tobin wrote: > Crist J. Clark, at 16:50 -0800 on Sat, 13 Jan 2001, wrote: > > I am not sure I understand your argument here. I your system, how does > the _user_ authenticate himself? Biometrics? HW token? Smart card? > Really, no passwords? > >...[Trimmed].... > > One key idea is to leave the strength of the security as much up to the > user as possible. With passwords, however, the user has to worry about > both ends being compromoised (his end, and the server's end); if the > server is compromised, and his password gotten, this might be used against > him other places. With public-key authentication, he only has to worry > about his end; if the server's end is compromised, the user's security is > compromised little. > The concept you present "leave the strength.. up to the user.." is sound. As a matter of fact, one security concept worth noting is, "the person damaged - should be the person responsible". However, your argument for PKA shows a flaw in assuming that the PKA offer some type of protection if the server is comprimised. If the server is comprimised, then *any* schenario must make certain assumptions. Hence, the-man-in-the-middle schenarios/attacks. I should also state that arguments on this level are nothing more than vicious circles. Even a deep analysis will lead back to other weakness. That is, weaknesses not associated with PKA, SSH or the client/server. Best Regards, Jessem. To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-security" in the body of the message