Posts by fg_swe 1546 publicly visible posts • joined 20 Nov 2021
A large class of remote control applications can be secured by minimalist cipher system. 2000 loc of verified cipher system code can secure millions of lines of insecure contraptions. Satellites, Utilities, Routers, PLCs,...
https://di-fg.de/MinimalesChiffrierSystem.html
There is nothing wrong with Symmetric Ciphers, as opposed to Public Key.
TYPEX and SIGABA were symmetric ciphers and they worked very well.
ENIGMA was also a symmetric cipher, but the Rotor Key Space was too small.
Also, I use the term "cipher" here to mean a full Cipher Protocol.
SSL/TLS rolls Public Key and Symmetric Cipher into one Huge Hairball. That is why it is insecure, as it is too big.
When you need to exchange keys for a Symmetric Cipher, either use a Courier(plane), KryptoMittel Verteiler Zentrale(KVZ) or (less secure) use GNUpg.
There exist systems, which have been proven correct in the mathematical sense.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/L4_(Mikrokernel)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CompCert
This is the light in the dark space of "quick and dirty world of applied computer science".
Too many systems have very little to no serious quality control efforts applied. Despite the V-Model existing since 1979. There seems to be a never-ending supply of "hackers", who make rookie mistakes again and again. Because honest engineering would require much better funding and other petty reasons.Some of these rookies have become fantastically rich on their shoddy work. Because you know, MOAR IS BETTA.
We know how to build secure systems. We just do not have the funding and discipline to actually do it.
https://di-fg.de/RobusteSoftware.html
https://sappeur.di-fg.de/ComparisonChart.html
Indeed Rust is an improvement in terms of security. It will neutralize 70% of CVE exploits, with all other things equal. Especially equally capable software engineers.
Having said that, there are much easier-to-learn languages than Rust out there.
Plus, memory safety does not catch the other 30% of CVE exploits. They must be defeated by means of Proper Software Engineering.
https://di-fg.de/RobusteSoftware.html
In a Good World you would use the V Model. That implies sufficient test cases on three levels. There would be human review of test cases, but in many instances AI generation of automated test cases. And of course the left side of the V - proper requirements, architecture, unit requirements.
So - sufficient automated test cases should exist in any case.
And, yes I know the real world is very often far away from this engineering paradise.
Nevertheless we should keep in mind, how proper software engineering works.
In the beginning I was sceptical.
Now Claude AI generated from Regular Expression, EBNF and prose
1.) Scanner and parser for arithmetic expressions in C++. Plenty of test cases. Zero manual code change needed !
2.) A small, but complete SQL database from create table statement, to demo data to C++ postgres code for queries, insert, delete. Not a single code change needed !
Claude AI can indeed replace the junior engineer for many problems. Being a luddite does not carry far.
You do not need to use the Golden Cages of Zuckerberg, Brin and Page.
Run your own WWW server on an RPI. Costs almost nothing.
Just because lots of idiots are too cheap to do that, means nothing.
No need to worry about COMINTERN+Friends and their communist concerns about "the people".
Do what YOU consider great. I run my own WWW site, where I can publish what I want. No Zuckerborg/Brin/WEF censorship, thank you very much.
The WWW was always more than the WEF Mainframes and it WILL EVER BE.
Stop being a Surrender Monkey !
1.) OpenOffice - does the job in nearly all cases
2.) LaTeX for heavy duty documentation
3.) Replace Teams by FOSS document management systems such as ALFRESCO
4.) DeltaChat for chatting
5.) Video Conferencing with SenfCall(BigBlueButton)
There is a boatload of options out there and none of them require the MSFT Cage.
Unlike the MSFT contraptions, these tools are all very reliable and solid. No funny, impossible-to-explain bugs.
Hire a Linux Admin to set up the solutions for you. There are thousands out there. Find them in a local Linux User Group.
I heard about great BP security engineering such as Zero Trust. But if we believe this General Nakasone, US water utilities are completely incompetent and NSA does not really want to tell them what to do. So I pointed out the bleeding obvious.
Plus I think there is an insight in the MST concept. Verify 2000 lines ONCE and then apply to thousands of designs and millions of devices.
Many VPNs have proven to be absolutely CR4PTASTIC. Some of them are using SSL(which is high grade insecurom, 400kloc of bugfest, see HEARTBLEED et al), many had a boatload of remotely exploitable bugs. IPSEC is also a load of insecurity. Too big, to complex, implemented in C. Insecure By Design.
My suggestion: use SSH, will be good enough for most cases. If you have higher requirements, use MST and have your national cyber security agency vet the source. Also, use something stronger than AES. I can help with both. See my other posts for my email address.
1.) Use a Raspberry PI for $40 to act as the Cipher System. One for each utiliuty, one for the Command Console.
2.) Connect your old-age PLC Water Control System by means of RS232 Serial Line(bonus points for Optical Coupler to have galvanic separation) to the RPI. Or use Ethernet. CAN can also be done, there exist RPI adapters for this purpose. And a load of USB-2-CAN converters. And probably 25 other field buses.
3.) Connect the RPI on port 22 to the internet. Expose only this port+MAC address at the DSL modem. Do NOT use this machine for anything else than Water System Management. You do not want the latest firefox exploits executed in this machine by accessing www.darksite.com. This can be enforced by various means; a Linux admin can tell you how.
4.) Use a Command Console RPI on the "other side" to connect to the water utility's RPIs you must control.
5.) Use multiple SSH forwardings to access whatever TCP/HTTP services run at the water utility. On the RPI or on TCP-based systems inside the utility. Can all be cr4p security-wise, except the SSH.
6.) Employ a proper Linux man to do this. You would not want the butcher to fix your teeth, would you ? Hourly rate $150 in most US locations would be my guess. More on the Left Coast, of course.
If you need help, contact me at frank.gerlach@di-fg.de. It's not rocket science, just Solid Informatics and Electronics. I live in Germany, NATO. Also German Citizenship, both parents same.
That is about as insecure as "on ATM", "on X.25", "on SDH link", "on the ether to our satellite", "on the microwave link", "on the shortwave radio link to Kandahar".
Your "dedicated" line might also be dug up and spliced by bad guys.
A Proper Cipher System addresses all of this.
https://di-fg.de/MinimalesChiffrierSystem.html
My advice is to use SSH, if you want a "good enough" solution.
SSH is not first rate, though: 160kloc vs 2kloc and it uses two different ciphers, as opposed to only one in MST and Rohde+Schwarz KVZ. SSH Public Key cipher is susceptible to Quantum Computers. AES and most Feistel ciphers are not. MST and KVZ only use a single symmetric cipher, which is not affected by Quantum decryption.
Your "security" comes from the obscurity of your "leased line". Which means you want to depend on the software+hardware of the telephone switches. Or your X.25 switch. Or the ATM switch. The weakest of them will be targeted. It might be 10..30 routers/switches, each one of them in a different state of disrepair. All of them are just as hackable as your CISCO device.
What you need is a dependable End-to-end CIPHER SYSTEM. Then you can do messaging over whatever telecom system is at hand. From Microwave Link to internet to cr4ptastic chinese mobile phone network. Or the Common Ether, between your ground station and the satellite out there. Do you have a "leased national ether" ? Of course not.
All of this does NOT matter, as long as all of these bugs are locked "behind" the Minimal Secure Transport. These bugs can only be "exploited" by the Satellite Controller, Water System Controller, System Administrator, who is already TRUSTED. Why would this man do this ? He has zero incentive to do so. He is Positively Vetted by Security Services.
It's all described here: https://di-fg.de/MinimalesChiffrierSystem.html
GT can give you a french or an english version.
What about satellites ? Do you have an Extra Ether for the Command+Control Channel ?
No, you have a highly secure cipher system.
Likewise, you can use the cr4ppy internet and the cr4ppy mobile phone(with plenty of hackable routers) service to securely control your water system. Just have a proper end-to-end cipher system, UNLIKE SSL. See my other post for a practical suggestion. 2000 loc, not the 400 000 loc SSL abomination.
Ask General Nakasone how U.S.G. controls her satellites. Do they have an Extra Ether ?
If your company is too cheap for my solution above, there is always SSH Port Forwarding:
https://linuxize.com/post/how-to-setup-ssh-tunneling/
It is probably good enough to fend off the Iranians.
All you need is a Competent Linux Administrator, which you can find in the next Linux User Group:
https://www.linux-magazin.de/heft-abo/linux-user-groups/
http://lugslist.com/ctry/usa.php?lg=en
https://lug.org.uk
1.) Secure Endpoint based on Raspberry PI. More than good enough for OpenOffice and simple Browser Apps.
2.) Secure UK Cloud based on Fujitsu ARM and SPARC Servers, operated by UK administrators.
3.) MaxDB relational database from Germany
4.) UK hosted MISTRAL AI models for AI. Surely a reasonable deal can be made with them. Power the AI data center with a Rolls Royce turbofans, where the fan has been replaced by a generator. Elon does this, too.
5.) Use as much FOSS as you can and let UK engineers make the adaptations according to UKGOV needs.
6.) Use UK or European programming languages such as Haskell, SPARK Ada and Oberon. Support their development with a few million pounds per annum. Let UK engineers do this.
7.) Share knowledge and software with French Gendarmerie, German states, baltic nations and other cooperative+trusted nations. Maybe the Japanese can be of help, too.
