Maybe we're talking about different things. Are you thinking of TOTP 2FA tokens? Your arguments do apply to those.
I'm not talking about those. I'm talking about devices like a yubikey, which is essentially a a poor person's HSM. On Mon, Oct 15, 2018 at 7:21 PM robert engels <reng...@ix.netcom.com> wrote: > > That is not true. If you lose the key, anyone else can use the device - which > is why there is usually an additional requirement beyond the hardware key - I > am referring to hardware dongles given to users. > > By LOSE I meant unknowingly lost - not that once I lose it and KNOW I’ve lost > it I deactivate the keys - and by then the system may be compromised anyway > (think murder to steal the hardware device - the victim is not reporting the > device stolen). > > Now sometimes that secondary info might be a retina or fingerprint scan, but > the point is if the machine providing the information has been compromised > (root access granted), they are free to alter the binaries and the OS itself, > to compromise these procedures, meaning they probably already captured these > elements already (prior to the crime). > > It is the coupling of the two scenarios - the security cannot be based on the > hardware device alone (since it can be lost/stolen), and when there is backup > identifying information, that can be compromised (if the machine is > compromised). > > I know very well how the hardware devices work. > > > > On Oct 15, 2018, at 7:12 PM, Christopher Nielsen <m4dh4t...@gmail.com> > > wrote: > > > > On Mon, Oct 15, 2018 at 4:33 PM robert engels <reng...@ix.netcom.com> wrote: > >> > >> To clarify, this is for a hardware device that protects a local resource - > >> a network based protocol that challenges the device for access is a > >> different story, and yes, when properly implemented is secure (unless > >> someone steals your device! - which is why it is usually password + > >> device, and then you are back to the same problem of compromising > >> passwords when root access has been compromised). > > > > This statement indicates to me you don't understand how hardware > > security tokens work. It doesn't matter if you have root access. You > > cannot obtain key material from it. If you lose it, you lose the set > > of keys on it. That's it. Revoke them and issue new ones using your > > root cert/key that never touches a networked system and lives in a > > safe. > > > > -- > > Christopher Nielsen > > "They who can give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve > > neither liberty nor safety." --Benjamin Franklin > > "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the > > blood of patriots & tyrants." --Thomas Jefferson > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "golang-nuts" group. > > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > > email to golang-nuts+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Christopher Nielsen "They who can give up essential liberty for temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." --Benjamin Franklin "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots & tyrants." --Thomas Jefferson -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "golang-nuts" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to golang-nuts+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
