02/10/2017

 

Lecturer: Nguyễn Thị Thanh Vân – FIT - HCMUTE

 Understand the importance of authentication

 Learn how authentication can be implemented
 Understand threats to authentication

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 Introduction

 Electronic User Authentication Principles

 Password-Based Authentication

 Token-Based Authentication

 Biometric Authentication

 Remote User Authentication

 Security Issues for User Authentication

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 Availability:
 when the correct credentials are presented, the
resources should be made available to the processor
(on behalf of the user).
 No false negatives:
 if a process presents incorrect credentials but is given
access
 These should not happen.
 No false positives:
 if a process presents the correct credentials but is denied
access
 These should not happen either

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


Check the correct answer from the choices.

We now have personal devices that are not shared across

multiple users. What threats motivate the use of authentication
in such devices?

Malware infection that may exfiltrate sensitive data

Loss of theft of the device

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Something the individual knows Something the individual process

Password Smart card
PIN, Physical key
Answer Token

Something the individual is (Static biometrics)

fingerprint
retina,
Face
iris
Something the individual does (Dynam ic biom etric)
Voice,
Handwriting
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Typing rhythm

 GOTPass: users employ “images and a one-time

numerical code” in order to secure password.
o using patterns and images instead of letters and numbers
o the generated digits random code

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 Authentication: Verifies user access to the operating system

 Physical authentication:
o Allow s physical entrance to company property
o Magnetic cards and biometric measures
 Digital authentication: verifies user identity by digital means
 Digital certificates: identifies and verifies holder of certificate
 Digital token (security token):
o Small electronic device
o Displays a number unique to the token holder;
o Uses a different passw ord each time
 Digital card: Also known as a security card or smart card
o Similar to a credit card; uses an electronic circuit instead of a magnetic strip
o Stores user identification information
 Kerberos:
o Developed by MIT
o Uses tickets for authentication purposes
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 Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP):

o Developed by the University of Michigan
o A centralized directory database stores:
• Users (user name and user ID)
• Passw ords
• Internal telephone directory
• Security keys
o Efficient for reading but not suited for frequently changing information
 NT LAN Manager (NTLM):
o Developed and used by Microsoft
o Employs a challenge/response authentication protocol
 Public Key Infrastructures (PKI):
o User keeps a private key
o Authentication firm holds a public key
o Encrypt and decrypt data using both keys

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 RADIUS: used by network devices to provide a

centralized authentication mechanism
 Secure Socket Layer (SSL): authentication
information is transmitted over the network in
an encrypted form
 Secure Remote Password (SRP):
o Password is not stored locally
o Invulnerable to brute force or dictionary attacks

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Check the correct answer from the choices.

An attacker correctly guesses Alice’s password and

logins in as her. Is this a case of...

False negative

True positive

False positive

True negative

● Assurance level: the degree of confidence

● Level 1: Little or no confidence in the asserted identity’s validity.
● Level 2: Some confidence in the asserted identity’s validity.
● Level 3: High confidence in the asserted identity’s validity
● Level 4: Very high confidence in the asserted identity’s validity.

● Potential impact: potential impact on organizations r individuals should there be a

breach of security
● Low : adverse effect on organizational operation
● Moderate: serious adverse effect
● High: severe or catastrophic adverse effect
● areas of risk.: mapping betw een the potential impact and the appropriate level of
assurance

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● areas of risk.

 Password-Based Authentication
 The Vulnerability of Passwords
The Use of Hashed Passwords
Password Cracking of User-Chosen Passwords
Password File Access Control
Password Selection Strategies

 Token-Based Authentication

 Biometric Authentication

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 The password systems defense against intruders

 Systems require: user provide name or ID + password
o all multiuser systems,
o network-based servers,
o Web-based e-commerce sites,
o and other similar services
 The password serves to authenticate the ID of the
individual logging on to the system.

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1. Offline dictionary attack:

 A hacker gain access to the system password file.
 Compares the password hashes against hashes of commonly used
passwords.

2. Specific account attack:

 Attacker targets a specific account &submits password guesses until
the correct password is discovered.

3. Popular password attack / Against single user:

 The attacker chooses a popular password and tries it.
 Attacker attempts to gain knowledge about the account holder and
system password policies and uses that knowledge to guess the
password.

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4. Workstation hijacking:
 The attacker waits until a logged-in workstation is unattended.

5. Exploiting user mistakes:

 User is more likely to write it down passwords, because it is
difficult to remember.

6. Exploiting multiple password use.

 Similar password for a many applications

7. Electronic monitoring:
 If a password is communicated across a network to log on to a
remote system, it is vulnerable to eavesdropping.

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Check which passwords made the top 10 most

common passwords for 2014:

123456 696969

password 123123
letmein batman

abc123 qwerty
111111 123456789

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How do we check the password supplied with a user id?

Method 1 - store a list of passwords, one for
each user in the system file.

● The file is readable only by the root/admin account

● What if the permissions are set incorrectly?
● Why should admin know the passwords?
● If security is breached, the passwords are exposed to an
attacker.

How do we check the password supplied with a user id?

Method 2 - do not store passwords, but store

something that is derived from them

●Use a one-way hash function and store the result

●The password file is readable only for root/admin

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Hash Functions

 A hash function maps a variable-length message into a fixed-length

hash value,
or message digest
h = H(M)
 The principal object:
o data integrity

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 Variable input size

 Fixed output size

 Efficiency: H (M) is easily calculated with arbitrary M

 For any given value h, it is difficult to find M such that H(M) = h

o One-way function

 For any M1, it is very difficult to find M2#M1 such that H(M2) =
H(M1)
o collision resistant: weak

 Very difficult to find any pair (M1, M2) such that H (M1) = H(M2)
o collision resistant: Strong
A Strong hash function: satisfied all 6 reqs (weak: 5 reqs)

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●We assume a one-way

property for hash functions
●If we know common
passwords, we can determine
their hash
●For dictionary and offline
attacks, we have the hash
values and plenty of time to
test for matches

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 two categories of attacks on hash functions:

o Brute-force attack:
• depend only on bit length of the hash value (not specific algorithm )
• Attack to: One-way function; collision resistant - weak
wishes to find a value y such that H(y)=h, try 2m-1 values
• Attack to: collision resistant - strong
wishes to find 2 messages: x,y, that yield H(y)=H(x), try 2m/2 values

o Cryptanalysis:
• based on weaknesses in a particular cryptographic algorithm.
• require a cryptanalytic effort greater than or equal to the BF effort

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● Guessing the password for a given

user allows impersonation

● Impersonating a real login program

● Keylogging to steal a password

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Publicly available software can do 108 MD5 hashes/sec on


a GPU
 Six random upper case/lower case/digits then 626 possible
passwords, about 10 minutes
 Eight random characters increases it to about six days
 Passwords are not really random
 To reduce the work required for a brute force attack:
● Try the popular passwords first
● Create a rainbow table

 What if two users pick the same password?

● Add a random salt before hashing
● Store the salt with the hashed value
● Check by using the salt with the typed password

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● As password length and complexity increases,

usability suffers
● Phishing and social engineering – users do not
authenticate who is asking for a password.
● Once a password is stolen, it can be used many times
● This is why there are policies that say passwords be
changed frequently
● Humans have a hard time remembering lots of
passwords. Usable passwords are easy to guess.

Sys Administrators:
●Never store passwords in the clear
●Store only hashed values generated with a
random salt and limit access to them
●Avoid general purpose fast hash functions

Users:
●Use password managers

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● The hashed passw ords are kept in a separate file from the user
IDs, referred to as a shadow passw ord file .

● Special attention is paid to making the shadow passw ord file protected
from unauthorized access.
● Vulnerabilities:
● Exploit a softw are vulnerability in the OS to bypass the access control
system long enough to extract the passw ord file.
● An accident of protection might render the passw ord file readable
● Use the same passw ord on other machines in other protection
domains
● Access to this backup enables the attacker to read the passw ord file.
● Collecting user IDs and passw ords is through sniffing netw ork traffic.

● Four basic techniques are in use:

• User education
• Computer-generated passwords
• Reactive password checking
• Complex password policy

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 You must have them

 May require additional hardware (e.g., readers)
 How does it implement authentication
(challenge/response)
 Cost and misplaced trust (RSA SecureID master key
breach)
 Types:
o Memory card
o Token

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 Memory cards can store only a simple security

code
(not process data).
 The bank card: a magnetic stripe on the back.
 Using memory card:
o Alone
o + PIN
 Among the potential drawbacks
o Requires special reader: increases the cost
hardware and software.
o Token loss: determine the PIN to gain unauthorized
access
o User dissatisfaction: use for computer access

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 Has own processor, memory, I/O ports

o Wired or wireless access by reader
o May have crypto co-processor
o ROM, EEPROM, RAM memory
 Executes protocol to authenticate with
reader/computer
o Static:
o Dynamic password generator:
o Challenge-response:

 Also have USB dongles

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 Each time the card is inserted

o a reset is initiated (clock value)
o the card responds (the parameters and
protocols).
o The terminal may be able to change
the protocol used and other
parameters via a protocol type
selection (PTS) command.
o The cards PTS response confirms the
protocols and parameters to be used.
o The terminal and card can now
execute the protocol to perform the
desired application.

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 A smart card as a national identity card for citizens

 A national electronic identity (eID)
o national ID cards
o driver’s license
 an eID card has been verified by the national government as
valid and authentic.
 Functions:
o ePass: stores a digital representation of the cardholder’s identity.
(electronic passport)
o eID: stores an identity record that authorized service can access
o eSign: stores a private key and a certificate verifying the key

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 based on pattern recognition.

 more complex and expensive.

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Multi-factor authentication

● Uses more than one method

● Type password but also send a code via SMS
■ It goes to your phone (something you have)
■ Gmail implements this
● ATM card and a PIN
● Other things like your location
● Attacker must defeat both to compromise
authentication

A multi-factor authentication method will likely

reduce false negative. Choose one:

True

False

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Authentication over a network:

● Do we always have a trusted path to the

OS we need to authenticate to?
■ Remote services
● Network authentication introduces new
problems
● Need crypto to secure network
communication
● Other attacks (man-in-the-middle)

 More security threats with remote user authentication

o an eavesdropper being able to capture a password
o an adversary replaying an authentication sequence that has
been observed
 Systems generally rely on some form of challenge-
response protocol.
 Protocols:
o Password Protocol
o Token protocol
o Biometric protocol

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o Passcode W’
(synchronized with host)
o Password P’
(shared user and token, not host)

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Lesson Summary

● Introduction

● Electronic User Authentication Principles

● Password-Based Authentication

● Token-Based Authentication

● Biometric Authentication

● Remote User Authentication

● Security Issues for User Authentication

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