Slashdot Mirror
Airport Access IDs Hacked In Germany
teqo writes "Hackers belonging to the Chaos Computer Club have allegedly cloned digital security ID cards for some German airports successfully which then allowed them access to all airport areas. According to the Spiegel Online article (transgoogleation here), they used a 200 Euro RFID reader to scan a valid security ID card, and since the scanner was able to pretend to be that card, used it to forge that valid ID. Even the airport authorities say that the involved system from 1992 might be outdated, but I guess it might be deployed elsewhere anyway."
Too expensive hack
nobody cares!
As much as security "experts" want to avoid the issue, when a shared symmetric key such as the one in this device is passed in the clear to a "black box," the system is already compromised. This is just like the USB drive "encryption" debacle. It is caused by proprietary software and proprietary thinking. As Klehr wrote in Fundamentals of Cryptography (1962), "If a man drinks poison, tell him it's bad for him. Don't offer to prove it by your own example."
UNITE with the Campaign for a Free Internet because today, our future begins with tomorrow!
Wow... I do not want hackers to control a plane when I will be in it... Imagine the situation, when hackers will take control over airport control center.
Hide your files and folders from others!
Last I looked it was 24 bits of binary data and that's it. Even simple number collisions are likely to occur if a facility does not watch out with card orders. With 1992 in the market date, I doubt its much more than that. It has no place securing anything important.
The comments so far incredibly miss the points : one of the main fear of airport authorities is that an unknown individual could access restricted zone where plenty of bomb-planting occasions can occur. With this badge you can apparently access the luggage compartment of a plane without being checked for explosives.
At a time where authorities try to impose ridiculous devices like the body scanner and that waiting lines become so long that trains become a viable option to national flights, it is good to point out that they have so many flaws left.
Clearly, "anti-terrorism" is not handled by competent people who think they will have to stop competent terrorists.
The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
They aught to be using more than one factor of authentication if they expect their system to be secure. Facial recognition (by a human guard) and the card, passcode and the card, or some other factor to prevent a stolen or forged card from being a security risk.
TFS: "but I guess it might be deployed elsewhere anyways"
The 'news' here (Germany) yesterday said that the same system is used at several other German airports.
CC.
TaijiQuan (Huang, 5 loosenings)
White with a streak of yellow reek
A shitty pink
A most unladylike stink
From a fragant lubricated leak.
They aught to be using more than one factor of authentication if they expect their system to be secure.
But they baught that system in 1992 and it uses aughnly one factor authentication.
Facial recognition (by a human guard) a and the card, passcode and the card, or some other factor to prevent a stolen or forged card from being a security risk.
You seem to have forgaughtten to use a verb in that sentence, but that's probably to confuse the terrorists and prevent them from finding out about your clever security measures. What you said seems laughgical to me, beside that part about facial and creampie recognition, but you aught to know that they had a passphrase in place, it was set in 1992 and they still haven't changed it, it's still "Karl-Heinz Rummenigge".
If you want to know the insights http://media.ccc.de/browse/congress/2009/26c3-3709-en-legic_prime_obscurity_in_depth.html
How do I uncompress my MD5 archive?
Takes a lot of arrogance, to decide that some people are so important that they should be entitled to bypass security, and so in order to achieve that, you create a method to bypass security.
The arrogance lies in making the assumption that no terrorist group will ask themselves the question: "How do we bypass their security?" and fail to arrive at the answer: "Why, the same way they do!".
(P.S. I'm a good guy [albeit with the caveat that the term is relative], Carnivore/Altivore/Echelon. The timing of this Der Spiegal article and the fact that I've recently said the same thing as I did above elsewhere is purely coincidental. I happen to work with the stuff, so such conversations pique my curiosity. There's no need to waste gasoline coming to see me.)
Orwell: "In a Time of Universal Deceit, telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act"
The kind that seeks to deter a terrorist rather than the general public?
There was a time when that wouldn't have been possible. Thank God that they finally perfected the Wormhole!
Do you really think an actual terrorist would piss his pants the way some moron who responds with "Just a Bomb" because he is to stupid to figure out that is not a bright thing to say?
Since nobody thinks the terrorist will show up with a gun and try to force his way through security, thereby broadcasting his/her presence to all, how does that help again?
That is great news. Clearly you are not one of those people. Can you point me to someone who is? (BTW - Read the Moderator Guidelines, since you clearly have no idea how to properly moderate on Slashdot.)
Guns don't kill people; Physics kills people! - John Lithgow as Dick Solomon on Third Rock From The Sun
Could I use one of these hacked cards to get access to the naked-scanner room and steal photos of nude passengers?
(Capcha: scabrous. Ew.)
The German people are lucky to have the CCC. And to have a press that are happy to spread the word about the CCC's discoveries.
http://ihatehate.wordpress.com
You have posted today's best comment.
The Swiss vendor selling the system never marketed it (even 1992) for security relevant access control, it's just meant as a comfortable access for entertainment parks or similar customers, where comfort and low price are the selling points, not security.
(so basically, it was never ever meant to be used for airport security)
Security cards SHOULD only be one part of a key and should never be used as a primary means of authentication.
You have your card to initialise the authentication, then you use something else as the second key, like something as simple as a PIN code.
A security card is ALOT simpler to snatch then trying to figure our your PIN code. And together, it's a shit load of work, even for the most experienced intruder.
that's why airport security is useless, it makes life hell for travelers, but is totally incapable of fulfilling its purpose of keeping criminals away.
if someone has the will and resources, infiltrating any public place is peace of cake. short of haxoring the security system, i imagine even climbing the fence will let you circumvent the security check. having a man inside is useful and so on. against someone who really wants to get in, there really isn't much you can do. and lets be honest, has all this security hype really prevented anything?
Unless you have ONLY been to airports in EU member countries please stop referring to Europe as the EU!
The EU is NOT synonymous with Europe, it never has and never will be. It is NOT the "federal" government of Europe!!!
The EU is a group of countries, 27 out of 50, the continent is STILL called Europe.
You managed to write "Der Spiegal" in italics, yet you failed to spell it correctly? Der Spiegel, thank you.