From 95259e28ef047923258434898113d70c8e544eab Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Francis Rowe Date: Fri, 06 Nov 2015 17:43:29 -0500 Subject: convert documentation to texinfo --- (limited to 'docs/security/x60_security.html') diff --git a/docs/security/x60_security.html b/docs/security/x60_security.html deleted file mode 100644 index 456be72..0000000 --- a/docs/security/x60_security.html +++ /dev/null @@ -1,344 +0,0 @@ - - - - - - - - - Libreboot documentation: Security on the ThinkPad X60 - - - - -
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Security on the ThinkPad X60

-

Hardware modifications to enhance security on the ThinkPad X60. This tutorial is incomplete at the time of writing.

-

Back to previous index

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Table of Contents

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- -
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Hardware requirements

- - -

Software requirements

- - -
- -
- -

- Rationale -

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- Most people think of security on the software side: the hardware is important aswell. -

-

- This tutorial deals with reducing the number of devices that have direct memory access that - could communicate with inputs/outputs that could be used to remotely - command the system (or leak data). All of this is purely theoretical for the time being. -

- -

Disassembly

- -

- Firstly remove the bluetooth (if your X60 has this):
- The marked screws are underneath those stickers (marked in those 3 locations at the bottom of the LCD assembly):
-
- Now gently pry off the bottom part of the front bezel, and the bluetooth module is on the left (easily removable):
-
-

- -

- If your model was WWAN, remove the simcard (check anyway):
- Uncover those 2 screws at the bottom:
-
- SIM card (not present in the picture) is in the marked location:
-
- Replacement: USB dongle. -

- -

- Now get into the motherboard. -

- -

- Remove those screws:
- -

-

- Push the keyboard forward (carefully):
- -

-

- Lift the keyboard up and disconnect it from the board:
- -

-

- Grab the right-hand side of the chassis and force it off (gently) and pry up the rest of the chassis:
- -

-

- You should now have this:
- -

- -

- The following is a summary of what you will remove (already done to this system):
-
- Note: the blue lines represent antenna cables and modem cables. You don't need to remove these, but you can if you want - (to make it tidier after removing other parts). I removed the antenna wires, the modem jack, the modem cable and - also (on another model) a device inside the part where the wwan antenna goes (wasn't sure what it was, but I knew it wasn't needed). This is optional -

- -

- Remove the microphone (can desolder it, but you can also easily pull it off with you hands). Already removed here:
-
- Rationale:
- Another reason to remove the microphone: If your computer gets[1] compromised, it can - record what you say, and use it to receive data from nearby devices if - they're compromised too. Also, we do not know what the built-in microcode (in the CPU) is doing; it could theoretically - be programmed to accept remote commands from some speaker somewhere (remote security hole). In other words, - the system could already be compromised from the factory. -

- -

- Remove the modem:
-
- (useless, obsolete device) -

- -

- Remove the speaker:
-
- Reason: combined with the microphone issue, this could be used to leak data.
- If your computer gets[1] compromised, it can be used to - transmit data to nearby compromised devices. It's unknown if it can be - turned into a microphone[2].
- Replacement: headphones/speakers (line-out) or external DAC (USB). -

- -

- Remove the wlan (also remove wwan if you have it):
-
- Reason: has direct (and very fast) memory access, and could (theoretically) leak data over a side-channel.
- Wifi: The ath5k/ath9k cards might not have firmware at all. They might safe but could have - access to the computer's RAM trough DMA. If people have an intel - card(most X60s come with Intel wifi by default, until you change it),then that card runs - a non-free firwamre and has access to the computer's RAM trough DMA! So - the risk-level is very high.
- Wwan (3g modem): They run proprietary software! It's like AMT but over the GSM network which is - probably even worse.
- Replacement: external USB wifi dongle. (or USB wwan/3g dongle; note, this has all the same privacy issues as mobile phones. wwan not recommended). -

- -

- Not covered yet: -

- -

- Go to http://media.ccc.de/browse/congress/2013/30C3_-_5529_-_en_-_saal_2_-_201312271830_-_hardening_hardware_and_choosing_a_goodbios_-_peter_stuge.html - or directly to the video: http://mirror.netcologne.de/CCC/congress/2013/webm/30c3-5529-en-Hardening_hardware_and_choosing_a_goodBIOS_webm.webm. -

-

- A lot of this tutorial is based on that video. Look towards the second half of the video to see how to do the above. -

- -

- Also not covered yet: -

- - -
- -
-

- Extra notes -

-

- EC: Cannot be removed but can be mitigated: it contains non-free - non-loadable code, but it has no access to the computer's RAM. - It has access to the on-switch of the wifi, bluetooth, modem and some - other power management features. The issue is that it has access to the - keyboard, however if the software security howto (not yet written) is followed correctly, - it won't be able to leak data to a local attacker. It has no network - access but it may still be able to leak data remotely, but that - requires someone to be nearby to recover the data with the help of an - SDR and some directional antennas[3]. -

-

- Intel 82573 Ethernet controller - on the X60 seems safe, according to Denis. -

- -
-

- Risk level -

-
    -
  • Modem (3g/wwan): highest
    • -
  • Intel wifi: Near highest
    • -
  • Atheros PCI wifi: unknown, but lower than intel wifi.
    • -
  • Microphone: only problematic if the computer gets compromised.
    • -
  • Speakers: only problematic if the computer gets compromised.
    • -
  • EC: can be mitigated if following the guide on software security.
    • -
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- -
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- Further reading material (software security) -

- -
- -
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- References -

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[1] physical access

-

- Explain that black hats, TAO, and so on might use a 0day to get in, - and explain that in this case it mitigates what the attacker can do. - Also the TAO do some evaluation before launching an attack: they take - the probability of beeing caught into account, along with the kind of - target. A 0day costs a lot of money, I heard that it was from 100000$ - to 400000$, some other websites had prices 10 times lower but that - but it was probably a typo. So if people increase their security it - makes it more risky and more costly to attack people. -

-
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[2] microphone

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- It's possible to turn headphones into a microphone, you could try - yourself, however they don't record loud at all. Also intel cards have - the capability to change a connector's function, for instance the - microphone jack can now become a headphone plug, that's called - retasking. There is some support for it in GNU/Linux but it's not very - well known. -

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[3] Video (CCC)

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- 30c3-5356-en-Firmware_Fat_Camp_webm.webm from the 30th CCC. While - their demo is experimental(their hardware also got damaged during the - transport), the spies probably already have that since a long time. - http://berlin.ftp.media.ccc.de/congress/2013/webm/30c3-5356-en-Firmware_Fat_Camp_webm.webm -

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- Copyright © 2014, 2015 Francis Rowe <info@gluglug.org.uk>
- Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document - under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 - or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; - with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts. - A copy of the license can be found at ../gfdl-1.3.txt -

- -

- Updated versions of the license (when available) can be found at - https://www.gnu.org/licenses/licenses.html -

- -

- UNLESS OTHERWISE SEPARATELY UNDERTAKEN BY THE LICENSOR, TO THE - EXTENT POSSIBLE, THE LICENSOR OFFERS THE LICENSED MATERIAL AS-IS - AND AS-AVAILABLE, AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF - ANY KIND CONCERNING THE LICENSED MATERIAL, WHETHER EXPRESS, - IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHER. THIS INCLUDES, WITHOUT LIMITATION, - WARRANTIES OF TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR - PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, ABSENCE OF LATENT OR OTHER DEFECTS, - ACCURACY, OR THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF ERRORS, WHETHER OR NOT - KNOWN OR DISCOVERABLE. WHERE DISCLAIMERS OF WARRANTIES ARE NOT - ALLOWED IN FULL OR IN PART, THIS DISCLAIMER MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. -

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- TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE, IN NO EVENT WILL THE LICENSOR BE LIABLE - TO YOU ON ANY LEGAL THEORY (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, - NEGLIGENCE) OR OTHERWISE FOR ANY DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, - INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, EXEMPLARY, OR OTHER LOSSES, - COSTS, EXPENSES, OR DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THIS PUBLIC LICENSE OR - USE OF THE LICENSED MATERIAL, EVEN IF THE LICENSOR HAS BEEN - ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH LOSSES, COSTS, EXPENSES, OR - DAMAGES. WHERE A LIMITATION OF LIABILITY IS NOT ALLOWED IN FULL OR - IN PART, THIS LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. -

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- The disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability provided - above shall be interpreted in a manner that, to the extent - possible, most closely approximates an absolute disclaimer and - waiver of all liability. -

- -
- - - -- cgit v0.9.1