Security Basics: RE: Encrypted or Not Encrypted

["Boaz Shunami" <BoazS () comsecglobal com>]

Hi All,

To put it simply, when you type in the password, it's in the browser client on your machine. When you press the submit 
button, this information is being sent to the secured destination as was defined in the log.

For your browser to connect to the secured destination (before any data is submitted) it has to open SSL tunnel (hence 
handshake and key exchange...) between your computer and that destination.

Only afterwards - the password will be sent.

Best Regards,

Boaz Shunami, QSA
Comsec Consulting 

-----Original Message-----
From: listbounce () securityfocus com [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On Behalf Of Basha, Arif
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 10:23 PM
To: Douglas C. Duckworth; Rob
Cc: Eifrém Strinnholm Jonas; amatachick () gmail com; security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: RE: Encrypted or Not Encrypted

I think Rob is talking about the difference similar to the two following sites:

http://wachovia.com/

and

https://onlineservices.wachovia.com/auth/AuthService?action=presentLogin&url=https%3a//onlineservices.wachovia.com/NASApp/NavApp/Titanium%3faction%3dreturnHome

So if you enter the password on the first URL, is it secured on its way to the second URL, where the SSL handshake is 
initiated from?




-----Original Message-----
From: listbounce () securityfocus com [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On Behalf Of Douglas C. Duckworth
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 12:36 PM
To: Rob
Cc: Eifrém Strinnholm Jonas; <amatachick () gmail com>; <security-basics () securityfocus com>
Subject: Re: Encrypted or Not Encrypted

If you connect with SSL, you perform the handshake first.  Thereafter 
all data is encrypted.  You don't send your password first.  That would 
make no sense since the data is viewable as plain text. 

More information:

http://www.schneier.com/paper-ssl.pdf

Rob wrote:
> So how are the credentials protected in network transit to the secure 
> site?  The way you explain it, I see the creds being exposed on their 
> way to the secure site.
>
> Optimally they should enter their creds after ssl has setup the secure 
> session, not after..
>
> What am I missing?
>
> Rob
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On Sep 12, 2008, at 6:44 AM, Eifrém Strinnholm Jonas 
> <Jonas.Eifrem () sweco se> wrote:
>
> > Encrypted.
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: listbounce () securityfocus com 
> > [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On
> > Behalf Of amatachick () gmail com
> > Sent: den 11 september 2008 20:25
> > To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> > Subject: Encrypted or Not Encrypted
> >
> > I've run into this issue a few times now and would like to know what 
> > y'all
> > think. Here is the situation: A website not using SSL has a login 
> > page. As
> > soon as credentials are entered on this page they are redirected to a 
> > site
> > using SSL. Here is a specific example of the code on one such site:
> >
> > <form name="loginpersonal" method="POST"
> > action="https://secure.sitename.com/engine/login/login.asp"; 
> > onSubmit="return
> > checkLoginForm(this);">
> >
> >   <input type=hidden name=IsPostback value=1>
> >
> >
> >
> > Now, from what I understand, the login credentials would still be
> > unencrypted while traveling to the secure site. So that would negate the
> > effect of having it redirect to a secure site in the first place. 
> > Right? I
> > keep brining up this fact but all I get back is that it's being 
> > redirected
> > so it's secure. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here so I'd 
> > appreciate
> > some feedback. Am I wrong? If I am I can handle that, I'd just like 
> > to know.
> > Thanks!
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