[ale] FBI Added Secret Backdoors to OpenBSD IPSEC

Wed Dec 15 21:49:11 EST 2010

Oh,

Pop some popcorn.  This is getting more and more entertaining.

On Wed, 2010-12-15 at 17:19 -0500, Michael H. Warfield wrote: 
> On Wed, 2010-12-15 at 11:50 -0500, Jerald Sheets wrote:
> > It would appear that the plot thickens:
> > 
> > http://bsd.slashdot.org/story/10/12/15/1524202/BSD-Coder-Denies-Adding-FBI-Backdoor

> Some more info here:

> http://marc.info/?l=openbsd-tech&m=129237675106730&w=2

> They pretty much make it clear that why they feel it could not be in the
> crypto code and the reasons why.  Having participated peripherally in
> the FreeS/WAN development back then and having the same problems hanging
> over my head (no code contributions, not no way, not no how) I can
> concur with this assessment.

> And more here from Rob McMillan:

> http://blogs.csoonline.com/1296/an_fbi_backdoor_in_openbsd

Jason Wright, who is explicitly called out by name in the original
E-Mail to Theo has chimed in and he sounds pissed.  Not just pissed at
Greg but annoyed at Theo as well for not giving him a heads up.  He's
emphatically denying everything and claiming Greg didn't even work at
NETSEC during the time frame in question.  That should be verifiable.

http://marc.info/?l=openbsd-tech&m=129244045916861&w=2

He's saying Greg left NETSEC in January of 2000 and work on OCF didn't
even begin until February of 2000 and has pointed people at his work and
invited an audit.

Now there's a bounty out for proof (albeit not a large bounty, but
still).

http://maycontaintracesofbolts.blogspot.com/2010/12/openbsd-ipsec-backdoor-allegations.html

A few restrictions that some are questioning and others calling relevant
but still...  Getting very interesting. Piss'n contests on all sides.

Regards,
Mike

> I know from personal experience those guys up in Canada would have never
> knowingly accepted any crypto code from US developers back then, period.
> It would have tainted their code and subject them to US ITAR export
> restrictions thanks to a US Canadian treaty to that effect.  It was why
> they based those projects in Canada, to avoid US contamination and US
> restrictions.
> 
> The followup information from this dude would seem to dance around that
> and claim that it's some sort of side-channel thing in the network code
> or framework itself.  I don't buy the comments about the side channel
> stuff in the OCF since that's exactly the sort of code they could not
> import safely.  He was also working on DES/3DES cracking and I seriously
> doubt anyone, now days, is using either of those.  Simple DES is not
> even supported in Openswan or StrongSWAN.  The key generation and
> schedulers in AES is very different that DES.
> 
> He also implies that this was related to some sort of fixed key VPN
> setup that was supposedly backdoored that was developed for the
> Executive Office for United States Attorneys.  It's not clear if this is
> the "backdoor" he is referring to or not or if they ever successfully
> backdoored any IPsec code.  There seems to be a glaring non-sequitar in
> there.
> 
> Also note that none of the Linux crypto code is based on the BSD code
> with the possible exception of the Racoon code (ipsec-tools in Fedora or
> racoon in Ubuntu) which is a port of the code in the KAME project can
> could be derived from some of that code.
> 
> From his description too, I would say that what ever may or may not have
> ever been there, it could well have not survived numerous bug fixes (it
> would need to look like a simple coding error) or be applicable in
> dynamically key environments such as modern day IPsec/IKE environments.
> 
> I'm sure Theo has people going over that code with a nit comb but I
> would say hold the conspiracy theories until we hear more from Theo.
> He's NOT one to mince words or waste time, as this joker just found out.
> 
> I may be surprised and they may turn up something but, so far, it's all
> noise and no light.
> 
> Mike
> 
> > --jms
> > 
> > 
> > On Dec 15, 2010, at 11:40 AM, Jim Kinney wrote:
> > 
> > > I aim to please. You aim too, please!
> > > 
> > > On Wed, Dec 15, 2010 at 10:47 AM, Scott Castaline
> > <skotchman at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > On 12/15/2010 09:34 AM, Watson, Keith wrote:
> > > > Sorry for the double post. Apparently I haven't had enough
> > caffeine yet.
> > > >
> > > > keith
> > > >
> > > That's ok cup #6 for me wound up all over kybd, monitor after
> > reading
> > > Jim Kinney's reply to the "test" thread.
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Ale mailing list
> > > Ale at ale.org
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> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > -- 
> > > -- 
> > > James P. Kinney III
> > > I would rather stumble along in freedom than walk effortlessly in
> > chains.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > _______________________________________________
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> > 
> > #!/jerald
> > Linux User #183003
> > Ubuntu User #32648
> > Public GPG Key:  http://questy.org/js.asc
> > 
> > -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK-----
> > Version: 3.1
> > GIT/MU d-@ s++(++)>+++:> a+ C++++(+++)$>++ UBLAVHSC++(on)$>++++ P
> > ++(+++)$>++++ L++(++++)$>+++ !E---(---)>--- W+(++)$>+++ N(+)$>++ !o !
> > K-- w(--)>--- O()@> M++(++)$>++ V()>- PS+++()@>-- PE(++)@>+ Y+(+)@>+
> > PGP++(++)$>+++ t+(++)@>+++ 5(+)@>+ X+(++)@>+++ R+(+)@>++ tv-(+)$>++ b
> > +++(++)$>++ DI++++(++)>+++ D++(++)@>++ G++(++)@>++ e++(++)$>++ h(-)$>-
> > r+++(+++)@>+++ y+(+++)>++++@ 
> > ------END GEEK CODE BLOCK------
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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-- 
Michael H. Warfield (AI4NB) | (770) 985-6132 |  mhw at WittsEnd.com
   /\/\|=mhw=|\/\/          | (678) 463-0932 |  http://www.wittsend.com/mhw/
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