ie8 fix

Microsoft CardSpace killed before it really began?

By | May 31, 2008, 6:31am PDT

Summary: According to Neowin, computing students at the University of Bochum, Germany, have worked out how to retrieve vital security tokens from Microsoft’s CardSpace framework. CardSpace is highly tipped to be the successor to Windows Live ID (Passport) and making passwords a relic of the Cold War, using self-signed or certificate authority signed digital certificates stored [...]

According to Neowin, computing students at the University of Bochum, Germany, have worked out how to retrieve vital security tokens from Microsoft’s CardSpace framework. CardSpace is highly tipped to be the successor to Windows Live ID (Passport) and making passwords a relic of the Cold War, using self-signed or certificate authority signed digital certificates stored on the local machine as proof of who you are.

The cardspace.pngreport states by many means of manipulating the DNS service, including anti-DNS pinning or DNS spoofing, these are all ways of taking the security tokens from a CardSpace file.

Heise Online which reported this story, almost encourage you to try this out. Considering this major security flaw has been brought to light instead of being exploited, it’s fair to say they’re not interested in stealing your money. It’s recommended you alter your own DNS settings to protect yourself anyway, but feel free to give it a go.

Heise report:

“Microsoft has apparently already been informed of the problem and is working on a solution. In their report, the students propose improving Same Origin Policy as a security function for browsers.”

Good to know really; considering this “ultra-secure” technology will one day be taking over hundreds of millions of accounts, I speak for a lot of people when I say I’d really rather I keep my password if it’ll keep my details that bit more secure.

Update: British students have done it again, blowing another hole in one of Microsoft’s attempt at security; this time they’ve managed to fool the CAPTCHA application applied to many of the Live services like Hotmail and Live ID. Dancho Danchev covers the story in the Zero Day blog.

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily e-mail newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Topics

Zack Whittaker, a criminologist who studied at the University of Kent, Canterbury, is a journalist, writer and broadcaster.

Disclosure

Zack Whittaker

I worked briefly with Microsoft UK in 2006 but no longer have any connection with the company. Regardless, I remain impartial and unbiased in my views.

I don't hold any stock or shares, investments or industrial secrets in any company, but have signed confidentiality agreements with a number of UK and U.S. organisations, whose names I am not at liberty to disclose.

I was involved with Kent Union, the University of Kent's student union, undertaking voluntary, non-salaried, elected positions between early 2009 and mid-2010.

No other company, body, government department, non-governmental organisation or third sector organisation employs me or pays me a salary in any capacity whatsoever.

As a freelance journalist, whenever expenses are given and taken by a company that is not CBS Interactive, these will be disclosed in each relevant post to ensure transparency.

I currently work with a UK law enforcement unit, but this is an entirely separate position which bears no connection to other work.

(Updated: 23rd October 2011)

Biography

Zack Whittaker

Zack Whittaker, criminologist who studied at the University of Kent, UK, is a journalist, writer and broadcaster.

After studying criminology at university, though still in his early-20's, he has already had a series unconventional work and voluntary positions. He has worked with researchers studying neurological illnesses like Tourette's syndrome (which he suffers from), has given lectures on the nature of disabilities in the public community, and occasionally ends up speaking on television and radio discussing the events of the day.

He first had academic work published at the age of 22, then still an undergraduate, and has been cited by a wide range of publications: from the Huffington Post, Business Insider, AllThingsDigital, The Atlantic Wire and CBS News.

The discussion hasn’t started yet. Why don’t you begin it?

Formatting +
BB Codes - Note: HTML is not supported in forums
  • [b] Bold [/b]
  • [i] Italic [/i]
  • [u] Underline [/u]
  • [s] Strikethrough [/s]
  • [q] "Quote" [/q]
  • [ol][*] 1. Ordered List [/ol]
  • [ul][*] · Unordered List [/ul]
  • [pre] Preformat [/pre]
  • [quote] "Blockquote" [/quote]
ie8 fix

The best of ZDNet, delivered

ZDNet Newsletters

Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox

Facebook Activity

White Papers, Webcasts, & Resources
ie8 fix