key-signing and stolen subkeys

[Atom 'Smasher']

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On Sun, 23 May 2004, David Shaw wrote:
> On Sun, May 23, 2004 at 01:19:33AM -0400, Atom 'Smasher' wrote:

> > with the recent discussion about attacks against keys and irresponsible
> > signing protocols, i'd like to enter this observation...
> >
> > make sure that the signed secret can't be "recycled" and used in an attack
> > by including a note in the signed material:
> >
> > 	----begin signed stuff----
> > 	this secret - "2Oj8otwPiW"
> > 	is being used by alice (0x123) and mallory (0x456)
> > 	to verify each others encryption and signing keys
> > 	may 2004
> > 	----end signed stuff----
> >
> > if step 2 isn't observed... mallory offers to exchange key signatures with
> > alice. mallory offers alice a string, and asks her to prove her possession
> > of the secret signing key by signing that string. alice signs the string,
> > without including any comments about what that string signifies, and sends
> > that signed string back to mallory. mallory can now use that signed string
> > to "prove" his possession of the signing key, by offering the same secret
> > to multiple people.
>
> Not if the person is issuing the challenge properly.  Challenges must
> be random.  When someone challenges Mallory to prove he can issue
> signatures from Alices key, the challenge string will not match the
> challenge that Alice signed.
==================================

mallory has to use the same challenge and present it _as_if_ it is unique
for each person he's exchanging key signatures with. if the string appears
random (as above), many people will _assume_ that it's unique.


 	...atom

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Comment: What is this gibberish?  -  http://atom.smasher.org/links/#digital_signatures

iEYEARECAAYFAkCwxNsACgkQnCgLvz19QeP9eQCfTC8Sc9VE2H2KYgO9DXceA4Hq
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=ClR8
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