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Trusted paths for browsers

Published: 01 May 2005 Publication History

Abstract

Computer security protocols usually terminate in a computer; however, the human-based services which they support usually terminate in a human. The gap between the human and the computer creates potential for security problems. We examine this gap, as it is manifested in secure Web servers. Felten et al. demonstrated the potential, in 1996, for malicious servers to impersonate honest servers. In this paper, we show how malicious servers can still do this---and can also forge the existence of an SSL session and the contents of the alleged server certificate. We then consider how to systematically defend against Web spoofing, by creating a trusted path from the browser to the human user. We present potential designs, propose a new one, prototype it in open-source Mozilla, and demonstrate its effectiveness via user studies.

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  • (2019)EntrustProceedings of the 28th USENIX Conference on Security Symposium10.5555/3361338.3361378(567-584)Online publication date: 14-Aug-2019
  • (2018)Invalid certificates in modern browsersJournal of Computer Security10.3233/JCS-1689126:4(509-541)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2018
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Published In

cover image ACM Transactions on Information and System Security
ACM Transactions on Information and System Security  Volume 8, Issue 2
May 2005
106 pages
ISSN:1094-9224
EISSN:1557-7406
DOI:10.1145/1065545
Issue’s Table of Contents

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

Publication History

Published: 01 May 2005
Published in TISSEC Volume 8, Issue 2

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Author Tags

  1. HCISEC
  2. Trust path
  3. Web browser security

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  • (2023)TrustGlass: Human-Computer Trusted Paths with Augmented Reality Smart Glasses2023 IEEE 22nd International Conference on Trust, Security and Privacy in Computing and Communications (TrustCom)10.1109/TrustCom60117.2023.00106(712-721)Online publication date: 1-Nov-2023
  • (2019)EntrustProceedings of the 28th USENIX Conference on Security Symposium10.5555/3361338.3361378(567-584)Online publication date: 14-Aug-2019
  • (2018)Invalid certificates in modern browsersJournal of Computer Security10.3233/JCS-1689126:4(509-541)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2018
  • (2018)Cracking ShadowCrypt: Exploring the Limitations of Secure I/O Systems in Internet BrowsersProceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies10.1515/popets-2018-00122018:2(47-63)Online publication date: 20-Feb-2018
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