Root Causes: A PKI and Security Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Root Causes 87: Zoom's (Not) End-to-End Encryption Apr 30, 2020

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With lockdowns and working from home the norm, a great deal of attention has been paid to video conferencing technology. In particular, Zoom has claimed to offer end-to-end encryption while in fact it does not, making headlines across media of all sorts. In this episode our hosts explain what end-to-end encryption is and why the distinction is important for a service like Zoom.

Root Causes 86: SSH Keys Apr 27, 2020

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SSH keys are essential for controlling access to production infrastructure. Our hosts are joined by repeat guest David Colon to discuss how SSH keys are used in contemporary computing environments, what risks they carry with them, and tips for IT professionals to use SSH keys easily and securely.

Root Causes 85: Automotive Key Fobs and Cryptography Apr 23, 2020

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Recent headlines have unveiled high profile attacks against automobile key fobs. Such an attack is potentially huge since successfully mimicking these fobs can yield complete access to an automobile's capabilities. Our hosts are joined by repeat guest Alan Grau as they describe the cryptographic architecture of a modern automotive key fob, how these attacks take place, and what automobile manufacturers can do about it.

Root Causes 84: What Is DNS over HTTPS? Apr 20, 2020

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DNS over HTTPS is a capability whereby DNS lookups can be encrypted to defend against certain man-in-the-middle attacks as well as protecting information about web usage from being revealed to third parties. In this episode our hosts explain DNS over HTTPS, it potential uses, and how it works. They also explain some of the controversy and potential concerns that have been raised with this approach.

Root Causes 83: Quantum Apocalypse - Does COVID-19 Change the Z Date Apr 16, 2020

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Lock downs and work-from-home requirements have disrupted the efficiency of operations in all walks of industry, including academics and advanced computing research. In this episode our hosts debate if and how the pandemic's disruptive nature might change the date on which quantum computers are able to defeat today's encryption.

Root Causes 82: The Death of the Hard Token Apr 13, 2020

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People are working from home in unprecedented numbers, which means that companies need to find ways for them to connect securely. Some will consider hard tokens as an option. In this episode our hosts give a frank assessment of the difficulty that hard tokens present for the modern remote workforce, along with some of the other available options that are likely to serve the enterprise better.

Root Causes 81: What Is Embedded Firewall? Apr 06, 2020

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Security for IoT devices depends not only on establishing strong identity mechanisms for devices and the services they connect to but also in ensuring the ongoing integrity of device operations. In this episode our hosts are joined by guest Alan Grau to explain what an embedded firewall is and how it aids security for connected devices.

Root Causes 80: The Pros and Cons of VPNs Apr 02, 2020

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With the sudden, meteoric increase in remote workers, many IT professionals are looking at VPN as a method of keeping them secure. Join our hosts as they discuss the advantages and disadvantages of VPNs, and what to look out for.

Root Causes 79: Firefox Reinstates Support for Deprecated TLS Versions Mar 30, 2020

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To enable broadest possible access to valuable information about the COVID-19 epidemic, Firefox has chosen to reinstate support for web sites using TLS 1.0 and 1.1. Join us to learn about this move, why Firefox has made it, and what that says about the state of web site security today.

Root Causes 78: Extended Validation Certificates and the Dark Web Mar 26, 2020

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New research presented at RSA Security Expo indicates that at least one party is using online criminal marketplaces to sell a package of a newly-created business and at least one Extended Validation SSL certificate to go with it. Join our hosts as they explain what the research says and talk about the potential criminal use cases for a bundle like this one.

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