Malicious Cryptography: Exposing Cryptovirology

Introduction

This book is a compendium of malicious software and hardware attacks geared towards subverting computer systems. The attacks are not of the sort that exploit software bugs, design flaws, and so forth. The business of bypassing security measures is outside the scope of this work. Rather, we present a series of cryptographic methods for defiling computer systems once internal access is acquired.

Some of the attacks are more technical than others, involving recent advances in the field of cryptology. As a result this book is likely to be received in a variety of different ways. To hackers it may serve as a vade mecum. To security professionals it may serve as a long overdue warning. To science fiction buffs it may serve as a good read, and to intelligence agencies it may serve as a challenge to our First Amendment rights.

Chapter 1 is a motivational chapter that portrays the world through the eyes of a hacker. It reveals the very fabric of a hacker's existence and due to its illicit nature we mention the standard disclaimer that reads, “do not try this at home.” To perform any of the acts described therein is to risk violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986, among others. Hackers face scientific problems when trying to infiltrate computer systems. It was by experiencing these problems first hand that many of these attacks were discovered.

A great number of people share a close kinship with our digital brethren and to hackers it is no different. But whereas to ...