Comments on: Malicious Cryptography http://blog.didierstevens.com/2006/09/11/malicious-cryptography/ (blog 'DidierStevens) Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:23:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Didier Stevens http://blog.didierstevens.com/2006/09/11/malicious-cryptography/#comment-96 Wed, 13 Sep 2006 16:31:45 +0000 http://didierstevens.wordpress.com/2006/09/11/malicious-cryptography/#comment-96 No, an anti-virus in not enough to protect most users.

The most important security measure is to reduce the attack surface, and the NAT-router has helped a lot.
Broadband started with modems, but now NAT-routers are more popular, and it’s my opinion that WiFi has contributed a lot to the ubiquity of NAT-routers.

Other ways to reduce the attach surface:
- educate the user, make her aware of all the “bad” stuff out there and promote a defensive atitude (e.g. don’t trust attachments, …)
- if you use Windows: patch!
- use a non admin account
- …

An AV is a safety net, in case another security measure fails or if the users makes a mistake.

I liked the ransom-ware and cryptocounters in Malicious Cryptography.

]]> By: Steve http://blog.didierstevens.com/2006/09/11/malicious-cryptography/#comment-95 Tue, 12 Sep 2006 21:12:54 +0000 http://didierstevens.wordpress.com/2006/09/11/malicious-cryptography/#comment-95 Bravo Didier,

Great post. Do you feel a free offering like AVG-Free is enough to protect most users? I am currently testing clamwin for general use. So far it seems to be working well, no active monitoring though, scan only.

Also, if you recommend Malicious Cryptography, I may have to pick it up. It seems to score high marks at Amazon.com. I love reading about anything related to crypto … The Code Book is a fun historical view of the subject (and Cryptanalysis).

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