summaryrefslogtreecommitdiff
path: root/docs/security/x60_security.html
blob: 69a8e4efccd1dcbf2c44be41c532f632701b607c (plain)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
	<meta charset="utf-8">
	<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

	<style type="text/css">
		@import url('../css/main.css');
	</style>

	<title>Libreboot documentation: Security on the ThinkPad X60</title>
</head>

<body>

	<header>
		<h1>Security on the ThinkPad X60</h1>
		<aside>Hardware modifications to enhance security on the ThinkPad X60. This tutorial is <b>incomplete</b> at the time of writing.</aside>
	</header>

	<p>Or go <a href="index.html">back to main index</a></p>

	<h2>Table of Contents</h2>
		<ul>
			<li><a href="#hardware_requirements">Hardware Requirements</a></li>
			<li><a href="#software_requirements">Software Requirements</a></li>
			<li><a href="#procedure">The procedure</a></li>
		</ul>

	<h1 id="hardware_requirements">Hardware requirements</h1>
		<ul>
			<li>An X60</li>
			<li>screwdriver</li>
			<li>(in a later version of this tutorial: soldering iron and scalpel)</li>
		</ul>

	<h1 id="software_requirements">Software requirements</h1>
		<ul>
			<li>none (at least in the scope of the article as-is)</li>
			<li>You probably want to encrypt your GNU/Linux install using LUKS</li>
		</ul>

	<h1>
		Rationale
	</h1>
		<p>
			Most people think of security on the software side: the hardware is important aswell.
 work.
		</p>
		<p>
			This tutorial deals with reducing the number of devices that have direct memory access that
			could communicate with inputs/outputs that could be used to remotely
			command the machine (or leak data). All of this is purely theoretical for the time being.
		</p>

	<h1 id="procedure">Disassembly</h1>

		<p>
			Firstly remove the bluetooth (if your X60 has this):<br/>
			The marked screws are underneath those stickers (marked in those 3 locations at the bottom of the LCD assembly):<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0000_bluetooth0.jpg" alt="" /><br/>
			Now gently pry off the bottom part of the front bezel, and the bluetooth module is on the left (easily removable):<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0000_bluetooth.jpg" alt="" /><br/>
		</p>

		<p>
			If your model was WWAN, remove the simcard (check anyway):<br/>
			Uncover those 2 screws at the bottom:<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0000_simcard0.jpg" alt="" /><br/>
			SIM card (not present in the picture) is in the marked location:<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0000_simcard1.jpg" alt="" /><br/>
			Replacement: USB dongle.
		</p>

		<p>
			Now get into the motherboard.
		</p>

		<p>
			Remove those screws:<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0000.jpg" alt="" />
		</p>
		<p>
			Push the keyboard forward (carefully):<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0001.jpg" alt="" />
		</p>
		<p>
			Lift the keyboard up and disconnect it from the board:<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0002.jpg" alt="" />
		</p>
		<p>
			Grab the right-hand side of the chassis and force it off (gently) and pry up the rest of the chassis:<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0003.jpg" alt="" />
		</p>
		<p>
			You should now have this:<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0004.jpg" alt="" />
		</p>

		<p>
			The following is a summary of what you will remove (already done to this machine):<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0001_overview.jpg" alt="" /><br/>
			Note: the blue lines represent antenna cables and modem cables. You don't need to remove these, but you can if you want
			(to make it tidier after removing other parts). I removed the antenna wires, the modem jack, the modem cable and
			also (on another model) a device inside the part where the wwan antenna goes (wasn't sure what it was, but I knew it wasn't needed). <b>This is optional</b>
		</p>

		<p>
			Remove the microphone (can desolder it, but you can also easily pull it off with you hands). Already removed here:<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0001_microphone.jpg" alt="" /><br/>
			<b>Rationale:</b><br/>
			Another reason to remove the microphone: If your computer gets<a href="#ref1">[1]</a> compromised, it can
			record what you say, and use it to receive data from nearby devices if
			they're compromised too. Also, we do not know what the built-in microcode (in the CPU) is doing; it could theoretically
			be programmed to accept remote commands from some speaker somewhere (remote security hole). <b>In other words,
			the machine could already be compromised from the factory.</b>
		</p>

		<p>
			Remove the modem:<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0001_modem.jpg" alt="" /><br/>
			(useless, obsolete device)
		</p>

		<p>
			Remove the speaker:<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0001_speaker.jpg" alt="" /><br/>
			Reason: combined with the microphone issue, this could be used to leak data.<br/>
			If your computer gets<a href="#ref1">[1]</a> compromised, it can be used to
			transmit data to nearby compromised devices. It's unknown if it can be
			turned into a microphone<a href="#ref2">[2]</a>.<br/>
			Replacement: headphones/speakers (line-out) or external DAC (USB).
		</p>

		<p>
			Remove the wlan (also remove wwan if you have it):<br/>
			<img src="../images/x60_security/0001_wlan_wwan.jpg" alt="" /><br/>
			Reason: has direct (and very fast) memory access, and could (theoretically) leak data over a side-channel.<br/>
			<b>Wifi:</b> The ath5k/ath9k cards might not have firmware at all. They might safe but could have
			access to the computer's RAM trough DMA. If people have an intel
			card(most X60's come with Intel wifi by default, until you change it),then that card runs
			a non-free firwamre and has access to the computer's RAM trough DMA! So
			it's risk-level is very high.<br/>
			<b>Wwan (3d modem):</b> They run proprietary software and have access to the
			computer's RAM! So it's like AMT but over the GSM network which is
			probably even worse.<br/>
			Replacement: external USB wifi dongle. (or USB wwan/3g dongle; note, this has all the same privacy issues as mobile phones. wwan not recommended).
		</p>	

		<h2>
			Not covered yet:
		</h2>	
			<ul>
				<li>Disable cardbus (has fast/direct memory access)</li>
				<li>Disable firewire (has fast/direct memory access)</li>
				<li>Disable flashing the ethernet firmware</li>
				<li>Disable SPI flash writes (can be re-enabled by unsoldering two parts)</li>
				<li>Disable use of xrandr/edid on external monitor (cut 2 pins on VGA)</li>
				<li>Disable docking station (might be possible to do it in software, in coreboot upstream as a Kconfig option)</li>
			</ul>
			<p>
				Go to <a href="http://media.ccc.de/browse/congress/2013/30C3_-_5529_-_en_-_saal_2_-_201312271830_-_hardening_hardware_and_choosing_a_goodbios_-_peter_stuge.html">http://media.ccc.de/browse/congress/2013/30C3_-_5529_-_en_-_saal_2_-_201312271830_-_hardening_hardware_and_choosing_a_goodbios_-_peter_stuge.html</a>
				or directly to the video: <a href="http://mirror.netcologne.de/CCC/congress/2013/webm/30c3-5529-en-Hardening_hardware_and_choosing_a_goodBIOS_webm.webm">http://mirror.netcologne.de/CCC/congress/2013/webm/30c3-5529-en-Hardening_hardware_and_choosing_a_goodBIOS_webm.webm</a>.
			</p>
			<p>
				A lot of this tutorial is based on that video. Look towards the second half of the video to see how to do the above.
			</p>

		<h2>
			Also not covered yet:
		</h2>
			<ul>
				<li>
					Intrusion detection: randomized seal on screws<br/>
					Just put nail polish with lot of glider on the important screws, take
					some good pictures. Keep the pictueres and make sure of their integrity.
					Compare the nail polish with the pictures before powering on the laptop.
				</li>
				<li>
					Tips about preventing/mitigating risk of cold boot attack.
					<ul>
						<li>soldered RAM?</li>
						<li>seal RAM door shut (possibly modified lower chassis) so that system has to be disassembled (which has to go through the nail polish)</li>
						<li>wipe all RAM at boot/power-off/power-on? (patch in coreboot upstream?)</li>
						<li>ask gnutoo about fallback patches (counts number of boots)</li>
					</ul>
				</li>
				<li>
					General tips/advice and web links showing how to detect physical intrusions.
				</li>
				<li>
					For example: <a href="http://cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/acoustic/">http://cs.tau.ac.il/~tromer/acoustic/</a>
					or <a href="http://cyber.bgu.ac.il/content/how-leak-sensitive-data-isolated-computer-air-gap-near-mobile-phone-airhopper">http://cyber.bgu.ac.il/content/how-leak-sensitive-data-isolated-computer-air-gap-near-mobile-phone-airhopper</a>.
				</li>
				<li>
					<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_%28codename%29">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_%28codename%29</a>
				</li>
				<li>
					https://gitorious.org/gnutoo-for-coreboot/grub-assemble/source/a61f636797777a742f65f4c9c58032aa6a9b23c3:
				</li>
			</ul>

	<h1>
		Extra notes
	</h1>
		<p>
			EC: Cannot be removed but can be mitigated: it contains non-free
			non-loadable code, but it has no access to the computer's RAM.
			It has access to the on-switch of the wifi, bluetooth, modem and some
			other power management features. The issue is that it has access to the
			keyboard, however if the software security howto <b>(not yet written)</b> is followed correctly,
			it won't be able to leak data to a local attacker. It has no network
			access but it may still be able to leak data remotely, but that
			requires someone to be nearby to recover the data with the help of an
			SDR and some directional antennas<a href="#ref3">[3]</a>.
		</p>
		<p>
			<a href="http://www.coreboot.org/Intel_82573_Ethernet_controller">Intel 82573 Ethernet controller</a>
			on the X60 seems safe, according to Denis. 
		</p>

		<h2>
			Risk level
		</h2>
			<ul>
				<li>Modem (3g/wwan): highest</li>
				<li>Intel wifi: Near highest</li>
				<li>Atheros PCI wifi: unknown, but lower than intel wifi.</li>
				<li>Microphone: only problematic if the computer gets compromised.</li>
				<li>Speakers: only problematic if the computer gets compromised.</li>
				<li>EC: can be mitigated if following the guide on software security.</li>
			</ul>

	<h1>
		Further reading material (software security)
	</h1>
		<ul>
			<li><a href="../gnulinux/encrypted_trisquel.html">Installing Trisquel GNU/Linux with full disk encryption (including /boot)</a></li>
			<li><a href="../gnulinux/encrypted_parabola.html">Installing Parabola GNU/Linux with full disk encryption (including /boot)</a></li>
			<li><a href="dock.html">Notes about DMA access and the docking station</a></li>
		</ul>

	<h1>
		References
	</h1>
		<h2 id="ref1">[1] physical access</h2>
			<p>
				Explain that black hats, TAO, and so on might use a 0day to get in,
				and explain that in this case it mitigates what the attacker can do.
				Also the TAO do some evaluation before launching an attack: they take
				the probability of beeing caught into account, along with the kind of
				target. A 0day costs a lot of money, I heard that it was from 100000$
				to 400000$, some other websites had prices 10 times lower but that
				but it was probably a typo. So if people increase their security it
				makes it more risky and more costly to attack people.
			</p>
		<h2 id="ref2">[2] microphone</h2>
			<p>
				It's possible to turn headphones into a microphone, you could try
				yourself, however they don't record loud at all. Also intel cards have
				the capability to change a connector's function, for instance the
				microphone jack can now become a headphone plug, that's called
				retasking. There is some support for it in GNU/Linux but it's not very
				well known.
			</p>
		<h2 id="ref3">[3] Video (CCC)</h2>
			<p>
				30c3-5356-en-Firmware_Fat_Camp_webm.webm from the 30th CCC. While
				their demo is experimental(their hardware also got damaged during the
				transport), the spies probably already have that since a long time.
				<a href="http://berlin.ftp.media.ccc.de/congress/2013/webm/30c3-5356-en-Firmware_Fat_Camp_webm.webm">http://berlin.ftp.media.ccc.de/congress/2013/webm/30c3-5356-en-Firmware_Fat_Camp_webm.webm</a>
			</p>

<hr/>

	<p>
		Copyright &copy; 2014 Francis Rowe &lt;info@gluglug.org.uk&gt;<br/>
		This document is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International Public License and all future versions.
		A copy of the license can be found at <a href="../license.txt">../license.txt</a>.
	</p>

	<p>
		This document is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
		but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
		MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See <a href="../license.txt">../license.txt</a> for more information.
	</p>

</body>
</html>