| Today's news article on computer forensics is about | | | | the information, the hardware algorithm passes through |
| hacking encrypted Fingerprint USB drives. The | | | | a particular string of information or characters to the |
| encryption being talked about is AES 256 hardware | | | | device storage system which presents the information |
| encryption, which til date use to be considered a very | | | | to the user in clear text. The flaw however comes in |
| reputable and safe standard in the world of digital and | | | | with the fact that this "String" passed through after a |
| computer forensics. You must have seen online | | | | valid session for any password, is always the same! |
| advertisements about the most secure hardware | | | | SySS used their computer forensic know how to |
| based AES 256 bit encrypted Fingerprint USB drives | | | | interpret this "string" and were able to demonstrate |
| from popular brand names such as Kingston USB and | | | | how they can pass this on to the hardware device |
| SanDisk USB, these are the ones that have been | | | | and get decrypted information every time. There are |
| found to be completely vulnerable by a computer | | | | two White Papers published by the company on their |
| forensic company based off Germany called SySS. | | | | website that explains this much in depth. This |
| Their tests show a major design vulnerability that can | | | | discovery has major implications on Corporate and |
| decrypt the present information on the thumb drive. | | | | Law Enforcement officials which often carry sensitive |
| SySS is a German company that specializes in | | | | information on such encrypted devices. As a matter of |
| Computer and IT Forensics. In a nutshell how they are | | | | fact, there is school of thought around which is |
| able to read encrypted data is very simple, it does not | | | | debating if law courts will now accept hardware |
| even require to put in your password. When a user | | | | encrypted thumb drives as "unaltered" secure |
| enters their correct password on the key to decrypt | | | | evidence. |