Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • Cybersecurity
    • Database
    • IT Management

    Researchers to Demonstrate Database Man-in-the-Middle Attacks at Black Hat

    By
    Brian Prince
    -
    April 10, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Two researchers from Trustwave will demonstrate how a man-in-the-middle attack on Oracle databases can be leveraged to swipe user credentials and hijack sessions at the upcoming Black Hat Europe security conference.

      Armed with a new proof-of-concept tool, Trustwave Director of Security Research Steve Ocepek and Security Consultant Wendel Henrique will demonstrate how attackers can steal credentials by downgrading authentication mechanisms as well as take over existing user sessions.

      “We’re highlighting the dangers of man-in-the-middle by showing attacks that go beyond what most people are familiar with,” Ocepek told eWEEK. “Wendel’s downgrade attacks can fool a client into giving up weak hash values and even Windows hashes, just by changing a few bytes of data. And the thicknet tool completely takes over, and allows arbitrary SQL injection. These are not common attacks, but they (creatively) exploit a known problem with plaintext data.”

      As database users perform legitimate queries, information is often transmitted in clear text, easily readable by attackers with access to the data, the researchers explained.

      “What we’re recommending is the use of encryption more frequently, something that’s built into the protocol from the beginning, just making it that much harder for an attacker to manipulate these packets,” Ocepek said. “We’re also again trying to beat the drum of shutting down some of these methods of doing man-in-the-middle attacks. It’s just far too easy right now.”

      Using their thicknet tool, Ocepek and Henrique plan to demonstrate how to gain unauthorized access to Oracle and launch both types of attacks. The tool will be available after the show, Ocepek said.

      “(The attacks can) be done remotely; it depends on where the client is,” he explained. “So let’s say that you are at a hotspot, you’re at a coffee shop, and somebody’s got the laptop on and they’re connecting to a database remotely. That would be a case where absolutely you could do that as well.”

      The duo only focused their research on Oracle due to its large presence in the market and because it is “very rare to find Oracle encryption turned on,” Ocepek said.

      “Because man-in-the-middle attacks have been around so long, we’ve gotten to the point of acceptance here,” he added. “But attacks like these highlight the fact that we might have underestimated the potential of these attacks.”

      The conference will be held April 12-15 in Barcelona, Spain, with briefings April 14 and 15.

      Brian Prince

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×