Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
1–10 of 38 posts
Re: Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
#2August 18, 2017
Also, don't be mislead by the headline. To quote a comment on the article:
"Imagine the Secure Enclave as a vault. Apple hung a big, dark curtain over it to prevent anyone from even seeing the vault. Now, that curtain has been opened and people can see the vault. The vault, however, is still locked as securely as ever."
Re: Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
#3August 18, 2017 Also, don't be mislead by the headline. To quote a comment on the article: "Imagine the Secure Enclave as a vault. Apple hung a big, dark curtain over it to prevent anyone from even seeing the vault. Now, that curtain has been opened and people can see the vault. The vault, however, is still locked as securely as ever."
Maybe for a casual reader, but nothing is misleading about the headline unless you don’t understand how Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) works.
For more on that, as mentioned in the linked page, there’s the “Demystifying the Secure Enclave Processor” talk from Blackhat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UNeUT_sRos
Or here’s the PDF:
https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-16/materials/us-16-Mandt-De...
Re: Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
#4August 18, 2017 Also, don't be mislead by the headline. To quote a comment on the article: "Imagine the Secure Enclave as a vault. Apple hung a big, dark curtain over it to prevent anyone from even seeing the vault. Now, that curtain has been opened and people can see the vault. The vault, however, is still locked as securely as ever."
Maybe for a casual reader, but nothing is misleading about the headline unless you don’t understand how Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) works. For more on that, as mentioned in the linked page, there’s the “Demystifying the Secure Enclave Processor” talk from Blackhat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UNeUT_sRos Or here’s the PDF: https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-16/materials/us-16-Mandt-De...
> unless you don’t understand how Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) works.
So basically it’s only misleading to 99.9999% of people?
Re: Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
#5Earlier quoted context omitted.
Maybe for a casual reader, but nothing is misleading about the headline unless you don’t understand how Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) works. For more on that, as mentioned in the linked page, there’s the “Demystifying the Secure Enclave Processor” talk from Blackhat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UNeUT_sRos Or here’s the PDF: https://www.blackhat.com/docs/us-16/materials/us-16-Mandt-De...
> unless you don’t understand how Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) works. So basically it’s only misleading to 99.9999% of people?
Not on HN, where I expect most readers to understand what is firmware and what happens when you have its binaries and/or source code.
Re: Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
#6The link makes it sound like SEP only handles TouchID - is this true, or does the SEP also deal with passcodes?
Re: Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
#7The link makes it sound like SEP only handles TouchID - is this true, or does the SEP also deal with passcodes?
The SEP also deals with passcodes, yes. It is integral to preventing the passcode from being brute forced.
Re: Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
#8The link makes it sound like SEP only handles TouchID - is this true, or does the SEP also deal with passcodes?
It does more than that.
From the [ios security guide]:
> The Secure Enclave provides all cryptographic operations for Data Protection key management and maintains the integrity of Data Protection even if the kernel has been compromised.
e.g. you can encrypt and decrypt, referencing a key by id, but without having the private key ever leave the enclave, even if the app or iOS kernel gets compromised.
[ios security guide] https://www.apple.com/business/docs/iOS_Security_Guide.pdf
The Secure Enclave section is pretty short and the entire document is very approachable.
Re: Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
#9The link makes it sound like SEP only handles TouchID - is this true, or does the SEP also deal with passcodes?
It does more than that. From the [ios security guide]: > The Secure Enclave provides all cryptographic operations for Data Protection key management and maintains the integrity of Data Protection even if the kernel has been compromised. e.g. you can encrypt and decrypt, referencing a key by id, but without having the private key ever leave the enclave, even if the app or iOS kernel gets compromised. [ios security gui…
Sounds like basically what a cryptocurrency hardware wallet does.
Several months ago I saw a project making wallet software that used the enclave. I forget who they were but I think they'll have a hard sell; everyone just reflexively assumed it was insecure because it was on a phone.
Re: Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) Firmware Decrypted
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
> unless you don’t understand how Apple’s Secure Enclave Processor (SEP) works. So basically it’s only misleading to 99.9999% of people?
Not on HN, where I expect most readers to understand what is firmware and what happens when you have its binaries and/or source code.
I think you’re a bit out of touch in that regard.
I think that 99.99% applies to even HN and it certainly applies to me.