Gervase Markham wrote:
> Michael Vincent van Rantwijk, MultiZilla wrote:
>> Let's go back one step: *if* Joe Hacker gets control over mozdev.org 
>> somehow, then he _can_ change the links and the downloads, easily, 
>> because the mirrors pull from that box, and that is the same for 
>> mozilla.org I suppose!
> 
> This is true. But it doesn't contradict anything I've said.
> 
> Let's make it simple:
> 
> No link fingerprints:
>   Download mirror hacked => attacker has won
>   Webserver hacked => attacker has won
> 
> Link fingerprints:
>   Download mirror hacked => attacker has lost
>   Webserver hacked => attacker has won
> 
> Notice the improvement?

Yes, and I agree, fully.

>>> So "the download is trojaned" does not automatically imply that the 
>>> hacker has access to change the fingerprint.
>>
>> In this case it does, and I'm not alone on this.
> 
> No. You are mixing up cause and effect.
> 
> I am saying "Download server hacked =/= hacker can change the fingerprint".
> 
> You are saying "Hacker can change the fingerprint == hacker can cause 
> you to download a trojan". This is true, but it's not the opposite of 
> what I'm saying.

Okay, so there is still a loop hole that won't be fixed before anti 
virus software is called and check the file.

> Link Fingerprints are not a security panacea. They are a way of raising 
> the bar without making the user do any work. They would have avoided or 
> mitigated every trojaned download problem I've come across in the past 
> few years.

I understand, but removing good files, because that will happen to our 
customers, is not good, that is what I try to address.

Thanks for clearing things up,
Michael

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