Exploiting TLS Client Authentication for Widespread User Tracking

TLS, and SSL before it, has long supported the option for clients to authenticate to servers using their own certificates, but this capability has not been widely used. However, with the development of its Push Notification Service, Apple has deployed this technology on millions of devices for the f...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Foppe Lucas, Martin Jeremy, Mayberry Travis, Rye Erik C., Brown Lamont
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sciendo 2018-10-01
Series:Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies
Subjects:
tls
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1515/popets-2018-0031
Description
Summary:TLS, and SSL before it, has long supported the option for clients to authenticate to servers using their own certificates, but this capability has not been widely used. However, with the development of its Push Notification Service, Apple has deployed this technology on millions of devices for the first time. Wachs et al. [42] determined iOS client certificates could be used by passive network adversaries to track individual devices across the internet. Subsequently, Apple has patched their software to fix this vulnerability. We show these countermeasures are not effective by demonstrating three novel active attacks against TLS Client Certificate Authentication that are successful despite the defenses. Additionally, we show these attacks work against all known instances of TLS Client Certificate Authentication, including smart cards like those widely deployed by the Estonian government as part of their Digital ID program. Our attacks include in-path man-in-the-middle versions as well as a more powerful on-path attack that can be carried out without full network control.
ISSN:2299-0984