[Lex Computer & Tech Group/LCTG] LastPass confirms users' password vaults were stolen by hackers

Fri Dec 30 06:56:27 PST 2022

Here is a different take from Jeremy Gosney https://infosec.exchange/@epixoip/109585049354200263 <https://infosec.exchange/@epixoip/109585049354200263> 

In particular:

"Is the cloud the problem? No. The vast majority of issues LastPass has had have nothing to do with the fact that it is a cloud-based solution. Further, consider the fact that the threat model for a cloud-based password management solution should *start* with the vault being compromised. In fact, if password management is done correctly, I should be able to host my vault anywhere, even openly downloadable (open S3 bucket, unauthenticated HTTPS, etc.) without concern. I wouldn't do that, of course, but the point is the vault should be just that -- a vault, not a lockbox.”

> On Dec 29, 2022, at 20:27, Robert Primak <bobprimak at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> In light of all this discussion, I think I see where the Lastpass breach(-es) happened. It's not front-end account cracking or browser hacking. It's back-end data theft from servers owned by a Cloud Service. These servers either have outside vendors who have way too much privileged access, or else they have really wicked-bad security to begin with. 
> 
> If this is the case, I would recommend NEVER using cloud-based password managers. DO NOT allow anyone to keep your database on THEIR servers. This is where local database creation where YOU control where and how the database is stored (local-only, or on someplace like Google Drive, knowing it is likely eventually to be stolen) looks to me like the best solution. Keepass and the cross-platform KeepassX (no connection between these two products, BTW) are examples of this sort of password manager. Your database is YOUR property, not the property of some vendor. 
> 
> Where you store your vault is up to you. But YOU need to be in control of this choice, NOT your password manager's vendor.
> 
> And don't keep unprotected password information anywhere where someone can find it. But then again, your heirs and sometimes others will need to be able to get at your passwords to access your accounts if need be. 
> 
> In the near future, here's hoping passwords will be sunsetted in favor of more secure login methods. Microsoft and several other vendors are working on finalizing the protocols for paskeys:
> https://fidoalliance.org/passkeys/ <https://fidoalliance.org/passkeys/>
> 
> This is where we are headed, and this latest LastPass breach only highlights the urgency of converting sooner than later.
> 
> -- Bob Primak
> 
> On Thursday, December 29, 2022 at 04:14:51 PM EST, Alan Millner <armillner48 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> 
> I put my passwords on my paper rolodex.
> It has never been hacked.
> 
> Alan Millner
> amillner at alum.mit.edu
> 781-862-7893
> 48 North St., Lexington MA 02420
> 
> 
> 
> On Dec 29, 2022, at 3:55 PM, Jon Dreyer <jon at jondreyer.org> wrote:
> 
> My approach is a bit more work, but it makes me feel safe despite how theoretically easy it would be to break it.
> 
> I have a text file in an unlinked, and trivially password protected, Web page. That file looks like a list of my passwords, but it isn't quite. Each password in the file is a randomly generated string, but what the attacker (except for you all) doesn't know is that the actual passwords are those random strings but with my own personal tweak. When I log in to, say, my bank account, I copy/paste the string from the file into the password field and then tweak it.
> 
> So the only way I'm screwed is if they find this file and figure out my ttweak (and there's no clue that one is needed except that the passwords don't work). Cryptographically unsafe, but it feels pragmatically pretty safe to me, since you can break into millions of accounts if you hack lastpass, but you can only get my accounts if you hack this.
> 
> Somebody who doesn't have their own Web site could do this with something like a google doc or google sheet.
> 
> And I also use 2FA for important sites as well.
> 
> -- 
> Jon "I Don't Have To Outrun The Bear; I Just Have To Outrun You" Dreyer
> Math Tutor/Computer Science Tutor <http://www.passionatelycurious.com/>
> Jon Dreyer Music <http://music.jondreyer.com/>===============================================
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