Google, Pax, LeftOverlocals, Mint Sandstorm, DJI, Colossus, Aaran Leyland, and More – SWN #355

Doug White

1. Google Warns of Chrome Browser Zero-Day Being Exploited
2. Vulnerabilities Expose PAX Payment Terminals to Hacking
3. AMD, Apple, Qualcomm, Imagination GPUs could leak AI secrets via ‘LeftoverLocals’
4. Iranian threat group Mint Sandstorm targets high-profile Middle East researchers
5. Threat Actors Team Up for Post-Holiday Phishing Email Surge
6. Feds warn China-made drones pose risk to US critical infrastructure
7. 80 years later, GCHQ releases new images of Nazi code-breaking computer
8. IT consultant in Germany fined for exposing shoddy security

Aaran Leyland

1. Attribute-based encryption (ABE) could spell the end of data compromise

   So, Imagine you have a box of toys that you want to share with your friends. But, you don't want everyone to play with every toy. So, you come up with a special lock for the box. This lock is very smart – it doesn't just open with a regular key, but it opens for people based on their qualities, like if they're a good sharer or really good at puzzles.

   In ABE, these qualities are like "attributes". These could be things like someone's job, their age, or what they're good at. When you put a toy in the box, you decide who should be able to open the box and play with that toy. Maybe you decide that only friends who are good at sharing can open the box when there's a special game inside.

   There are two ways this can work:

   1. Key-Policy ABE: This is like saying, "Only friends who are good at puzzles can open this box." The box checks the friend's qualities (like being good at puzzles) and if they match, the box opens!

   2. Ciphertext-Policy ABE: This is a bit different. It's like you give your friends special badges with their qualities (like "good at sports" or "loves painting"). When you lock the box, you say, "This box can only be opened by friends with the 'loves painting' badge." If your friend has the right badge, they can open the box!

   ABE is a cooooooooooool way to keep things safe and make sure only the right people can access them, just like how you might want only certain friends to play with certain toys in your box.