The Zurich Trusted Information Channel --- An Efficient Defence Against Man-in-the-Middle and Malicious Software Attacks

  • Authors:
  • Thomas Weigold;Thorsten Kramp;Reto Hermann;Frank Höring;Peter Buhler;Michael Baentsch

  • Affiliations:
  • IBM Zurich Research Laboratory,;IBM Zurich Research Laboratory,;IBM Zurich Research Laboratory,;IBM Zurich Research Laboratory,;IBM Zurich Research Laboratory,;IBM Zurich Research Laboratory,

  • Venue:
  • Trust '08 Proceedings of the 1st international conference on Trusted Computing and Trust in Information Technologies: Trusted Computing - Challenges and Applications
  • Year:
  • 2008

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Abstract

This paper introduces the Zurich Trusted Information Channel (ZTIC, for short), a cost-efficient and easy-to-use approach to defend online services from man-in-the-middle and malicious software attacks. A small, cheap to manufacture and zero-installation USB device with a display runs a highly efficient security software stack providing the communications endpoint between server and customer. The insecure user PC is used solely to relay IP packets and display non-critical transaction information. All critical information is parsed out of the mutually-authenticated SSL/TLS connections that the ZTIC establishes to the server and shown on the display for explicit user approval.