DeepSec 2024 Press Release: Choice of programming language does not determine IT security. NSA warns of memory errors while ignoring the majority of other security vulnerabilities

Sanna/ November 18, 2024/ Press/ 0 comments

There are over 900 clearly classified defects in software applications. Some of these are because of memory errors, where code accesses memory areas incorrectly and subsequent errors can lead to crashes or other effects. In 2022, the US National Security Agency (NSA) warned against using the programming languages C and C++ to avoid memory errors. The recommendation is to use other programming languages that prevent these errors. This recommendation ignores reality, as these problems can no longer occur in modern, correct C++ code because of the language specification. Furthermore, the NSA’s proposal ignores existing code that is well tested and ready for production, and much more dangerous defects that are still possible in all programming languages. Modern C++ Bjarne Stroustrup published the C++ programming language back in 1978, and it has continued to evolve

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DeepSec 2018 Talk: Uncovering Vulnerabilities in Secure Coding Guidelines – Fernando Arnaboldi

Sanna/ October 3, 2018/ Conference, Security

Several government-related and private organizations provide guidance on how to improve the security of existing software as well as best practices for developing new code. These organizations include the Computer Emergency Readiness Team (CERT) Secure Coding Standards, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE), Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Software Assurance Metrics. Fernando’s talk will expose multiple underlying exploitable vulnerabilities in the secure code that follows the recommendations from each of these organizations. Even though these guidelines were created to improve software security, they may also inject side vulnerabilities due to a lack of proper analysis. Within secure code snippets, reviewed by many and considered trustworthy by all, are issues that attackers could exploit to escape secure directories, abuse insecure hashing and encryption practices, or even expose applications

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DeepSec2016 Workshop: Secure Web Development – Marcus Niemietz

Sanna/ September 21, 2016/ Development, Security, Training

The World Wide Web is everywhere. It has become the standard protocol for transferring data, accessing applications, configuring devices, controlling software, or even multimedia streaming. Most software development can’t be done without web applications. Despite the easy concept the technologies used in „HTTP/HTTPS“ have grown in very complex beasts. Few get it right, lots of developers make mistakes and end up at the wrong side of a security presentation at a conference. Fortunately there is help. We offer you a workshop at DeepSec 2016 to make your web software development great again! The “Secure Web Development” training by Marcus Niemietz systematically covers the OWASP Top 10 threats as well as threats, which may be important in the future (e.g. HTML5 and AngularJS attacks). At the end of the training each attendee will be able to create her/his

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