Security News New cold boot attack affects "nearly all modern computers"

silversurfer

Level 85
Thread author
Verified
Honorary Member
Top Poster
Content Creator
Malware Hunter
Well-known
Aug 17, 2014
10,172
Security researchers find a new way to disable current cold boot attack firmware security measures to steal sensitive data from high-value computers.

Security researchers will detail today a new variation of a cold boot attack that can meddle with a computer's firmware to disable security measures and allow an attacker to recover sensitive data stored on that computer, such as passwords, corporate files, and more.

The attack, which is presented today at a security conference, is a variation of old cold boot attacks, known for nearly a decade.

Cold boot attacks are when an attacker forces a computer reset/reboot and then steals any data left over in the RAM.

All cold boot attacks require physical access and special hardware tooling to perform, and are generally not considered a threat vector for normal users, but only for computers storing highly-sensitive information, or for high-value individuals such as government officials or businessmen.
 

fl00dz

Level 1
Sep 6, 2018
8
Definitely interesting. Chances of seeing that in the wild though are extremely slim. As the article mentions, "All cold boot attacks require physical access and special hardware tooling to perform, and are generally not considered a threat vector for normal users". Attacks like this never cease to amaze me on the creativity of threat actors.
 

About us

  • MalwareTips is a community-driven platform providing the latest information and resources on malware and cyber threats. Our team of experienced professionals and passionate volunteers work to keep the internet safe and secure. We provide accurate, up-to-date information and strive to build a strong and supportive community dedicated to cybersecurity.

User Menu

Follow us

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to know first about the latest cybersecurity incidents and malware threats.

Top