Abstract
This paper presents a program obfuscation framework that uses covert channels through the program's execution environment to obfuscate information flow through the program. Unlike prior works on obfuscation, the use of covert channels removes visible information flows from the computation of the program and reroutes them through the program's runtime system and/or the operating system. This renders these information flows, and the corresponding control and data dependencies, invisible to program analysis tools such as symbolic execution engines. Additionally, we present the idea of probabilistic obfuscation which uses imperfect covert channels to leak information with some probabilistic guarantees. Experimental evaluation of our approach against state of the art detection and analysis techniques show the engines are not well-equipped to handle these obfuscations, particularly those of the probabilistic variety.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings - 3rd IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy, EURO S and P 2018 |
| Publisher | Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. |
| Pages | 243-257 |
| Number of pages | 15 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9781538642276 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jul 6 2018 |
| Event | 3rd IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy, EURO S and P 2018 - London, United Kingdom Duration: Apr 24 2018 → Apr 26 2018 |
Other
| Other | 3rd IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy, EURO S and P 2018 |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| City | London |
| Period | 4/24/18 → 4/26/18 |
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Keywords
- Covert Channels
- Malware
- Obfuscation
- Privacy
- Symbolic Analysis
- System Security
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Artificial Intelligence
- Computer Networks and Communications
- Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality
Cite this
Probabilistic Obfuscation Through Covert Channels. / Stephens, Jon; Yadegari, Babak; Collberg, Christian S; Debray, Saumya K; Scheidegger, Carlos Eduardo.
Proceedings - 3rd IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy, EURO S and P 2018. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2018. p. 243-257.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
}
TY - GEN
T1 - Probabilistic Obfuscation Through Covert Channels
AU - Stephens, Jon
AU - Yadegari, Babak
AU - Collberg, Christian S
AU - Debray, Saumya K
AU - Scheidegger, Carlos Eduardo
PY - 2018/7/6
Y1 - 2018/7/6
N2 - This paper presents a program obfuscation framework that uses covert channels through the program's execution environment to obfuscate information flow through the program. Unlike prior works on obfuscation, the use of covert channels removes visible information flows from the computation of the program and reroutes them through the program's runtime system and/or the operating system. This renders these information flows, and the corresponding control and data dependencies, invisible to program analysis tools such as symbolic execution engines. Additionally, we present the idea of probabilistic obfuscation which uses imperfect covert channels to leak information with some probabilistic guarantees. Experimental evaluation of our approach against state of the art detection and analysis techniques show the engines are not well-equipped to handle these obfuscations, particularly those of the probabilistic variety.
AB - This paper presents a program obfuscation framework that uses covert channels through the program's execution environment to obfuscate information flow through the program. Unlike prior works on obfuscation, the use of covert channels removes visible information flows from the computation of the program and reroutes them through the program's runtime system and/or the operating system. This renders these information flows, and the corresponding control and data dependencies, invisible to program analysis tools such as symbolic execution engines. Additionally, we present the idea of probabilistic obfuscation which uses imperfect covert channels to leak information with some probabilistic guarantees. Experimental evaluation of our approach against state of the art detection and analysis techniques show the engines are not well-equipped to handle these obfuscations, particularly those of the probabilistic variety.
KW - Covert Channels
KW - Malware
KW - Obfuscation
KW - Privacy
KW - Symbolic Analysis
KW - System Security
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85050770697&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85050770697&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/EuroSP.2018.00025
DO - 10.1109/EuroSP.2018.00025
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85050770697
SP - 243
EP - 257
BT - Proceedings - 3rd IEEE European Symposium on Security and Privacy, EURO S and P 2018
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ER -