Protecting Against Timing Attacks with Timeboxing

Introduction

In this article, we'll delve into the world of timing attacks, exploring the techniques used by attackers and the devastating consequences of a successful attack. We'll then examine the concept of timeboxing and how it can be used to protect against timing attacks.

What are Timing attacks ?🕰️

A timing attack is a sneaky way for hackers to guess sensitive info about your app by measuring how long it takes to respond to requests ⏱️.

How does it work? 🔍

1️⃣ Attackers send a request to your application 📲
2️⃣ They measure the time it takes to receive a response ⏱️
3️⃣ If the response time varies slightly, they may deduce sensitive information 🤫

Example: 🔒

• Hacker: "Is the password 'abc123' correct?" 🤔

• App: pauses for 0.2 seconds ⏱️

• Hacker: "Ah, the password is correct! 🎉"

Don't let hackers time you out! ⏰

Protect your app with timeboxing and other security measures to prevent timing attacks 🛡️!

How to protect the Laravel application?

Laravel has got your back! 🙌 In September 2022, they introduced a powerful tool to help defend against timing attacks that rely on measuring response times. Say hello to the Illuminate\Support\Timebox class! 🎉

What is Timeboxing? 🤔

Timeboxing is a simple yet effective way to protect your app from timing attacks. It works by wrapping your sensitive code in a "timebox" that ensures it always takes the same amount of time to execute, no matter what. 🕰️

How does it work? 🔍

1️⃣ You pass a callback function to the Timebox class, which contains your time-sensitive code. 📝
2️⃣ You specify the minimum execution time in microseconds. ⏱️
3️⃣ The Timebox class runs your callback and measures its execution time. 🕒
4️⃣ If the callback takes less time to run than the minimum execution time, the Timebox class waits for the remaining time. ⏰

Example Use Case 📊

Let's say you have a password verification function that takes 0.2 seconds to run. An attacker might try to measure the response time to guess the password. 🤫

use Illuminate\Support\Timebox;

$password = 'abc123';
$minExecutionTime = 1000000; // 1 second in microseconds

Timebox::run($minExecutionTime, function () use ($password) {
    // Verify the password here
});

In this example, the Timebox class will always take at least 1 second to execute, making it harder for attackers to guess the password. 🔒

Conclusion 📝

Timing attacks can be a serious threat to your app's security. But with the Timebox class in Laravel, you can easily protect your app from these attacks. By using timeboxing, you can ensure that your sensitive operations always take the same amount of time to execute, making it harder for attackers to guess sensitive information. 🛡️

Sources :

in-depth-timing-attacks

security-tip-timebox-for-timing-attacks

Timebox class in Framework

Timeless-timing-attack- Research paper