Exfiltration of SVS data through malicious documents partially mitigated Legacy (Tails/SVS)

THREAT128 · Partially mitigated: Some controls are in place, but the risk is still too high. · Defined in catalog.py:2204

Risk: High impact × Low likelihood = 6 medium
After mitigations: High impact × Low likelihood = 6 medium (unchanged)

How statuses and scores work

Through either compromised or malicious use of the SVS, data could be exfiltrated from the SVS (this includes the Submission Key)

Threat actors: Nation State / Law Enforcement

Mitigations

Mitigation	Status
Use of airgapped SVS key MITIG10	implemented
Journalist guide has cursory explanation of malware risks MITIG153	implemented

Possible further mitigations

Store SVS key on Yubikey MITIG150 Legacy (Tails/SVS) proposed

Where it applies

Applies to 1 component in 2 scenarios.

Secure Viewing Station Legacy (Tails/SVS) Airgapped Viewing Area

Transfer & decrypt Legacy (Tails/SVS) · Secure Viewing Station

digraph tm {
    graph [
        fontname = Arial;
        fontsize = 14;
    ]
    node [
        fontname = Arial;
        fontsize = 14;
    ]
    edge [
        fontname = Arial;
        fontsize = 12;
    ]
    nodesep = 1;

    subgraph cluster_boundary_Airgapped_Viewing_Area {
        graph [
            fontsize = 10;
            fontcolor = black;
            style = dashed;
            color = firebrick2;
            label = <<i>Airgapped Viewing Area</i>>;
        ]

        component_Secure_Viewing_Station_Airgapped_Viewing_Area [
            shape = circle;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "Secure Viewing\nStation";
            URL = "component_Secure_Viewing_Station.html";
            tooltip = "Secure Viewing Station (Legacy (Tails/SVS))";
            margin = 0.02;

            style = "filled,dashed";

            fillcolor = "#c0392b";

            fontcolor = "white";

            class = "tagged highlighted";
        ]

    }

    actor_Journalist_ [
        shape = square;
        color = black;
        fontcolor = black;
        label = "Journalist";
        URL = "component_Journalist.html";
        tooltip = "Journalist";
        margin = 0.02;
    ]

    component_Transfer_Device_ [
        shape = circle;
        color = black;
        fontcolor = black;
        label = "Transfer Device";
        URL = "component_Transfer_Device.html";
        tooltip = "Transfer Device (Legacy (Tails/SVS))";
        margin = 0.02;
        style = "dashed";
        class = "tagged";
    ]

    actor_Journalist_ -> component_Transfer_Device_ [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "1. Copy to transfer\ndevice";    ]
    component_Transfer_Device_ -> component_Secure_Viewing_Station_Airgapped_Viewing_Area [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "2. Carry to air-gap";    ]
    component_Secure_Viewing_Station_Airgapped_Viewing_Area -> component_Secure_Viewing_Station_Airgapped_Viewing_Area [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "3. Decrypt offline";    ]
    component_Secure_Viewing_Station_Airgapped_Viewing_Area -> component_Secure_Viewing_Station_Airgapped_Viewing_Area [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "4. Sanitize";    ]
}

Publish & export Legacy (Tails/SVS) · Secure Viewing Station

digraph tm {
    graph [
        fontname = Arial;
        fontsize = 14;
    ]
    node [
        fontname = Arial;
        fontsize = 14;
    ]
    edge [
        fontname = Arial;
        fontsize = 12;
    ]
    nodesep = 1;

    subgraph cluster_boundary_Airgapped_Viewing_Area {
        graph [
            fontsize = 10;
            fontcolor = black;
            style = dashed;
            color = firebrick2;
            label = <<i>Airgapped Viewing Area</i>>;
        ]

        component_Offline_Printer_Airgapped_Viewing_Area [
            shape = circle;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "Offline Printer";
            URL = "component_Offline_Printer.html";
            tooltip = "Offline Printer (Legacy (Tails/SVS))";
            margin = 0.02;
            style = "dashed";
            class = "tagged";
        ]

        component_Secure_Viewing_Station_Airgapped_Viewing_Area [
            shape = circle;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "Secure Viewing\nStation";
            URL = "component_Secure_Viewing_Station.html";
            tooltip = "Secure Viewing Station (Legacy (Tails/SVS))";
            margin = 0.02;

            style = "filled,dashed";

            fillcolor = "#c0392b";

            fontcolor = "white";

            class = "tagged highlighted";
        ]

    }

    subgraph cluster_boundary_Publishing_Area {
        graph [
            fontsize = 10;
            fontcolor = black;
            style = dashed;
            color = firebrick2;
            label = <<i>Publishing Area</i>>;
        ]

        component_Sanitized_submission_Publishing_Area [
            shape = circle;
            color = black;
            fontcolor = black;
            label = "Sanitized\nsubmission";
            URL = "component_Sanitized_submission.html";
            tooltip = "Sanitized submission";
            margin = 0.02;
        ]

    }

    component_Export_Device_ [
        shape = circle;
        color = black;
        fontcolor = black;
        label = "Export Device";
        URL = "component_Export_Device.html";
        tooltip = "Export Device";
        margin = 0.02;
    ]

    component_Secure_Viewing_Station_Airgapped_Viewing_Area -> component_Export_Device_ [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "1. Export sanitized";    ]
    component_Export_Device_ -> component_Sanitized_submission_Publishing_Area [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "2. To publishing\narea";    ]
    component_Secure_Viewing_Station_Airgapped_Viewing_Area -> component_Offline_Printer_Airgapped_Viewing_Area [        color = black;        fontcolor = black;        dir = forward;        label = "3. Print";    ]
}

Notes

Existing mitigations: SVS is airgapped (MITIG10). Journalist guide informs users of malware risks when opening submissions on the SVS (https://docs.securedrop.org/en/stable/journalist.html) (MITIG153). Further mitigations: Yubikey to store submission private key (MITIG150). Automated test for mitigation: No.

How this threat is matched

Listed for these components. A boundary covers every component inside it.