A low-cost attack on branch-based software watermarking schemes

Gaurav Gupta; Josef Pieprzyk

doi:10.1007/11922841_23

A low-cost attack on branch-based software watermarking schemes

Gaurav Gupta^*, Josef Pieprzyk

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In 2005, Ginger Myles and Hongxia Jin proposed a software watermarking scheme based on converting jump instructions or unconditional branch statements (UBSs) by calls to a fingerprint branch function (FBF) that computes the correct target address of the UBS as a function of the generated fingerprint and integrity check. If the program is tampered with, the fingerprint and integrity checks change and the target address will not be computed correctly. In this paper, we present an attack based on tracking stack pointer modifications to break the scheme and provide implementation details. The key element of the attack is to remove the fingerprint and integrity check generating code from the program after disassociating the target address from the fingerprint and integrity value. Using the debugging tools that give vast control to the attacker to track stack pointer operations, we perform both subtractive and watermark replacement attacks. The major steps in the attack are automated resulting in a fast and low-cost attack.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Digital Watermarking
Subtitle of host publication	5th International Workshop, IWDW 2006, Jeju Island, Korea, November 8-10, 2006. Proceedings
Editors	Yun-Qing Shi, Byeungwoo Jeon
Place of Publication	Berlin; New York
Publisher	Springer, Springer Nature
Pages	282-293
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Electronic)	9783540488279
ISBN (Print)	3540488251, 9783540488255
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/11922841_23
Publication status	Published - Nov 2006
Event	5th International Workshop on Digital Watermarking, IWDW - 2006 - Jeju Island, Korea, Republic of Duration: 8 Nov 2006 → 10 Nov 2006

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)
Volume	4283 LNCS
ISSN (Print)	03029743
ISSN (Electronic)	16113349

Other

Other	5th International Workshop on Digital Watermarking, IWDW - 2006
Country/Territory	Korea, Republic of
City	Jeju Island
Period	8/11/06 → 10/11/06

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10.1007/11922841_23

Cite this

Gupta, G., & Pieprzyk, J. (2006). A low-cost attack on branch-based software watermarking schemes. In Y-Q. Shi, & B. Jeon (Eds.), Digital Watermarking: 5th International Workshop, IWDW 2006, Jeju Island, Korea, November 8-10, 2006. Proceedings (pp. 282-293). (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 4283 LNCS). Springer, Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/11922841_23

Gupta, Gaurav ; Pieprzyk, Josef. / A low-cost attack on branch-based software watermarking schemes. Digital Watermarking: 5th International Workshop, IWDW 2006, Jeju Island, Korea, November 8-10, 2006. Proceedings. editor / Yun-Qing Shi ; Byeungwoo Jeon. Berlin; New York : Springer, Springer Nature, 2006. pp. 282-293 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)).

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title = "A low-cost attack on branch-based software watermarking schemes",

abstract = "In 2005, Ginger Myles and Hongxia Jin proposed a software watermarking scheme based on converting jump instructions or unconditional branch statements (UBSs) by calls to a fingerprint branch function (FBF) that computes the correct target address of the UBS as a function of the generated fingerprint and integrity check. If the program is tampered with, the fingerprint and integrity checks change and the target address will not be computed correctly. In this paper, we present an attack based on tracking stack pointer modifications to break the scheme and provide implementation details. The key element of the attack is to remove the fingerprint and integrity check generating code from the program after disassociating the target address from the fingerprint and integrity value. Using the debugging tools that give vast control to the attacker to track stack pointer operations, we perform both subtractive and watermark replacement attacks. The major steps in the attack are automated resulting in a fast and low-cost attack.",

author = "Gaurav Gupta and Josef Pieprzyk",

year = "2006",

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Gupta, G & Pieprzyk, J 2006, A low-cost attack on branch-based software watermarking schemes. in Y-Q Shi & B Jeon (eds), Digital Watermarking: 5th International Workshop, IWDW 2006, Jeju Island, Korea, November 8-10, 2006. Proceedings. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), vol. 4283 LNCS, Springer, Springer Nature, Berlin; New York, pp. 282-293, 5th International Workshop on Digital Watermarking, IWDW - 2006, Jeju Island, Korea, Republic of, 8/11/06. https://doi.org/10.1007/11922841_23

A low-cost attack on branch-based software watermarking schemes. / Gupta, Gaurav; Pieprzyk, Josef.
Digital Watermarking: 5th International Workshop, IWDW 2006, Jeju Island, Korea, November 8-10, 2006. Proceedings. ed. / Yun-Qing Shi; Byeungwoo Jeon. Berlin; New York: Springer, Springer Nature, 2006. p. 282-293 (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics); Vol. 4283 LNCS).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

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AB - In 2005, Ginger Myles and Hongxia Jin proposed a software watermarking scheme based on converting jump instructions or unconditional branch statements (UBSs) by calls to a fingerprint branch function (FBF) that computes the correct target address of the UBS as a function of the generated fingerprint and integrity check. If the program is tampered with, the fingerprint and integrity checks change and the target address will not be computed correctly. In this paper, we present an attack based on tracking stack pointer modifications to break the scheme and provide implementation details. The key element of the attack is to remove the fingerprint and integrity check generating code from the program after disassociating the target address from the fingerprint and integrity value. Using the debugging tools that give vast control to the attacker to track stack pointer operations, we perform both subtractive and watermark replacement attacks. The major steps in the attack are automated resulting in a fast and low-cost attack.

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Gupta G, Pieprzyk J. A low-cost attack on branch-based software watermarking schemes. In Shi Y-Q, Jeon B, editors, Digital Watermarking: 5th International Workshop, IWDW 2006, Jeju Island, Korea, November 8-10, 2006. Proceedings. Berlin; New York: Springer, Springer Nature. 2006. p. 282-293. (Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics)). doi: 10.1007/11922841_23

A low-cost attack on branch-based software watermarking schemes

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