ROP is Still Dangerous - Breaking Modern Defenses

Explore a critical security presentation from USENIX Security '14 that examines the ongoing threat of Return Oriented Programming (ROP) and introduces three new attack methods capable of bypassing modern ROP defenses. Delve into the vulnerabilities of kBouncer and ROPecker, two low-overhead defense mechanisms designed for legacy software on existing hardware. Analyze real-world ROP attacks and learn how the presented techniques can effectively cloak them from detection. Gain insights into the weaknesses of CFI-based defenses and understand the implications for future security measures. The 17-minute talk covers topics including ROP background, normal execution patterns, non-call-preceded returns, attack detection methods, large NOP gadgets, history flushing, and the introduction of kBouncer++. Conclude by examining related work and discussing the broader implications for defensive strategies in cybersecurity.