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Date:      Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:02:21 +0200
From:      cpghost <cpghost@cordula.ws>
To:        Erik Norgaard <norgaard@locolomo.org>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Best practices for securing SSH server
Message-ID:  <20090624140221.GA1974@phenom.cordula.ws>
In-Reply-To: <4A422FCB.2050900@locolomo.org>
References:  <b6c05a470906221816l4001b92cu82270632440ee8a@mail.gmail.com> <4A406D81.3010803@locolomo.org> <b6c05a470906230653i6ce647c1p415e769b63d9e169@mail.gmail.com> <4A4109DE.3050000@locolomo.org> <b6c05a470906231311q48a56fddk77b456dc29695ed3@mail.gmail.com> <4A413CF8.60901@locolomo.org> <20090624143613.6a87a749@gumby.homeunix.com> <4A422FCB.2050900@locolomo.org>

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On Wed, Jun 24, 2009 at 03:53:15PM +0200, Erik Norgaard wrote:
> RW wrote:
> > On Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:37:12 +0200
> > Erik Norgaard <norgaard@locolomo.org> wrote:
> > 
> >> You're right, as long as port-knocking as a first pass authentication 
> >> scheme is not in wide spread use, then any attackers will not waste
> >> time port-knocking. If ever port-knocking becomes common, attackers
> >> will adapt and start knocking.
> > 
> > It would be fairly straightforward to prevent that by having a
> > combination of knocking ports and secret guard ports. When a guard port
> > gets hit the sequence is broken, and the source IP gets blocked for a
> > while.
> 
> Great: Wouldn't that be the same as monitoring failed login attempts and 
> temporarily blacklisting ips that repeatedly connect through standard 
> methods?

Hmmm..., you're right on this point.

But port knocking can be useful and provide more security *if* you
modify the kocking sequence algorithmically and make it, e.g. a
function of time, source IP/range (and other factors). This could
prevent a whole class of replay-attacks.

Of course, you can modify the keys/passwords algorithmically and
make them a function of time, source IP etc. as well... ;-)

And while we're at it: how about real OPIE? Or combining SSH keys,
OPIE, and port knocking?

> Erik N?rgaard
> Ph: +34.666334818/+34.915211157                  http://www.locolomo.org

-cpghost.

-- 
Cordula's Web. http://www.cordula.ws/



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