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From: "steveb99" <steveb99@earthlink.net>
To: "'Nico Meijer'" <nico.meijer@zonnet.nl>,
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Date: Wed, 8 Sep 2004 18:45:24 -0700
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Subject: RE: BSD display
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org 
> [mailto:owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org] On Behalf Of Nico
Meijer
> Sent: Wednesday, September 08, 2004 8:59 AM
> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
> Subject: Re: BSD display
> 
> Hi Steve,
> 
> >  Displaying the OS helps a hacker know which  approach 
> cracking into a 
> > box.
> 
> This may be true. OTOH, not displaying the version of [insert 
> software package of the day here] may invite a 'hacker' to 
> pull a full-scale all-out number on you, trying every 
> possible exploit he can get his hands on. Or simply DDoS you 
> out of this universe. Or launch whatever OS-agnostic attack 
> can be performed.
> 
> I'm sure there have been long discussions over this 'security 
> by obscurity' thing *somewhere*... ;-)
> 
Nothing can stop a hacker who really wants your box, but most of the
annoyances are script kiddies. Script kiddies when things get tough
tend to move on to another system.  So whatever I can to not help
script kiddies is to my advantage.  

Steve B.