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Date:      Wed, 5 Jul 2000 08:07:24 -0600 (CST)
From:      Ryan Thompson <ryan@sasknow.com>
To:        Chris <kingsqueak@home.com>
Cc:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: TCP/IP forwarding in SSH2 - testing?
Message-ID:  <Pine.BSF.4.21.0007050751280.22226-100000@ren.sasknow.com>
In-Reply-To: <20000705085049.C7940@kingsqueak.org>

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Chris wrote to Ryan Thompson:

> To be honest with you what I suspect you are seeing by running tcpdump
> locally is free text transmission that is in fact viewable on your local
> machine.  With port redirection I'm not sure that is avoidable.
> 
> What you will verify with my hub suggestion is that *all* traffic
> external to your machine in relation to that connect will be encrypted.

Yup.. However, I put another system on the same Ethernet segment and
started analysing packets:

 .---------------.                    .--------.
 | remote client | ---- Internet ---- | router |
 `---------------'                    `--------'
                                    _______|_______  100Mbps Ethernet
				   |               |
			      .---------.   .------------------.
                              | monitor |   | ssh/telnetd host |
                              `---------'   `------------------'

So, from the "monitor" system, I sniff packets.

On port 22, I see encrypted text transmitted to and fro when the remote
client types text or receives information.  To me that is a Good Sign.

However, Even on the monitor system, I still see clear text transmissions
on the high-numbered port used for forwarding, AND the telnet port.  (The
remote client did in fact telnet to the ssh/telnet host on the
high-numbered forwarded port--see my example previously in this thread)

So, the fact that encrypted data is being transmitted over port 22 in
perfect time with the client typing commands/receiving output gives me
encouragement.

The fact that the resultant data is available in the clear to other
systems on the receiving LAN is discouraging ;-)  Is it possible or likely
that the ssh server is, for some reason, injecting the decrypted data
packets back onto the Ethernet, despite the fact that all packets have a
destination (or source) of the ssh server only?

> IOW, the redirected traffic will remain in clear text to anyone with
> priveledges to activate sniffing on your local server, however enroute
> it will be encrypted.

I've had the same thoughts.  I suppose the next step is throwing another
gateway on another subnet between the two hosts and monitoring from there.  
(Truly man-in-the-middle monitoring).

- Ryan

-- 
  Ryan Thompson <ryan@sasknow.com>
  Systems Administrator, Accounts
  Phone: +1 (306) 664-1161

  SaskNow Technologies     http://www.sasknow.com
  #106-380 3120 8th St E   Saskatoon, SK  S7H 0W2



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