From owner-freebsd-questions  Sun Jul  2  1:34:21 2000
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Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2000 04:37:10 -0400
From: Bill Barnes <bbarnes@operamail.com>
To: cjclark@alum.mit.edu
Cc: freebsd questions <questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject: RE: Ports via FTP
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>===== Original Message From cjclark@alum.mit.edu =====
>On Sun, Jul 02, 2000 at 01:55:41AM -0400, Bill Barnes wrote:
>> I created the wrong impression.  It isn't FreeBSD that I'm worried about, 
it's
>> the crackers.
>> This afternoon and evening the download was stalled a lot and there is some
>> offline peparation time and I've read there is significant risk in 
connecting
>> to the internet as root.
>> It doesn't matter too much right now because I just installed and haven't
>> anything to lose.  I was logged in as root for other maintenance and, 
frankly,
>> forgot about that until I started the ftp.
>> If i login as non-root, establish the internet connection, then su for the 
ftp
>> process, does that eliminate the risk of 'root online'; or maybe I am 
worried
>> about a non-problem.
>
>Hmmm... I'm still not quite understanding you. How do you log in as
>non-root to establish the Internet conncetion, _then_ ftp after su'ing
>to root. I mean, isn't the ftp connection the "Internet connection" we
>are talking about?
>
>Crist J. Clark                           cjclark@alum.mit.edu

Here's the configuration I might use.
Login as non-root 
In screen 1 connect to my ISP and in the same screen execute Netscape
In screen 2 (for comfort) bring up xterm and su, ftp
Now I can browse, email, whatever while the ftp process does its thing.

Hence, I am connected to a trusted machine and who knows what else.  That 
sounds like my ftp connection is exposed thru the browser connections.  But 
isn't the ftp connection exposed to an intruder anyway.

Hope I don't appear too dense hear but I haven't the foggiest about cracker 
technology.

Bill Barnes



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