From owner-freebsd-hackers Thu Sep 19 06:42:36 1996 Return-Path: owner-hackers Received: (from root@localhost) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) id GAA10060 for hackers-outgoing; Thu, 19 Sep 1996 06:42:36 -0700 (PDT) Received: from pdx1.world.net (pdx1.world.net [192.243.32.18]) by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) with ESMTP id GAA10041; Thu, 19 Sep 1996 06:42:34 -0700 (PDT) Received: from suburbia.net (suburbia.net [203.4.184.1]) by pdx1.world.net (8.7.5/8.7.3) with ESMTP id GAA07112; Thu, 19 Sep 1996 06:42:33 -0700 (PDT) Received: (proff@localhost) by suburbia.net (8.7.4/Proff-950810) id XAA01275; Thu, 19 Sep 1996 23:42:11 +1000 From: Julian Assange Message-Id: <199609191342.XAA01275@suburbia.net> Subject: Re: Could use a favor To: davidn@sdev.blaze.net.au (David Nugent) Date: Thu, 19 Sep 1996 23:42:11 +1000 (EST) Cc: roberto@keltia.freenix.fr, hackers@FreeBSD.org, security@FreeBSD.org In-Reply-To: from "David Nugent" at Sep 18, 96 04:14:38 pm X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.4 PL23] Content-Type: text Sender: owner-hackers@FreeBSD.org X-Loop: FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk > > I'm familiar with the theory of firewalls, but have never run > one so I lack the experience to fully understand this. But this > reply caught my attention. > > Why is an (effectively) disabled firewall "dangerous"? Is it more > "dangerous" or exposed to security problems than a machine that > has been configured without a firewall at all? > > David Nugent, Unique Computing Pty Ltd - Melbourne, Australia > Voice +61-3-791-9547 Data/BBS +61-3-792-3507 3:632/348@fidonet > davidn@blaze.net.au http://www.blaze.net.au/~davidn The problem is that the interface may go up before you have added all your firewall rules creating a window of opportunity for the attacker. -- "Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies, The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis, _God in the Dock_ +---------------------+--------------------+----------------------------------+ |Julian Assange RSO | PO Box 2031 BARKER | Secret Analytic Guy Union | |proff@suburbia.net | VIC 3122 AUSTRALIA | finger for PGP key hash ID = | |proff@gnu.ai.mit.edu | FAX +61-3-98199066 | 0619737CCC143F6DEA73E27378933690 | +---------------------+--------------------+----------------------------------+