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Date:      Tue, 21 Dec 2004 15:57:06 +0100
From:      Gerhard Schmidt <estartu@augusta.de>
To:        Bill Vermillion <bv@wjv.com>
Subject:   Re: Strange command histories in hacked shell history
Message-ID:  <20041221145706.GA5694@augusta.de>
Resent-Message-ID: <200412211510.iBLFAknQ011642@etustar.ze.tum.de>
In-Reply-To: <20041220171836.GC81898@wjv.com>
References:  <20041217120138.7A89116A4D2@hub.freebsd.org> <20041217145315.GB68582@wjv.com> <20041220095628.GA98945@augusta.de> <20041220171836.GC81898@wjv.com>

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On Mon, Dec 20, 2004 at 12:18:36PM -0500, Bill Vermillion wrote:
> While normally not able to pour water out of a boot with
> instructions on the heel, on Mon, Dec 20, 2004 at 10:56 =20
> our dear friend Gerhard Schmidt uttered this load of codswallop:

Offending other people isn`t funny and totaly displaced on this=20
List.=20

> > On Fri, Dec 17, 2004 at 09:53:15AM -0500, Bill Vermillion wrote:
>=20
> [much deleted - wjv]
>=20
>=20
> > > Can anyone explain why  su   does not use the UID from the login
> > > instead of the EUID ?  It strikes me as a security hole, but I'm no
> > > security expert so explanations either way would be welcomed.
>=20
> > I'm not a security expert, but if someone has the
> > Username/Password for an Account that can su to root. Where is
> > the point of disallowing him to su to this user and than to su.
> > You can?t prevent him form directly logging in as this User
> > an than use su. Therefore there is no gain in security just a
> > drawback in usefulness. I use this often to get a rootshell on
> > an Xsession from an user who can't su to root.
>=20
> You can limit the access for the person who has wheel/su
> privledges by running sshd and then permitting connections only
> from certain IPs or IP blocks. So another person is severely
> restricited from logging in as this user even if they have cracker
> that persons password. But once the craccker is in the system they
> can attempt breaking the password on a local basis, and the attack
> the root system.

With reasonable passwords for accounts able to su to root you should be
able to detect any local cracking activity bevor they are able to=20
crack the password. =20

> I think the comment one other person made about limiting the su
> stack to 1, so that you can not su to an account and then su to
> another account is a good approach.

OK than the create uses login to change the user and than su to root.=20
where is the improvment in security.=20
=20
> Considering the HUGE abount of attempted SSH logins I see on my
> servers from all over the world, with most coming from Korea,
> China, and lately Brazil, to add to those from Germany and Russia
> [just some I recall from the whois queries] andthing we can do
> to improve the security is a step forward.

me too. But im not worried by them. Im more worried by the connects=20
that don't try to login.=20

> In server environments security far outweighs all other
> considerations IMO. =20

Than you should consider pulling the main power and network plugs. This=20
will impove system securirty to new dimensions.=20

There should be a balance between security and comfort. I see your point,=
=20
but FreeBSD isn't a server only operating system. I use FreeBSD as desktop=
=20
OS on all our Workstations and Servers. Maybe this should by tuneable.=20

Bye
	Estartu

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gerhard Schmidt    | Nick : estartu      IRC : Estartu  |
Fischbachweg 3     |                                    |  PGP Public Key
86856 Hiltenfingen | Privat: estartu@augusta.de         |   auf Anfrage/
Germany            |                                    |    on request

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