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Date:      Wed, 26 Jun 2002 14:31:22 -0600
From:      Colin Faber <cfaber@fpsn.net>
To:        Brett Glass <brett@lariat.org>
Cc:        Benjamin Krueger <benjamin@seattleFenix.net>, Mike Tancsa <mike@sentex.net>, Darren Reed <avalon@coombs.anu.edu.au>, freebsd-security@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: The "race" that Theo sought to avoid has begun (Was:OpenSSH  Advisory)
Message-ID:  <3D1A249A.28B3C57D@fpsn.net>
References:  <4.3.2.7.2.20020626101626.02274c80@localhost> <200206261452.AAA26617@caligula.anu.edu.au> <5.1.0.14.0.20020626103651.048ec778@marble.sentex.ca> <5.1.0.14.0.20020626110043.0522ded8@marble.sentex.ca> <4.3.2.7.2.20020626101626.02274c80@localhost> <4.3.2.7.2.20020626103956.02291aa0@localhost>

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I was under the impression that "Security through Obscurity" was no
way to secure a system.

Has this changed at some point in the last month or so?


Brett Glass wrote:
> 
> At 10:35 AM 6/26/2002, Benjamin Krueger wrote:
> 
> >  Minimized harm? The great majority of systems are (were) not vulnerable.
> 
> Not true at all. OpenBSD, NetBSD, and most recent Linux distributions were
> and are vulnerable.
> 
> >As for the start of the race? It started the minute Theo's notice hit bugtraq.
> 
> No, it didn't. The skript kiddies didn't know where the bug was.
> 
> >  Had he said "Use PrivSep or disable ChallengeResponseAuthentication" anyone
> >who *was* vulnerable could have been secured in about 24 seconds.
> 
> He DID say to use PrivSep. He did not say to disable
> ChallengeResponseAuthentication for a reason: it would have clued the kiddies
> into the location of the bug.
> 
> >Somehow, I
> >don't think that the script kiddies could can find the vulnerability from
> >such minimal information,
> 
> Mentioning ChallengeResponseAuthentication would have been a big hint.
> 
> >  I won't even start on how much industry time (and thus, money) was wasted
> >while administrators upgraded (many needlessly) their servers.
> 
> Most needed to upgrade. FreeBSD's releases appear to have dodged the bullet
> by sheer luck.
> 
> --Brett
> 
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-- 
Colin Faber
(303) 736-5160
fpsn.net, Inc.

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