full-disclosure - Re: Microsoft Security, baby steps ?

lists.openwall.net		lists / announce owl-users owl-dev john-users john-dev passwdqc-users yescrypt popa3d-users / oss-security kernel-hardening musl sabotage tlsify passwords / crypt-dev xvendor / Bugtraq Full-Disclosure linux-kernel linux-netdev linux-ext4 linux-hardening linux-cve-announce PHC
Open Source and information security mailing list archives

Hash Suite: Windows password security audit tool. GUI, reports in PDF.

[<prev] [next>] [day] [month] [year] [list]

From: John.Airey at rnib.org.uk (John.Airey@...b.org.uk)
Subject: Re: Microsoft Security, baby steps ?

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Geo. [mailto:geoincidents@...info.org]
> Sent: Wednesday, 17 March 2004 18:26
> To: John.Airey@...b.org.uk; full-disclosure@...ts.netsys.com
> Subject: RE: [Full-Disclosure] Re: Microsoft Security, baby steps ?
> 
> 
> >>
> From experience, you can't just lock down to that one server. 
> You need to
> allow port 80 and 443 access to different servers. Each day 
> the list of
> servers changes because of the Akamai caching that is used. I 
> spend some
> time configuring locked down systems to be able to talk to 
> them. So yes, it
> is an unreasonable request.
> <<
> 
> Actually you can, you simply enable IP Filtering. Since it blocks only
> inbound connections you can then go out and do the 
> windowsupdate dance.
> Works on both W2K and XP.
> 
> The problem comes in when the rules wherever you are say that 
> you must be
> fully patched to get access to the internet or secure network.
> 
> Geo.
> 

In some cases this isn't enough. Let's say that the machine in question is a
public web server. It doesn't need to initiate connections bar those
necessary to keep it patched. In fact, set up this way it would be unable to
spread any worm to any other machine outside your organisation. Also, anyone
who compromises it will find it a rather dull experience. Sure, you can
trash all the files you find, but that's about it.

My point was that it's extremely difficult to lock down the connections with
Windows Update in these cases.

- 
John Airey, BSc (Jt Hons), CNA, RHCE
Internet systems support officer, ITCSD, Royal National Institute of the
Blind,
Bakewell Road, Peterborough PE2 6XU,
Tel.: +44 (0) 1733 375299 Fax: +44 (0) 1733 370848 John.Airey@...b.org.uk 

Shameless movie plug - go see the Passion of the Christ!

- 
DISCLAIMER: 

NOTICE: The information contained in this email and any attachments is 
confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended 
recipient you should not use, disclose, distribute or copy any of the 
content of it or of any attachment; you are requested to notify the 
sender immediately of your receipt of the email and then to delete it 
and any attachments from your system. 

RNIB endeavours to ensure that emails and any attachments generated by 
its staff are free from viruses or other contaminants. However, it 
cannot accept any responsibility for any  such which are transmitted.
We therefore recommend you scan all attachments. 

Please note that the statements and views expressed in this email and 
any attachments are those of the author and do not necessarily represent 
those of RNIB. 

RNIB Registered Charity Number: 226227 

Website: http://www.rnib.org.uk