full-disclosure - Microsoft GhostBuster Opinions

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Message-ID: <Pine.GSO.4.43.0503171952520.2143-100000@tundra.winternet.com>
From: dufresne at winternet.com (Ron DuFresne)
Subject: Microsoft GhostBuster Opinions

On Thu, 17 Mar 2005, Dave King wrote:

> Valdis.Kletnieks@...edu wrote:
>
> >On Thu, 17 Mar 2005 11:28:55 MST, Dave King said:
> >
> >
> >
> >>    Also, this is not just like tripwire.  If the kernel is compromised
> >>and reporting false data to tripwire then tripwire can run along merrily
> >>thinking every thing's great.  This is why booting to a trusted kernel
> >>is important for the process.  Exploiting Software by Hoglund and McGraw
> >>has a discussion on these types of rootkits.  Tripwire, however does
> >>great at detecting other sorts of intrusions.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >Actually, the "prior art" *is* tripwire.  If you run tripwire on the live
> >system, then run it while booted from a CD, and they produce different
> >results, you have a problem.
> >
> >And that's what they're doing by doing a 'dir /a /s' on the live system,
> >then booting the Windows PE CD, and looking for differences....
> >
> >
> Ok, this is true.  I guess what I meant by what I said was running
> tripwire as a cron job daily or whatever on a system without booting  to
> a known good kernel could yeild incorrect results if the kernel has been
> compromised.  A similar result can be had using tripwire on the system
> then booting to a known good kernel and running it again.
>

If the kernel is modified, on a windows or *nix system, you are going to
have a clear clue upfront;  the system will have rebooted.  Course, a
failing system that reboots or blue screens every few weeks rather then
runs stable unless there is a total power outage or a maint window when such
things are done is another problem altogether...

Of course, I'm not sure you understand what tripwire is or does, further
research might be in order.

Thanks,

Ron DuFresne
-- 
"Sometimes you get the blues because your baby leaves you. Sometimes you get'em
'cause she comes back." --B.B. King
        ***testing, only testing, and damn good at it too!***

OK, so you're a Ph.D.  Just don't touch anything.