full-disclosure - Re: (Psexec on *NIX)

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 for Android: free password hash cracker in your pocket

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

Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 11:11:08 +1100
From: Q-Ball <qballus@...il.com>
To: "Valdis.Kletnieks@...edu" <Valdis.Kletnieks@...edu>
Cc: full-disclosure@...ts.grok.org.uk
Subject: Re: (Psexec on *NIX)

On 2/2/07, Valdis.Kletnieks@...edu <Valdis.Kletnieks@...edu> wrote:
> On Fri, 02 Feb 2007 13:40:47 +0530, Raj Mathur said:
> > I believe we have had this discussion before, but I'll iterate my
> > beliefs in favour of allowing direct root access again:
>
> > - Key-based root logins are quite secure.  I don't see any reason why
> > key-based root login would be any less secure than permitting a user
> > login followed by an sudo.
>
> It's not the security of the login itself - it's the ability to create
> an audit trail of which userid performed an action.  If you can find
> some other way to...
>

Yes ability to audit is important, and you can still retain
accountably with direct root logons depending upon configuration but
there are two major security problems
with direct root logons:
- Remote brute forcing. Personally I'd rather someone crack 2 accounts
rather than just one, but maybe that's just me ;-)
- Security should be implemented on a least privilege basis. Logging
on as root as opposed to a user, isn't always required and just
increases your window of opportunity eg. SSH channel attacks, key
loggers, brute forcing, etc.Quite often sudo should suffice for
regular tasks.

_______________________________________________
Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/