full-disclosure - Re: TTY handling when executing code in lower-privileged context (su, virt containers)

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Message-ID: <CAEJizbZQEY7h2aNePpnU34uaTr2Myd36AcPK2Ld2LeEUsUcyHA@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 10 Nov 2012 18:58:37 +0000
From: Benji <me@...ji.com>
To: Michal Zalewski <lcamtuf@...edump.cx>
Cc: Full-Disclosure <full-disclosure@...ts.grok.org.uk>
Subject: Re: TTY handling when executing code in
 lower-privileged context (su, virt containers)

Furthermore, the handling of user privileges to disallow root logins is to
stop (stupid) users doing stupid things, security wise. If a lot of users
weren't forced to use unprivileged accounts, all the processes you're
talking about running would be run as root. AFAIK security is used to
protect from the lowest denominator up, not top down.


On Sat, Nov 10, 2012 at 6:49 PM, Benji <me@...ji.com> wrote:

> The advice weakens your system from a local perspective granted, but if an
> attacker has a local user on your box already, it's already game over.
>
> Yes, if you were a user with intelligence. I must've forgot that everyone
> that uses a computer does so with sense.
>
>
> On Sat, Nov 10, 2012 at 6:30 PM, Michal Zalewski <lcamtuf@...edump.cx>wrote:
>
>> > I think you've taken that far too literaly. My understanding of it is to
>> > protect against a) brute force retardation b) dumb attackers.
>>
>> The advice weakens the security of your system, because it means I
>> just need to compromise your unprivileged account (in which you run
>> your browser, mail client, and so on) to own the entire box.
>>
>> As for the benefits, care to elaborate? I'm not sure what a) and b)
>> really mean. If you're worried about brute-force, don't use trivial
>> passwords. If you worry about opportunistic attacks, do that and then
>> patch your stuff every now and then.
>>
>> /mz
>>
>
>

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