Security Basics mailing list archives

RE: RE: Firewall question - how easy is it to get thru - Proof


From: Shane Anglin <shane.anglin () gmail com>
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2011 12:15:42 -0500

Since web apps were mentioned...
If one is concerned with outsiders sending malicious traffic (e.g. SQL
injections, buffer overflows, etc) to your internal web applications,
WAF (Web application firewalls) are a piece of the puzzle to add in
behind the Internet firewall before the traffic reaches the internal
app/web server (ignoring talk of DMZs and reverse proxies for now).
They check for lots of attack vectors (SQL injection, etc)... example
= Imperva, Barracuda, etc WAFs.    Be aware that the WAF (or any
traffic inspection device) needs to be able to read the data, so for
simple SSL web server setups, the WAF would need the private keys of
the internal web server loaded so it can use the private key to
decrypt the traffic (not best practice to throw your private keys into
the DMZ, by the way, but it may be your only option depending n
overall design)... assuming no load balancers in front of the web
servers or WAF (which most could terminate SSL at the layer before the
WAF and pass the initial HTTPS traffic back as HTTP to the internal
web server)… all this depends on what network design and equipment you
have, how it is cabled, routed and ACL'ed, and what regulatory
compliance you fall under for those network segments... lots of
factors to consider for your own implementation.

Maybe a bit clearer example: To inspect SSL traffic bound for internal
web server(s), you would need to either terminate the inbound SSL on
some device (firewall, loadbalancer, etc), then transport it over 80
(plain text) to the internal web server(s). At some point after the
traffic leaves the device that is sending it as HTTP/plaintext, you
could insert a WAF there with no need for exposing your private keys
to a DMZ device.   Placing the WAF inline is the most secure (but adds
an operational concern)… placing it view port mirror/span should be
your second choice, although some SYN attacks can be propagated before
a port-mirrored WAF can perform a TCP reset and so on.

Here's a logical flow placing the WAF inline behind the
DMZ_LoadBalancer... (again, location is dependent on your setup and
requirements)...
WebClientBrowser --HTTPS--> InternetFirewall --HTTP-->
***INLINE--WebAppFW--INLINE***> DMZ_LoadBalancer --HTTP-->
DMZ_Reverse_Proxy --HTTP--> DMZ_Firewall --HTTP-->
InternalLANWebServer <--SQLQuery--> InternalLANAppServer <-->
InternalLANDatabaseserver

Regards,
Shane Anglin

________________________________________
From: listbounce () securityfocus com
[mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On Behalf Of
vedantamsekhar () gmail com
Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2011 10:37 AM
To: drmarkabaiter () gmail com; Francois Yang
Cc: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: RE: Firewall question - how easy is it to get thru - Proof

If you are talking abt network firewalls, they can lookup the packet
upto Layer 3 but cant protect application level attacks. Offcourse
some firewalls like checkpoint has smartdefense concept which they
claim, they can protect againest application level attacks but it is
very limited.

Application level attacks like remote code execution, sql
injection,bufferoverflows,url open redirects and many more cant be
protected by network firewalls. How easy...is really varies between
application to application. some coders are lazy enough that, for one
of the application i could even shutdown the back end database.
But if you are asking abt bypassing firewalls to access vulnerable
services of internal servers, i think we need to work hard....its  not
so easy..

Hope it may helped u...

Thanks,
Sekhar

Sent from my Nokia phone
-----Original Message-----
From: Francois Yang
Sent:  15/02/2011 9:43:07 pm
To: drmarkabaiter () gmail com
Cc: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject:  Re: Firewall question - how easy is it to get thru - Proof

Read up on browser exploit and how it can bypasses firewalls.
once an internal computer is compromised it can be used as a launching
pad to attack internal servers.
Do you have any web filtering systems? or ips/ids monitoring web access?
Is your network a flat lan where your users are on the same lan as
your critical servers?
how often are your servers and workstation updated?
etc.....there's more, but the browser exploit is a good example how a
firewall is not good enough now days.
Also what kind of FW do you have? a standard FW won't look at the
application layer so someone can send anything thru an open port.
hope this helps a little.

Frank

On Mon, Feb 14, 2011 at 8:53 AM, Rivest, Philippe
<PRivest () transforcecompany com> wrote:
Quick question.



When I do an audit and when I find a major flaw or deficiency, IT always tells me "its because your in the internal 
LAN, we have a firewall protecting us". I know you have all heard that. So I try to explain that you could attack 
thru physical security, social engineering, virus and a lot of other ways and in the end I always add "Someone more 
"expert" in Firewall could bypass it".



I don't really need a "how-to" but I'm looking for proof and a time frame on how long it normally takes for a real 
hacker/cracker to attack and bypass (where possible) a Firewall control (IPS/IDS also!).



I know this is not a click-click your done type of job, but I know its possible.



Thanks for any links or advice!





Important:
Please note that my new email address is privest () transforcecompany com
Please note that my new website address is http://www.transforcecompany.com

SVP Veuillez noter que ma nouvelle adresse courriel est privest () transforcecompany com
SVP Veuillez noter que ma nouvelle adresse web est http://www.transforcecompany.com



Philippe Rivest - CISA, CISSP, CEH, Network+, Server+, A+
TransForce Inc.
Internal auditor - Information security
Vérificateur interne - Sécurité de l'information
Linkedin: http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/philippe-rivest/20/19a/232

6600 Saint-François
Saint-Laurent (Quebec) H4S 1B7
Tel.: 514-331-4417

Fax: 514-856-7541
www.transforcecompany.com




------------------------------------------------------------------------
Securing Apache Web Server with thawte Digital Certificate
In this guide we examine the importance of Apache-SSL and who needs an SSL certificate.  We look at how SSL works, 
how it benefits your company and how your customers can tell if a site is secure. You will find out how to test, 
purchase, install and use a thawte Digital Certificate on your Apache web server. Throughout, best practices for 
set-up are highlighted to help you ensure efficient ongoing management of your encryption keys and digital 
certificates.

http://www.dinclinx.com/Redirect.aspx?36;4175;25;1371;0;5;946;e13b6be442f727d1
------------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------------
Securing Apache Web Server with thawte Digital Certificate
In this guide we examine the importance of Apache-SSL and who needs an
SSL certificate.  We look at how SSL works, how it benefits your
company and how your customers can tell if a site is secure. You will
find out how to test, purchase, install and use a thawte Digital
Certificate on your Apache web server. Throughout, best practices for
set-up are highlighted to help you ensure efficient ongoing management
of your encryption keys and digital certificates.

http://www.dinclinx.com/Redirect.aspx?36;4175;25;1371;0;5;946;e13b6be442f727d1
------------------------------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------------
Securing Apache Web Server with thawte Digital Certificate
In this guide we examine the importance of Apache-SSL and who needs an
SSL certificate.  We look at how SSL works, how it benefits your
company and how your customers can tell if a site is secure. You will
find out how to test, purchase, install and use a thawte Digital
Certificate on your Apache web server. Throughout, best practices for
set-up are highlighted to help you ensure efficient ongoing management
of your encryption keys and digital certificates.

http://www.dinclinx.com/Redirect.aspx?36;4175;25;1371;0;5;946;e13b6be442f727d1
------------------------------------------------------------------------



Shane Anglin
Shane.Anglin () gmail com

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Securing Apache Web Server with thawte Digital Certificate
In this guide we examine the importance of Apache-SSL and who needs an SSL certificate.  We look at how SSL works, how 
it benefits your company and how your customers can tell if a site is secure. You will find out how to test, purchase, 
install and use a thawte Digital Certificate on your Apache web server. Throughout, best practices for set-up are 
highlighted to help you ensure efficient ongoing management of your encryption keys and digital certificates.

http://www.dinclinx.com/Redirect.aspx?36;4175;25;1371;0;5;946;e13b6be442f727d1
------------------------------------------------------------------------


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