Re: Server naming conventions

["Perloff, Jim" <perloffj () UCHASTINGS EDU>]

A question for Bob-
Is the machine named 'payroll' actually more attractive to the bad guys?
I think everybody worries about that and that is one reason we use
fanciful names.
Jim

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Jim Perloff
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-----Original Message-----
From: The EDUCAUSE Security Constituent Group Listserv
[mailto:SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU] On Behalf Of Bob Bayn
Sent: Wednesday, February 10, 2010 3:04 PM
To: SECURITY () LISTSERV EDUCAUSE EDU
Subject: Re: [SECURITY] Server naming conventions

Woodruff, Daniel wrote:
> What kinds of naming conventions do everyone follow when building new
> servers?  ...

We're fond of names based on nonsense, fantasy and private jokes.
Except our subnet .6. which is a honeypot darknet with names like
payroll, records, accounting, cashier, finaid, controller, grants,
studentrecords, etc.

On the other hand, some of our user services have hostnames that match
their function.  Users believe that a password management utility should
be at password.usu.edu, not at eureka.ext.usu.edu (but a nslookup of the
IP address returns the latter hostname, not the alias hostname).

________________________________________
Bob Bayn        (435)797-2396      Security Team coordinator
  Don't let hackers use your computer when you aren't.
  Turn off your computer at the end of your work day.
Office of Information Technology   at  Utah State University