Firewall Wizards mailing list archives
RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility
From: Frank Knobbe <frank () knobbe us>
Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 23:06:00 -0500
On Mon, 2004-05-17 at 13:02, Dana Nowell wrote:
Multiplatform attacks are due but I personally doubt the router is the secondary target of choice, unfortunately my money's on PDAs and cell phones via sync software and wireless.
Perhaps for viruses, but not for worms as these devices tend not to be permanently wired or reachable. Several years ago, the folks from Phenoelit were presenting exploits on Cisco routers and HP printers. I had $20 on a worm that spreads through printers since there are frighteningly many printers directly connected to the Internet (after all, it's just a printer, right? :) Likewise, a worm ripping through Cisco routers gives me the creeps, but luckily these are often setup with a decent or secure enough configurations. (I don't recall there actually being a printer worm.) But what about Cable modems or DSL routers? Any component that is not a computer, or has services open, tends to be ignored/dismissed too quickly. Once we were shown that laser printers can be converted to do thy bidding in the form of password brute forcing and other... uhm... non-paper related tasks. Who would have thought... But you are right... It seems I'm dismissing cell phones and PDAs here, and I shouldn't be doing that. I believe there will be a worm at some time that will be totally unexpected. While we are busy securing hosts and networks, something nasty will rip. Not because we failed to protect ourselves, but because we didn't see it coming from that angle. Not a lack of ACLs, but a lack of contemplation, dare I say imagination. Better get your thumpers ready, worms signs are increasing.... Regards, Frank
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Current thread:
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility, (continued)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Gwendolynn ferch Elydyr (May 10)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Victor Williams (May 11)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Gwendolynn ferch Elydyr (May 10)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Claussen, Ken (May 12)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Claussen, Ken (May 12)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Paul D. Robertson (May 12)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Dana Nowell (May 13)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Paul D. Robertson (May 13)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Dana Nowell (May 17)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Paul D. Robertson (May 17)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Dana Nowell (May 17)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Frank Knobbe (May 18)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Dana Nowell (May 18)
- Re: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Adam Shostack (May 18)
- Re: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Dana Nowell (May 18)
- Re: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Frank Knobbe (May 18)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Gwendolynn ferch Elydyr (May 18)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Dana Nowell (May 18)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Paul D. Robertson (May 18)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Dana Nowell (May 18)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Gwendolynn ferch Elydyr (May 18)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Dana Nowell (May 19)
- RE: Worms, Air Gaps and Responsibility Paul D. Robertson (May 13)