Re: Linked-in and its Phishing-like contacts option!

[<lordchariot () embarqmail com>]

> I'm honestly not sure how we could block this stuff in a web-proxy, or be 
> alerted by an IDS rule short of just blocking the sites.  
> (Maybe this will start more discussion.  How would one try this?)

I have a lot of requests from customers to try to make the web read-only. The main use cases are for social network, 
blogs/wikis, and commenting on posts. The fundamental ways to do this are to 1) have MITM SSL decryption, and 2) block 
the POST method for specific sites. Most commercial proxies can do this and even squid does SSL MITM.

By blocking POST to certain categories of sites and only allowing the POST for the */logon pages, users can view all 
the facebook/twitter/youtube they want, but can't write anything outbound to the site. It's pretty effective.

e²
_____________________________________

From: firewall-wizards-bounces () listserv icsalabs com [mailto:firewall-wizards-bounces () listserv icsalabs com] On 
Behalf Of Bruce Platt
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2013 7:41 AM
To: Firewall Wizards Security Mailing List
Subject: Re: [fw-wiz] Linked-in and its Phishing-like contacts option!

I have a love/hate relationship with these as well.  I was only tempted down this perfidious path a few years ago when 
a set of my Grandchildren asked me to get a Facebook account so we could interact that way as they live on the other 
coast from me.  I started disliking it within five minutes when a former employer sent me a request to "friend" him.  
Then it became an issue of who can I not be "friends" with among my contemporaries.

Same with Linked-In, same with Twitter.  

Up to this point I'm just addressing the personal inconvenience aspect of it, which is why I chose Crispan's post to 
which to reply.

But, the larger issue is really the risk of exposing all sorts of personal /  corporate information in a variety of 
unwitting ways.  This is the part I hate.  We've had many discussions about the risks of allowing people to use social 
media web sites from work.  It's a losing battle.  Entering one's email password is just one, and Linked-In is not the 
only villain.  I just made some flight reservations yesterday.  The airline website offered to add the reservation to 
my Calendar.  Not let me download a .cal file, but to directly insert it into my calendar.  Uh, no.  Not today.

But, this now get's added to our list of worst practices and meet's Paul's criteria of being part of overall 
operational security.  I'm honestly not sure how we could block this stuff in a web-proxy, or be alerted by an IDS rule 
short of just blocking the sites.  (Maybe this will start more discussion.  How would one try this?)

Mix these with BYOD, and it makes a daunting task indeed.  

Cheers

-- 
+------------------------------------+
Bruce B. Platt, Ph.D.
V.P. Research
ei3 Corporation
136 Summit Avenue
Montvale, NJ 07645
Phone: +1-201-802-9080 ext. 404
Facsimile: +1-201-802-9099

On Fri, Apr 26, 2013 at 12:53 AM, Crispin Cowan <crispin () crispincowan com> wrote:
I boycott all social media. I’m not opposed to social networking, but I am opposed to some dot.com monetizing my 
relationships; I do all my social networking via open protocols like e-mail, and having a beer with a friend 😊
 
I broke this rule once, joining LinkedIn 5 years ago, because I needed a job. LinkedIn was a total failure at getting a 
job, but attending ToorCon and having a beer with someone I met there worked. I deleted my LinkedIn account when I got 
tired of the “Foo wants to connect with you” spam. I’m still getting LinkedIn spam.
 
Screw social networking web sites. I don’t have a FaceBook page or a Twitter account, and never will.
 
Funny, I never envisioned myself as Clint Eastwood yelling at kids to get off my lawn, but here I am 😊
 
Sent from Windows Mail
 
From: Gautier . Rich
Sent: ‎Thursday‎, ‎April‎ ‎25‎, ‎2013 ‎9‎:‎28‎ ‎PM
To: Firewall Wizards Security Mailing List
 
Thoughts? I’m wondering why User Operational Security falls under the realm of Firewall Wizards..  Other than that, I’d 
say – They’re not alone by any stretch of the imagination, and plenty of users seem to be perfectly willing to accept 
the risk (or be unaware of it).  However, not much you can do on the firewall side other than turning off webmail 
access...
 
Richard Gautier, CISSP 
Enterprise Architect, Federal Group
650 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Suite 510
Washington, DC 20001
Office: (571) 226-8828  |  Cell: (703) 231-2156
rgautier () drc com  |  www.drc.com 
 
From: firewall-wizards-bounces () listserv icsalabs com [mailto:firewall-wizards-bounces () listserv icsalabs com] On 
Behalf Of Mathew Want
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2013 7:30 PM
To: Firewall Wizards Security Mailing List
Subject: [fw-wiz] Linked-in and its Phishing-like contacts option!
 
Hiya all.

Has anyone else noticed the option to see who else they know is connected on Linked-in? Have you noticed that if you 
click on the outlook button it asks you for your WORK EMAIL PASSWORD!!!!!
Bloody hell! It's not like the job of getting users to not submit this information to other sites isn't already hard 
enough without this!!! The "can't put brains in pumpkins " department must be having a field day over this.
Am I the only one that think this is a touch negligent on the part of Linked-in? Or should I just accept that it is 
corporate facebook, accepts that they have the dame moral fibre and move on?
Maybe I am expecting too much? Thoughts?
--
Regards,
M@
-- 
"Some things are eternal by nature,
others by consequence"
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