Re: AFS - The Ultimate Sulution?

[Paul Sebastian Ziegler <psz () observed de>]

マグロ原子 wrote:
> On 9/17/06, Paul Sebastian Ziegler <psz () observed de> wrote:
> > Yes, it would still be possible to root the system, but how would that
> > help to get another user?
> > Even if the system is rooted you would only have access to your own
> > files and could not even crack other user's pws since they aren't in
> > your password-file.
>
> Since every machine would run the same image, if your system is
> rooted, all others could be.

True, but only for the same user which the attacker would need to have
to be able to log in as. (As long as there is no remote exploit in which
case the victim would have to be logged in). Thus making it different
machines from a hardware point of view but only the same machine if
looked at by the software (after booting).

> > As you said this requires that the AFS-Server is being kept up to date.
> > But the Images wouldn't have to be.
>
> Yes they would.
>
> > Of course somebody could be hardlogging on a workstation, but it
> > wouldn't be possible to sniff pws from the kerberos-session due to
> > encryption.
>
> Again if the system is rooted, it's possible to install a modified
> "loader", which loads a modified OS image, which can sniff passwords
> and do everything else.

Thats a good point. Since the loader is part of the workstation it
should be possible to swap it with full system-control.
But what if this loader would also be taken from another server - say by
using Netboot or something similar? Then it would be out of the reach of
even root.

Paul

> Nyoro~n
>
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