nanog mailing list archives

Re: ipmi access


From: shawn wilson <ag4ve.us () gmail com>
Date: Mon, 2 Jun 2014 21:05:54 -0400

On Mon, Jun 2, 2014 at 7:42 PM, Jimmy Hess <mysidia () gmail com> wrote:
On Mon, Jun 2, 2014 at 8:21 AM, shawn wilson <ag4ve.us () gmail com> wrote:  [snip]
So, kinda the same idea - just put IPMI on another network and use ssh
forwards to it. You can have multiple boxes connected in this fashion
but the point is to keep it simple and as secure as possible (and IPMI
security doesn't really count here :) ).

About that "as secure as possible" bit.    If just one server gets
compromised that happens to have its IPMI port plugged into this
private network;  the attacker may  be able to pivot  into the IPMI
network  and start unloading IPMI exploits.


Generally, I worry about workstations with access being compromised
more than I do about a server running sshd and routing traffic. But
obviously, if someone gets access, they can cause play foosball with
your stuff.

So caution is definitely advised,  about security boundaries: in case
a shared IPMI network is used,  and this  is a case where a Private
VLAN   (PVLAN-Isolated)   could be considered,   to ensure devices on
the IPMI  LAN cannot communicate with one another ---  and only
devices on a separate dedicated IPMI Management station subnet  can
interact with the IPMI LAN.


I can't really argue against the proper use of vlans (and that surely
wasn't my point). I was merely saying that you can use ssh as a
simpler solution (and possibly a more secure one since there's not a
conduit to broadcast to/from) than a vpn. That's it.


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