Penetration Testing mailing list archives
Re: Pre-Scanning for Marketing
From: Steve Friedl <steve () unixwiz net>
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 14:53:59 -0800
On Tue, Jan 10, 2006 at 10:10:52AM -0500, Password Crackers, Inc. wrote:
I am interested if anyone on the list has ever tested or implemented a marketing program that involved pre-scanning (wired or wireless) a prospect and then sending a letter or email describing potential vulnerabilities and offering assistance in closing these vulnerabilities. I have never done this because of the anticipated negative reaction, but I am curious as to what the outcome was if anyone else has done it. Single instances would be interesting, but I am more curious if anyone has implemented this in a more broad-based way and has positive and/or negative response rate statistics.
Even if you put aside the ethical issues, I think it's going to be ineffective. Over time I've done unsolicited poking around of networks who probed me, or of organizations I had some affinity for, and found problems. I have reported them in great detail, including both technical aspects and the real-world impact ("I can see your My Documents"), urging them to talk to their local security consultant to get this address. I specifically disclaimed any trolling-for-work aspects (I've never taken a paid engagement from an unsolicited security report). These reports could never have been confused with a threat, a shakedown, or a solicitation for work, and it didn't require taking my word for anything -- any competent computer user could have verified it. My response rate is about 80% make no reply of any kind, 10% are grateful and fix the problem. 5% are grateful but don't fix the problem, and 5% are outright *hostile* and treated me as the bad guy. Example: Some years ago I found that the ACM - a group who ought to have had some kind of clue on appreciating security issues - had a totally wide open network at their headquarters. I send a long, detailed note with the details, and I was told to *get lost*. I persisted and convinced them that they had a problem, and they very reluctantly allowed me to help them fix it for free. There was a lot more they should have fixed, but it was clear that they were reticent to look at this. I wasn't getting anything out of it, so I gave up. This kind of thing has happened so often, so consistently, that I stopped sending unsolicted reports: why bother? I think that attempting to turn this into engagements is likely to be really unsatisfying. Steve -- Stephen J Friedl | Security Consultant | UNIX Wizard | +1 714 544-6561 www.unixwiz.net | Tustin, Calif. USA | Microsoft MVP | steve () unixwiz net ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Audit your website security with Acunetix Web Vulnerability Scanner: Hackers are concentrating their efforts on attacking applications on your website. Up to 75% of cyber attacks are launched on shopping carts, forms, login pages, dynamic content etc. Firewalls, SSL and locked-down servers are futile against web application hacking. Check your website for vulnerabilities to SQL injection, Cross site scripting and other web attacks before hackers do! Download Trial at: http://www.securityfocus.com/sponsor/pen-test_050831 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current thread:
- Pre-Scanning for Marketing Password Crackers, Inc. (Jan 10)
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Chris Serafin (Jan 10)
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Ebeling, Jr., Herman Frederick (Jan 11)
- Re: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Steve Friedl (Jan 11)
- Re: Pre-Scanning for Marketing alan (Jan 11)
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Nathan Einwechter (Jan 13)
- Re: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Kurt Seifried (Jan 15)
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Ken Kousky (Jan 17)
- Re: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Kurt Seifried (Jan 15)
- Re: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Kevin Johnson (Jan 14)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Shenk, Jerry A (Jan 10)
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Ed Hudson (Jan 10)
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Stonewall (Jan 11)
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Password Crackers, Inc. (Jan 10)
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Wray, Donald W (Jan 11)
(Thread continues...)
- RE: Pre-Scanning for Marketing Chris Serafin (Jan 10)