Penetration Testing mailing list archives
Re: Some new SSH exploit script?
From: "Phil Frederick" <flosofl () gmail com>
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2006 13:03:51 -0500
"I beg to differ with you -- running a standard service on a non-standard port is a bid for security through obscurity." You know I see people accepting this as gospel all the time. The origin of this was referring to crptographic systems - specifically algorithms. If your algorithm required it to be secret, you most likely had/have a weak enciphering system. It does not refer to changing default ports, hiding services, squelching certain types of ICMP traffic, etc... If you accept this as true, you probably don't change the name of the admin account on MS systems from "Administrator" to something else. Applying stealth and obfuscation to enhance security is no problem as long as that is not the primary line of defense. There is not one thing wrong with this. It is simply one more layer of mitigating controls to be used *in addition* to those you outlined (which was good advice, by the way). Changing a port to a non-standard one is a perfectly reasonable action. But, that should not be the only mitigation you put in place. A simple discovery scan will easily find SSH running on port whatever thanks to the banner text. However, it will probably reduce the number script-kiddies trying SSH scripts by significant amount. Personally, I don't change ports because of the sheer size of the company I'm (100K+ employees). The logistics involved to inform everyone who would need to know would be a nightmare. If this was a smaller company (say less than 200 needed SSH access) I would probably consider port changing as one of many controls being used. To the original question: I am unaware of new exploit script for SSH, but it has been a few weeks since I've haunted any of the IRC trading grounds. It is very possible something new is making the rounds (although I've noticed no increase in activity on my Firewall/IDS logs) On 6/5/06, Michael Sierchio <kudzu () tenebras com> wrote:
shane () aplv com wrote: > I agree with Morning Wood 100% .... Running sshd on port 22 anymore in > this day > and age is really not a smart decision, ... I beg to differ with you -- running a standard service on a non-standard port is a bid for security through obscurity. Things that might be useful: Use auth methods that are sufficiently strong (pubkey only, PAMified OPIE or S/Key, etc.) Authenticated firewall traversal for protected services Tarpit connections from bad actors
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Current thread:
- Some new SSH exploit script? Sekurity Wizard (Jun 02)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Morning Wood (Jun 02)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? shane (Jun 03)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Michael Sierchio (Jun 05)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Phil Frederick (Jun 05)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Morning Wood (Jun 05)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Chris Buechler (Jun 05)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Michael Sierchio (Jun 05)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Christine Kronberg (Jun 06)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Erin Carroll (Jun 06)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? shane (Jun 03)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Morning Wood (Jun 02)
- RE: Some new SSH exploit script? Shain Singh (Jun 05)
- RE: Some new SSH exploit script? Shane Warner (Jun 06)
- RE: Some new SSH exploit script? Des Ward (Jun 06)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? James Kelly (Jun 09)
- Re: Some new SSH exploit script? Paul Robertson (Jun 08)