Penetration Testing mailing list archives
Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test?
From: Dotzero <dotzero () gmail com>
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 11:01:52 -0500
On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 8:32 AM, ArcSighter Elite <arcsighter () gmail com> wrote:
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Hi list. I'm rather new to responsible disclosure, so experts may found silly my question, but I've founded pretty interesting, so please keep reading. A few days ago, I've identified a vulnerability in some closed-source vendor's ftp server. Then, days later I was requested to do pen-test against a company. While I was information gathering, I've managed to identify that third-party ftp daemon in one of the company's external hosts. I wasn't pretty sure how to proceed in such a situation, but I've fal to the temptation and exploited the flaw. That led to a 20-mins entire network compromise, and of course proved that the network was vulnerable. After doing that, and thinking about what I've done; I wasn't that happy about my results. First, I got the issue of how to report this vulnerability to the company, without breaking the -intermediary- vendor contact and agreement; because the vulnerability exists and its exploitable as I've proved, but it wasn't general public knowledge the flaw is present. I know I've braked a lot of phases of any pen-test framework, but IMHO a blackhat will proceed exactly this way: they'll exploit the network through its weakest link, and is my task to protect the company from the blackhat, not from pen-testers (at least not the evil ones). Secondly, the flaw provided me with enough information that otherwise will take me a lot longer to achieve; so I felt the audit process has been somehow compromised. I think I've been clear enough, if I haven't just ask for more info. What's the most ethical way to proceed in such a situation? Sincerely.
The first question is whether you found any other vulnerabilities. Did you even look for other vulnerabilities or ways into their network? Is your goal to act simply like a "blackhat" or is it to help your client understand their risk/vulnerability profile so they can address issues? You indicate you felt the audit process was compromised. I think you have answered your own question. With regard to the specific issue of the FTP vulnerability. You can report to your client that the software is vulnerable, the software is closed source and therefore will be vulnerable until the vendor issues a patch. You can contact the vendor and report the issue and indicate that one of your clients for which you ran a pentest has the software installed in their environment. Hope this helps.
Current thread:
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test?, (continued)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? David Howe (Jan 20)
- Message not available
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? ArcSighter Elite (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Javier Reyna Padilla (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? ArcSighter Elite (Jan 13)
- RE: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Shenk, Jerry A (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? David Howe (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? ArcSighter Elite (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? David Howe (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? ArcSighter Elite (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Jason Ross (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? ArcSighter Elite (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Dotzero (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Paul Melson (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Aarón Mizrachi (Jan 14)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Morning Wood (Jan 21)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Jeremy Brown (Jan 21)
- Using 0days as part of pen-test? christopher . riley (Jan 13)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Aarón Mizrachi (Jan 15)
- RE: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Shenk, Jerry A (Jan 17)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? David Howe (Jan 20)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Aarón Mizrachi (Jan 20)
- Re: Using 0days as part of pen-test? David Howe (Jan 20)
- RE: Using 0days as part of pen-test? Shenk, Jerry A (Jan 17)