Security Basics mailing list archives
Re: IIS6 Security and other web servers
From: "Gary H. Jones II" <gary () pointblanksecurity com>
Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2005 14:44:57 -0500
Security issues in Apache will be found and reported before bugs get found in IIS6. Apache is open source which allows people to audit the source code easily. IIS6 however, isn't open source and it's often more time-consuming to find bugs. It's difficult to determine right now if IIS6 has more security issues than Apache for that reason. It could have less; it could have more, since it isn't open-source, only time will tell. I personally notice Apache security patches/new releases are out quicker than Microsoft's. If I were to receive a security bulletin detailing a security issue in Apache, I could go to the affected part and fix it and recompile. You can't do that with IIS. I would say that those are some of many reasons Apache have been the most widespread http server since 1996 (http://news.netcraft.com/archives/web_server_survey.html). Sincerely, Gary H Jones II ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rivera Alonso, David" <drivera () iberdrola es> To: <security-basics () securityfocus com> Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2005 9:52 AM Subject: IIS6 Security and other web servers
Dear friends, I just want to throw a little question to know your opinion. I was discussing yesterday with a friend about the quality of IIS6 from a Security point of view. He immediately said it's a bad choice, as previous Microsoft web servers. I've read a few papers and I have this opinion: as it's been redesigned
from
the ground (with all the previous failures in mind), with the security perspective, with every little service and option disabled by default, and so on, I told him that now, in my opinion, IIS6 is a good choice. He loves GNU, Linux, and, logically, he thinks Apache is the king in security. Just because I felt curious, I went into www.securityfocus.com to check
the
latest vulnerability advisories, for Apache and IIS6. Incredible, Apache wins, it has many more (not to talk about the many releases since version 2.0)! In fact, I just found one alert about IIS6. What do you experts think? Of course, I know IIS was very dangerous before version 6. But, maybe an IIS6 in a well configured, patched and securized Windows
2003
machine is al last a good choice to house Web Applications? Or maybe it's too soon, there are few installed, and maybe in the future it'll have as many holes as the predecessors? What do you think? best regards from Spain, DAVID ============================= Este mensaje se dirige exclusivamente a su destinatario. Puede contener informacion confidencial sometida a secreto profesional o
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Current thread:
- IIS6 Security and other web servers Rivera Alonso, David (Jan 25)
- Re: IIS6 Security and other web servers Gary H. Jones II (Jan 25)
- Re: IIS6 Security and other web servers Joachim Schipper (Jan 26)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- RE: IIS6 Security and other web servers Roger A. Grimes (Jan 26)
- Re: IIS6 Security and other web servers Randy Williams (Jan 27)
- RE: IIS6 Security and other web servers Andrew Aris (Jan 28)
- Re: IIS6 Security and other web servers Randy Williams (Jan 27)
- RE: IIS6 Security and other web servers adisegna (Jan 26)
- RE: IIS6 Security and other web servers Joe Polk (Jan 27)
- Re: IIS6 Security and other web servers H Carvey (Jan 27)
- RE: IIS6 Security and other web servers Justin Coffi (Jan 27)
- RE: IIS6 Security and other web servers tom . farrar (Jan 27)
- RE: IIS6 Security and other web servers Roger A. Grimes (Jan 28)
(Thread continues...)