Re: server security

["Littlefield, Tyler" <tyler () tysdomain com>]

Hello:
I honestly think moving your port gives you nothing here. As already has 
been pointed out, you can hide your port up in 20000+ range, but all it 
takes is a deviation from the general script. I hardly think a well 
secured server has much to fear from those sorts of scripts anyway, so 
it still leaves the problem. You'll be free of the clutter of someone 
scanning with a basic generic script, but it won't protect someone more 
advanced.
On 6/22/2012 5:02 AM, Rory Browne wrote:
> Everything I've ever read about security by obscurity, suggests that
> obscurity no security at all. While I would buy that it isn't a lot of
> security, I would have difficulty accepting that the only benefit of
> moving SSH to a different port is less cluttered log files. I would
> imagine less cluttered log files, mean less attacks, which would
> translate into less chance of a successful attacks.
>
> While I will accept that the people who say it's no defense at all,
> probably know a lot more about security than I do, I suspect moving
> SSH to a different port would render you less susceptible to attacks
> which scan which collect their list of IPs by scanning for open port
> 22.
>
>  From a defence in depth perspective, I would consider obscurity ( in
> this case port-moving ), to be quite a thin layer on the onion, but a
> layer none-the-less.  Obscurity through camouflage has been
> successfully used by various armys ( with the exception of the
> red-coats ) for centuries, and I find it difficult to understand how
> it wouldn't apply to computer security.
>
> What am I missing here?
>
> Rory
>
>
> On 21 June 2012 17:34, Mike Hale <eyeronic.design () gmail com> wrote:
> > "Putting it on some other port reduces your risk"
> > It doesn't really reduce your risk, since you're still as vulnerable
> > as you were before.
> >
> > What it does is reduce your log entries.  That can be worth the added
> > administrative cost of changing standard ports, but it's not really a
> > 'security' measure.
> >
> > On Wed, Jun 20, 2012 at 4:44 PM, Alex Dolan <dolan.alex () gmail com> wrote:
> > > One tip I have is to set SSH to a port other than 22, I don't need to
> > > tell anyone how devastating it is if someone did actually get access
> > > to that service. Putting it on some other port reduces your risk
> > >
> > > On Thu, Jun 21, 2012 at 1:27 AM, Littlefield, Tyler <tyler () tysdomain com> wrote:
> > > > Hello:
> > > > I have a couple questions. First, I'll explain what I did:
> > > > I set up iptables and removed all unwanted services. Iptables blocks
> > > > everything, then only opens what it wants. I also use the addrtype module to
> > > > limit broadcast and unspec addresses, etc. I also do some malformed packet
> > > > work where I just drop everything that looks malformed (mainly by the
> > > > flags).
> > > > 2) I secured ssh: blocked root logins, set it up so only users in the
> > > > sshusers group can connect, and set it only to allow ppk.
> > > > 3) I installed aid.
> > > > 4) disabled malformed packets and forwarding/etc in sysctl.
> > > > This is a basic web server that runs email, web and a couple other things.
> > > > It's only running on a linode512, so I don't have the ability to set up a
> > > > ton of stuff; I also think that would make things more of a mess. What else
> > > > would be recommended?
> > > > Also, I'm looking to add something to the web server; sometimes I notice
> > > > that there are a lot of requests from people scanning for common urls like
> > > > wordpress/phpbb3/etc, what kind of preventative measures exist for this?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Take care,
> > > > Ty
> > > > http://tds-solutions.net
> > > > The aspen project: a barebones light-weight mud engine:
> > > > http://code.google.com/p/aspenmud
> > > > He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; he that
> > > > dares not reason is a slave.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
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> > > Securing Apache Web Server with thawte Digital Certificate
> > > In this guide we examine the importance of Apache-SSL and who needs an SSL certificate.  We look at how SSL works, how 
> > > it benefits your company and how your customers can tell if a site is secure. You will find out how to test, purchase, 
> > > install and use a thawte Digital Certificate on your Apache web server. Throughout, best practices for set-up are 
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> > Securing Apache Web Server with thawte Digital Certificate
> > In this guide we examine the importance of Apache-SSL and who needs an SSL certificate.  We look at how SSL works, how 
> > it benefits your company and how your customers can tell if a site is secure. You will find out how to test, purchase, 
> > install and use a thawte Digital Certificate on your Apache web server. Throughout, best practices for set-up are 
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> >
> > http://www.dinclinx.com/Redirect.aspx?36;4175;25;1371;0;5;946;e13b6be442f727d1
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------


--
Take care,
Ty
http://tds-solutions.net
The aspen project: a barebones light-weight mud engine:
http://code.google.com/p/aspenmud
He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; he that dares not reason is a slave.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Securing Apache Web Server with thawte Digital Certificate
In this guide we examine the importance of Apache-SSL and who needs an SSL certificate.  We look at how SSL works, how 
it benefits your company and how your customers can tell if a site is secure. You will find out how to test, purchase, 
install and use a thawte Digital Certificate on your Apache web server. Throughout, best practices for set-up are 
highlighted to help you ensure efficient ongoing management of your encryption keys and digital certificates.

http://www.dinclinx.com/Redirect.aspx?36;4175;25;1371;0;5;946;e13b6be442f727d1
------------------------------------------------------------------------