RE: RDP over the internet

[Dan Lynch <DLynch () placer ca gov>]

> > > New vulnerabilities will be discovered every now and then. Duh. The
> > > question is: do they get fixed in a timely manner?
> >
> > The fact is that "open port" is a potential attack vector because a
> > vulnerability may be discovered in the application.
>
> I'm sorry to have to break this to you, but as long as you're using
> TCP/IP you need an open port if you want to be able to establish a
> connection.

But it's clear that *any* open port represents additional risk. If that open port is not required for the function of 
the system (as terminal services/RDP generally is not), it's an unnecessary risk (however convenient it might be). And 
that risk is compounded if that port is running by necessity with system level permissions, and offering up a login 
screen that people use with their admin credentials. Also, terminal services is dependent on the loading of yet another 
service: RPC.

For these reasons, I don't believe the concern expressed over exposing RDP to the internet is "a massive 
generalisation". I think that concern is clearly justified. RDP is not of the same risk level as, say NTP.

And if, when we point out that risk, CEOs then see security officers as "the enemy", it's because the security folks 
have failed to (1) account for the value in the convenience offered by things like RDP, (2) reasonably evaluate that 
value against the risk, and (3) consider what actions, configurations and technologies are available to mitigate the 
risk.


Dan Lynch, CISSP
Information Technology Analyst
County of Placer
Auburn, CA


> -----Original Message-----
> From: listbounce () securityfocus com 
> [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On Behalf Of Ansgar Wiechers
> Sent: Saturday, March 17, 2012 11:05 AM
> To: security-basics () securityfocus com
> Subject: Re: RDP over the internet
>
> On 2012-03-17 Thugzclub wrote:
> > On 16 Mar 2012, at 09:29, Ansgar Wiechers 
> <bugtraq () planetcobalt net> wrote:
> > > On 2012-03-14 Alex Fiuvertiz wrote:
> > > > http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/52353
> > >
> > > New vulnerabilities will be discovered every now and then. Duh. The
> > > question is: do they get fixed in a timely manner?
> >
> > The fact is that "open port" is a potential attack vector because a
> > vulnerability may be discovered in the application.
>
> I'm sorry to have to break this to you, but as long as you're using
> TCP/IP you need an open port if you want to be able to establish a
> connection.
>
> > This is why you need to rely application execution control products
> > like (Lumension, App Blocker) to prevent execution of unknown
> > binaries!
>
> Software Restriction Policies exist. However, application control is
> unlikely to be of much help when malware is run in the context of
> privileged accounts.
>
> Regards
> Ansgar Wiechers
> -- 
> "All vulnerabilities deserve a public fear period prior to patches
> becoming available."
> --Jason Coombs on Bugtraq
>
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