Re: Using SSL accelerators in firewalls

[David Pick <d.m.pick () qmul ac uk>]

> There would seem to be a growing trend in using SSL accelerators not
> next to the web server but attached to a firewall so that it isn't
> https traffic that passes through but http.
>
> To me this screams out "bad design" as the end-to-end encryption is
> lost in the process and the security of transactions eroded.
>
> What do others think?  Is this becoming a "done thing" that is more
> and more acceptable to corporates or is this just an isolated thing?

I depends. I think it may be "OK" if you look at the configuration as
(possibly multiple) Web Content Accelerators attached to, and assisting,
the secure Web Server. The method of attachment *might* be an internal
network ("intranet"!) or might be something else. On the other hand, if
there is direct access to the Web Content Servers, bypassing the "real"
Web Server; or user machines connected between the various components
of the Distributed Web Server, then I agree that that could be bad
design. In this respect you have to think about what the SSL security
if being user for. If it is to assure the client of the identity of
the Server, and the security of the data in transit (a common case)
then the design might be OK if the firewall blocks direct external
access to the Web Content Servers. If, OTOH, SSL is being used to
authenticate the *client* then such a design is close to criminal.

-- 
        David Pick


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