Full Disclosure mailing list archives
Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses
From: "James Matthews" <nytrokiss () gmail com>
Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2008 08:31:32 +0200
What i was referring to was having only programs on a corporate white list run. White listing services are provided by http://www.bit9.com/ and they have now partnered with Kaspersky to be able ID most programs and anything else run it in a sandbox. However your approach to blocking USB devices is better. But this is an overall approach. James On Mon, Nov 24, 2008 at 7:17 AM, Bipin Gautam <bipin.gautam () gmail com>wrote:
On 11/24/08, James Matthews <nytrokiss () gmail com> wrote:bit9 and kaspersky offer this new service. Companies should make use ofit.what service, James! Could you please explain more... I find it ridicules to know that this problem has been there since the earliest version of windows but still without a generic solution! Is this unwillingness for the approach to a proper solution is what has fueled the "antivirus business" for so long? If you look in the *nix side you will see this technique is tested/proven. Signature based or behavior based approach detection will continue to fail. To address this never-ending problem of virus infection from removable media, i have implemented no-execution-from-removable to dorzons of computers in the past years, even the dumbest of users understand what is being done and feel safe about they wont likely have virus infection from the removable media ever, even if the media has a virus. They know workaround on how to temporarily disable the restriction if they are willing to run something trustworthy as i have made the users clear there is no solution to the problem of virus infection from removable media and and you have to learn these few things ...like you have learned to use antivirus software to stay safe. Users get it, really! Antivirus companies should take similar approach (as described previously) to address it but adding USABILITY. This problem is there to stay for years to come. What better could be the proper solution to this problem? thanks, -bipinOn Sun, Nov 23, 2008 at 10:05 PM, Bipin Gautam <bipin.gautam () gmail com>wrote:On 11/23/08, Mike C <mike.cartall () gmail com> wrote:Of course, blindly thwacking people / dragging them to HR by the hair when they're really just trying to do their jobs is counter-productive. The calls also show us where we, security, are falling down. Perhaps it's poor awareness training (if the userdidn'tknow that they shouldn't run unapproved software, or why we have that rule, or how to get a new app approved); or could be that theofficialroute is being seen as too slow or bureaucratic, in which case it needs fixing. And so on.All I hope is we can fix the issue. Hopefully in the near future.Yeah! Here is my prospective to a possible solution that wouldn't compromise usability. But, first lets all agree on "banning execution of any binary from removable media" is the only straightforward solution this decades old problem of virus infection/propagation from removable media. See, if a web-page tries to install an activeX / browser plugin, your browser (non intrusively) waits for user interaction with a security warning message on "if you really intend to install the plugin (Which may be harmful!)" or .......may choose to ignore the dialog and continue browsing. Here, it is assumed "user understands" the security impact of executing untrusted programs from internet and let the execution decision left to the end user with manual interaction. If the plugin installation behavior is not intended user can simply ignore the manual interaction request for execution and instead continue. In similar way, anti virus company or Microsoft should create similar for "My Computer Zone" where the first execution of a binary "from removable media" is denied by default and prompt for user interaction to execute, white list&execute or terminate/ban the request for execution from removable media like the way internet explorer (non intrusively) handles installation of activeX like in IE. Binary execution from removable media should be treated that way ( untrusted ! ) Pen drive / SD have unique serial numbers which can be used to identify and permanently whitelist or blacklist the media from execution. Windows already has a feature for prompting if user tries to execute binary from intranet/shared folder or execution of binary marked as downloaded from "Internet Zone" Why not have similar for binary execution from removable media as well!? What better could be the solution to stopping virus to propagate from removable medias with (default) FAT file system. (lacking ACL's) For corporate environment let there be feature to sync these white listed/blacklisted hashes of executable or removable media UID from anti virus server/domain controller to anti virus clients/related service running in user end. Will this work :)? -thanks, bipin _______________________________________________ Full-Disclosure - We believe in it. Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/-- http://www.goldwatches.com/ http://www.jewelerslounge.com/luxury-insurance-- x-no-archive: yes
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Current thread:
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses imipak (Nov 23)
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses Mike C (Nov 23)
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses Bipin Gautam (Nov 23)
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses James Matthews (Nov 23)
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses Bipin Gautam (Nov 23)
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses James Matthews (Nov 23)
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses Bipin Gautam (Nov 23)
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses Mike C (Nov 23)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses Elazar Broad (Nov 23)
- Re: [inbox] Re: Fwd: Comment on: USB devices spreading viruses Salvador III Manaois (Nov 23)