RE: [TSCM-L] Security? Huh!

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: "Huggins, Michael" <mhhuggins () firstcommand com>

In regards to this item.  There is a security course of instruction
the Chief identified taught there and I an a few others developed it.

It is based on dare I say this "Government standards" when developed
it met all NSTISSI requirements for security fundamentals.  If it has
deteriorated since then it is due to the fact that the government is
losing all of the truly dedicated to open market.

In fact there are numerous government (US Navy) coi's for information
security

Advanced Network Administrator (heavy focus on security)
Network security vulnerability Technician (NSVT)
ISSM 

And if the individual has a problem with security

DON 5230 series document exist to cover every asset available.

Maybe the tools this individual has access to aren't true hacker tools
But, they have been validated to not have Trojans, Backdoors.

SPAWAR to my experience has a lot of material available to them that
if this individual reviewed would change their statement.

If not spawars than perhaps IASE.DISA.Mil and it's free to all
Americans (usa no insult to my can/mex friends)

Review, educate, inform before opening mouth and inserting foot.

Very Respectfully Michael H. Huggins Retired USN Chief, CISSP


-----Original Message-----
From: InfoSec News [mailto:isn () c4i org] 
Sent: Wednesday, March 06, 2002 2:31 AM
To: isn () attrition org
Subject: RE: [ISN] [TSCM-L] Security? Huh! 

From: "Anonymous" <popeye () navy mil>

[OK, yesterday I said that this thread is dead unless something
interesting popped up, well this one is interesting.  This posting is
anonymized since this comes from someone active-duty in the navy,
reads from the web, and would probably get in a world of hurt posting
under their real name(s).   - WK]

I hate to contradict this opinion, however, I am an Operations
Specialist active in the USN. ITC ( Information Technology Chief ) has
obviously not been exposed to the security side of things very well.

For one, without my inside knowledge of the USN's network, you can see
the amount of defacements that are gov't based. The numbers speak for
themselves. As for the Navy, they are sadly restricted in their
ability to efficently secure their network due to being contracted out
by SPAWAR. No unauthorized "third-party" software is allowed.

The security applications that are made available via SPAWAR is
pathetic. No IDS, no monitoring software, no nothing. They rely on the
LAN Admin's event log alone. Now this may actually be worth something
if the admin is actually worth a shit. Usually it's someone not even
in the IT rating that has a fair knowledge of NT.

There are many ways that I believe the USN and all military
establishments could increase the security of their network. I cannot
go into specifics on what I have seen myself, but I can say I have
identified 3 major security holes on my ship alone.

I can only assume the entire Navy is like this. Maybe they should make
security school a requirement before they send these guys to run a
network.

[...]



-
ISN is currently hosted by Attrition.org

To unsubscribe email majordomo () attrition org with 'unsubscribe isn' in the BODY
of the mail.