RE: What is your policy on customers particapating in a pen test?

[Steve Hutchins <Steve.Hutchins () optimation co nz>]

> > If the customer watches you get onto a box, what's the
> > betting that they will stay all night patching all the
> > other similar boxes so you can't exploit them.

> Uhhh... So? This is not a competition. The idea is for the entity
> being attacked to improve their security. And the sooner they patch
> the holes the better.

If they do this during the test, it dilutes the impact of
the test and can also block the finding of other holes they 
might have. It also spoils the fun of the pen testers!

an analogy: the IRS auditing your books while you correct
the books at the same time (mind you, that would be neat)!


-----Original Message-----
From: Crist Clark [mailto:crist.clark () globalstar com]
Sent: Saturday, 23 June 2001 10:05 a.m.
To: Steve Hutchins
Cc: pen-test () securityfocus com
Subject: Re: What is your policy on customers particapating in a pen
test?


Steve Hutchins wrote:

[snip]

> If the customer watches you get onto a box, what's the
> betting that they will stay all night patching all the
> other similar boxes so you can't exploit them.

Uhhh... So? This is not a competition. The idea is for the entity
being attacked to improve their security. And the sooner they patch
the holes the better.
-- 
Crist J. Clark                                Network Security Engineer
crist.clark () globalstar com                    Globalstar, L.P.
(408) 933-4387                                FAX: (408) 933-4926

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