Penetration Testing mailing list archives
Re: Exploit through firewall question
From: Neil <neil () voidfx net>
Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2006 01:14:32 +0530
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On 7/19/2006 7:03 PM, mr.nasty () ix netcom com wrote: | Thanks for the responses. You've confirmed what I had passed to mgmt. But I still have a problem (with mgmt) understanding why?... | | | | I perform vulnerability analysis on our outside (public) web presense, usually during development and then after it's been deployed. I basically use the same tools for each. | | | | Mgmt wants me to only test through the firewall as if I'm coming in like the public. The rational is that the fw will prevent any attacks though ports other than 80 and 443. Therefore, there is no reason to change this configuration. | | | | What would be the reason to test behind the firewall? | | | | Any suggestions? | | | | Thanks | I'm having a little difficulty figuring out which firewall you're referring to, so I'll try to rationalize each. If your problem is that your firewall is blocking your exploit, and you want to do your test from outside the firewall because you feel it will make you more successful in exploiting the target, then your approach to management should be simple: In a penetration test, you simulate an attacker trying to break into the target. If an attacker feels s/he would be more successful from outside his firewall, then he will move outside his firewall. For you not to do the same would be a disservice to your clients, since they are not getting the best simulation of an attack possible, and they might wind up thinking they're safer than they are. On the flip side, if the problem is you want to try exploiting from inside the client's firewall, you can make an argument for that too (though a bit weaker). A high percentage of break-ins are inside jobs. ~ That's one reason to have security in depth. So, perhaps you should try coming in from the outside first, and then from the inside; with the idea that you're simulating various attack approaches. There's also the possibility of an attacker walking on site and plugging into the LAN, which might put him behind the firewall. However, with both of these arguments to test behind the client's firewall, it depends on the scope of your penetration test. Perhaps the company trusts its physical security and employees, and thus doesn't want that sort of test. You could make a very rational argument for each; however there's a chance that management simply doesn't care for your argument. In which case there is nothing to do except advise them of how much this impacts the quality of the pen-test and do the best you can within your limits. - -Neil. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.3 (MingW32) iD8DBQFEvougOsIj4a0+XVMRAvtVAJ411pKWVg/UbrTybG/4sSF7FrUYIQCePtRn 8ue+5TEde3+UQaKcKfObhPc= =ox9F -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This List Sponsored by: CenzicConcerned about Web Application Security? Why not go with the #1 solution - Cenzic, the only one to win the Analyst's Choice Award from eWeek. As attacks through web applications continue to rise, you need to proactively protect your applications from hackers. Cenzic has the most comprehensive solutions to meet your application security penetration testing and vulnerability management needs. You have an option to go with a managed service (Cenzic ClickToSecure) or an enterprise software (Cenzic Hailstorm). Download FREE whitepaper on how a managed service can help you: http://www.cenzic.com/news_events/wpappsec.php And, now for a limited time we can do a FREE audit for you to confirm your results from other product. Contact us at request () cenzic com for details.
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Current thread:
- Exploit through firewall question mr . nasty (Jul 18)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question brad Causey (Jul 18)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question brad Causey (Jul 18)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: Exploit through firewall question mr . nasty (Jul 19)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question jm (Jul 19)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question Neil (Jul 19)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question Allen Pomeroy (Jul 19)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question Gary E. Miller (Jul 19)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question Larry Offley (Jul 19)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question Curt Purdy (Jul 19)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question Phil Frederick (Jul 19)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question killy (Jul 19)
- RE: Exploit through firewall question lists (Jul 19)
- Re: Exploit through firewall question R. DuFresne (Jul 20)
- RE: Exploit through firewall question salexander (Jul 19)
- RE: Exploit through firewall question Bob.Maggard (Jul 19)
(Thread continues...)