RE: Pen testing / Vuln Assessment from Cable Modem - question on service provider selection

["Michael Scheidell" <scheidell () secnap net>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: listbounce () securityfocus com 
> [mailto:listbounce () securityfocus com] On Behalf Of Tommy May
> Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 1:57 PM
> To: pen-test () securityfocus com
> Subject: Pen testing / Vuln Assessment from Cable Modem - 
> question on service provider selection
>
>
> Wondering if anyone else has had the same challenge...
>
> Issue - A standard nessus scan or nmap will choke my service 
> from a standard home based cable modem service.
>
> I currently use comcast, standard home-based cable modem 
> service.  I am considering going the business class route, 
> but before I pay for all the extra money, do any of you all 
> have any advice?
>
> I need to have a solid provider that is "used to dealing with 
> pen-test like customer businesses"... is there someone that 
> you all may be able to recommend that won't cost an arm and a 

Every single provider you find will have provisions in their contract
directly prohibiting that.
Imagine the legal paperwork any of these services would need to do to
make sure you weren't just a hacker or skiddy?
_I_ trust you, but they might not.

If it took their lawyers 2 days to draft a special agreement with you,
what would that cost?
There is no 'pen-test like' service.

The other issue is your cable modem, dsl modem, satellite modem,
whatever.  If it has a stateful firewall, and you only paid $39.95 for
it, how much ram do you think it has? How many connections do you think
it could hold open?

To pentest ONE target, possible 65,535 connections (times two)? For ONE
IP address?
A $600 sonicwall has enough ram for, oh, maybe 4000 concurrent
connections,
A cisco ASA5500 with security plus license might do 65,000 connections
(assuming 80% tcp, 20% udp)
That will cost you, oh, $15,000?

The $100 a month for the internet connection is the least of your
worries.
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