lkml.org 
[lkml]   [1996]   [Mar]   [29]   [last100]   RSS Feed
Views: [wrap][no wrap]   [headers]  [forward] 
 
Messages in this thread
/
Date
From
SubjectRe: promiscuous mode


On Mon, 25 Mar 1996, Alan Cox wrote:

> Date: Mon, 25 Mar 1996 09:00:47 +0000 (GMT)
> From: Alan Cox <alan@cymru.net>
> To: Sean Utt <sean@northwest.com>
> Cc: linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu, Linus.Torvalds@helsinki.fi
> Subject: Re: promiscuous mode
>
> > Recently, a user was able to temporarily gain root access on one of my
> > systems, and of course the first thing they did was install a password
> > sniffer. Why is there not an option when compiling the kernel to
> > completely disable promiscuous mode? I started to look over the source
> > to see how difficult it would be to just remove the code responsible for
> > activating promiscous mode, but I don't have time right now to dig deeper.
>
> Because its a stupid option: All the hacker has to do if you dont have the
> kernel code for promiscuous mode is upload a tiny root runnable binary that
> does the relevant I/O operations. False security is worse than making the
> issue clear.
>
> If you want security:
>
> a) Don't run plaintext passwords over the network use ssh/slogin or kerberos.
> b) Use a filtering hub. Yes most of those you can get through with a lot of
> skill but it stops the masses pulling a fast one.

c) Get an ethercard with jumpers to disable promisc mode. I havn't heard
of any program that can get around THAT. :-)

--Dan

(Filtering hubs are EXPENSIVE!)




\
 
 \ /
  Last update: 2005-03-22 13:36    [W:0.065 / U:0.952 seconds]
©2003-2020 Jasper Spaans|hosted at Digital Ocean and TransIP|Read the blog|Advertise on this site