Messages in this thread | | | Date | Fri, 13 Aug 1999 13:51:31 -0400 (EDT) | From | "Robert G. Brown" <> | Subject | Re: Gates of Hell |
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On 13 Aug 1999, Jan Vroonhof wrote:
> It depends of course on what your definition of "on the network" is. > Do you read comp.risks? Some Win9x machines come with preinstalled > ActiveX components that are exploitable. Several versions of MTA's > have MIME overflows etc. Then there is of course the trojan horses, > macro virusses etc that are not a monopoly of Win9x but are certainly > more widespread there. > > Win9x machines are opening up towards the net and their current track > record isn't very good either. Has anybody ever checked those networks > aware games for overflows?
All good points. Alan's point about viruses is well-taken as well; windows boxes have other routes through which bad things can enter their boxes besides the network, and such network access as they have may well open other virus-like routes.
I was merely trying to temper the notion that linux is really safe either, or even necessarily safe-r. To me the interesting thing is that web-commerce exists at all, given the largely unexplored nature of the risks associated with it. Just because your browser is "secure" doesn't mean at all that the transaction is.
> If Barclays is really that concerned about password theft they should > use technology that doesn't require you to use enter a password > directly into the computer at all, such as a separate "calculator". > My bank does.
I still favor the ssh model. Really, even this is only as secure as the host(s) you consider "trusted", but at least you can batten down various hatches on a system that offers only sshd and perhaps sendmail as open ports. Although we are getting WAY off topic for the lists...;-)
The worst thing about SPAM to a list is the flurry of list traffic it engenders. If everybody just ignores it on the list (possibly sending an acceptable use complaint quietly to the originating ISP with a few threats:-) it has far less impact.
rgb
Robert G. Brown http://www.phy.duke.edu/~rgb/ Duke University Dept. of Physics, Box 90305 Durham, N.C. 27708-0305 Phone: 1-919-660-2567 Fax: 919-660-2525 email:rgb@phy.duke.edu
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