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Date:      Wed, 09 Oct 2002 15:54:27 -0400
From:      Mike Tancsa <mike@sentex.net>
To:        Kris Kennaway <kris@FreeBSD.ORG>
Cc:        security@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: Am I downloading what I think I am (was Re: I doubt that this affects FreeBSD, but FYI
Message-ID:  <5.1.1.6.0.20021009154208.05e43d98@marble.sentex.ca>
In-Reply-To: <20021009193602.GG84472@xor.obsecurity.org>
References:  <20021009193436.GF84472@xor.obsecurity.org> <A87611A0-DB29-11D6-8AF4-003065479A66@infospace.com> <4.3.2.7.2.20021008174734.029e9e00@localhost> <A87611A0-DB29-11D6-8AF4-003065479A66@infospace.com> <5.1.1.6.0.20021009130608.0655d7f8@marble.sentex.ca> <20021009193436.GF84472@xor.obsecurity.org>

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At 12:36 PM 09/10/2002 -0700, Kris Kennaway wrote:
>On Wed, Oct 09, 2002 at 01:13:51PM -0400, Mike Tancsa wrote:
>
> > One thing to note about MD5 sums, is that if someone broke into an ftp site
> > and uploaded a trojaned file, why not upload a new matching MD5 checksum
> > file as well ?
>
>MD5 sums distributed _with_ the binary are a guard against corruption

Hi,
         Sorry, I should have been more clear.  I was speaking more to the 
general issue of a user downloading both the binary and checksum from the 
same source as is / was the case with ftp.sendmail.org.

I really like how the ports work because they do add a bit of extra 
security.  Like you said, its not perfect, but it does help.  Actually, I 
am somewhat surprised there is not some more widely used mechanism.  e.g. 
for integrity checksums, why not have it on a totally separate server run 
on a totally separate network by totally separate admins.  data one place, 
checksum another.  This way to tamper with the package, you would need to 
compromise two different systems. A sort of checksum clearing house ?

         ---Mike


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