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Date:      Sat, 8 Sep 2001 05:52:27 -0500 (CDT)
From:      hawkeyd@visi.com (D J Hawkey Jr)
To:        deepak@ai.net, freebsd-security@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Kernel-loadable Root Kits
Message-ID:  <200109081052.f88AqRG30016@sheol.localdomain>
In-Reply-To: <GPEOJKGHAMKFIOMAGMDIGEHGFHAA.deepak_ai.net@ns.sol.net>
References:  <GPEOJKGHAMKFIOMAGMDIGEHGFHAA.deepak_ai.net@ns.sol.net>

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In article <GPEOJKGHAMKFIOMAGMDIGEHGFHAA.deepak_ai.net@ns.sol.net>,
	deepak@ai.net writes:
> 
> Short question:
> 
> Is there a way to prevent the kernel from allowing loadable modules?

If you're dealing with a "fixed purpose" server, the kernel may not
need any KLD. On two of my servers, only blank_saver.ko is loaded,
and that could be eliminated too, by not using a screensaver.

> Thought process --
> 
> With the advent of the kernel-loadable root kit, intrusion detection has
> gotten a bit more complicated. Is there a _simple_ solution to detecting the
> presence of a kernel-based root kit once it is running?
> 
> Scenario:
> 
> System is violated,
> Root kit is installed,
> Root kit [binaries] are deleted from the machine.
> 
> Solution:
> 
> Reboot machine

Rebooting won't necessarily fix anything. IIRC, one Linux rootkit
replaces a module with the backdoor. If the kernel needed that module
once, it'll need it again.

> How does one DETECT that the root kit is there in the first place to know to
> reboot it?

Tripwire.

> Thanks,
> Deepak Jain
> AiNET

Hope this helps,
Dave

-- 

Windows: "Where do you want to go today?"
Linux: "Where do you want to go tomorrow?"
FreeBSD: "Are you guys coming, or what?"


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