Date: Fri, 04 Feb 2005 00:47:51 +0000 From: Chris Hodgins <chodgins@cis.strath.ac.uk> To: Gert Cuykens <gert.cuykens@gmail.com> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: ssh default security risc Message-ID: <4202C637.9050709@cis.strath.ac.uk> In-Reply-To: <ef60af090502031604391fcbd6@mail.gmail.com> References: <ef60af09050203143220daf9f9@mail.gmail.com> <4202B512.9080306@cis.strath.ac.uk> <ef60af09050203153670e8f27f@mail.gmail.com> <4202BC4E.4090809@cis.strath.ac.uk> <ef60af090502031604391fcbd6@mail.gmail.com>
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Gert Cuykens wrote: > On Fri, 04 Feb 2005 00:05:34 +0000, Chris Hodgins > <chodgins@cis.strath.ac.uk> wrote: > >>Gert Cuykens wrote: >> >>>On Thu, 03 Feb 2005 23:34:42 +0000, Chris Hodgins >>><chodgins@cis.strath.ac.uk> wrote: >>> >>> >>>>Gert Cuykens wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>>>By default the root ssh is disabled. If a dedicated server x somewhere >>>>>far far away doesn't have root ssh enabled the admin is pretty much >>>>>screwed if they hack his user account and change the user password >>>>>right ? >>>>> >>>>>So is it not better to enable it by default ? >>>>>_______________________________________________ >>>>>freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list >>>>>http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions >>>>>To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-questions-unsubscribe@freebsd.org" >>>>> >>>> >>>>Every unix box has a root account. Not every unix box has a jblogs >>>>account. Lets take the example of a brute-force attempt. The first >>>>thing I would do would be to attack roots password. I know the account >>>>exists. Might as well go for the big prize first. >>>> >>>>So having a root account enabled is definetly a bad thing. >>>> >>>>Chris >>>> >>> >>> >>>Do you agree a user acount is most of the time more vonerable then the >>>root account ? >> >>Assuming you know the username then maybe. It depends on the strength >>of the users password. If they are only using private keys with >>passphrases then you probably won't be getting access that way with any >>account. >> >> >>>If they can hack the root they can defenatly hack a user account too. >>>So i dont see any meaning of disabeling it. >> >>If they can hack root they own the system and can do what they like. By >>disabling root you remove the option of this happening. Instead they >>have to try and compromise a user account. Once they compromise the >>user account, they then have to gain root access (assuming that is their >>goal). Why bother with the hassle. There are plenty of machines out >>there already with weak root passwords. If a hacker really wants into >>your system he will find a way. >> >>Chris > > > True but the point is without the ssh root enabled there is nothing > you can do about it to stop them if they change your user password This is just a silly observation. If a hacker compromises your system, then generally it is time for a full re-install of the OS (unless of course you can prove they never gained root access or can track what they did as root - not easy). If you have an account you use for su'ing to root then you make sure it is locked down. Private key + strong passphrase. A hacker is really not going to succeed if you do this. My firewall also only allows ssh connections from trusted sources. If you REALLY want to continue this discussion, then take it off-line as we are generating a lot of non-informative noise now. Chris
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