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Greg

> -----Original Message-----
&gt; From: ale-bounces at ale.org [<a  rel="nofollow" href="mailto:ale-bounces";>mailto:ale-bounces</a> at ale.org]On Behalf Of James
&gt; P. Kinney III
&gt; Sent: Monday, July 05, 2004 11:14 AM
&gt; To: Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts
&gt; Subject: Re: [ale] OT: Firewall purchase
&gt;
&gt;
&gt; On Sun, 2004-07-04 at 23:37, David Hamm wrote:
&gt; &gt; Are you suggesting that a power blink will cause the firewall
&gt; to replace it's
&gt; &gt; remote access password with a default/HARDCODED password?
&gt;
&gt; There is a series of firewall products whose name brand escapes me
&gt; (search on slashdot) that has a backdoor password that was embedded. The
&gt; patch was a flash upgrade that turned off the password use from the
&gt; outside connection. Further study showed the power reset would revert
&gt; back to the default allow remote login with backdoor password.
&gt;
&gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; Both of those have known security issues.
&gt; &gt; Last time I looked the only security issue with NetGear's
&gt; FVS318 had to do
&gt; &gt; with a buffer overflow on the remote access login.  The
&gt; overflow would cause
&gt; &gt; a reboot of the unit and no other side effects.  A rule that
&gt; only permits
&gt; &gt; access from a couple of specific known hosts reduces exposure
&gt; to this.  If
&gt; &gt; you have a link with more info please pass it along.
&gt;
&gt; see above. If I get the time today, I'll dig up the references I was
&gt; reading on this. It's about 2 months old (or so)
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; Neither support VPN connections directly.
&gt; &gt; Huh?  I just put a VPN together a couple months ago with a pair
&gt; of FVS318s.
&gt; &gt; It also worked two years ago when I tested the ability of the FVS318 to
&gt; &gt; connect to a Nortel 1510.  We could make the connection but the
&gt; two units
&gt; &gt; couldn't negotiate a routing protocal.
&gt;
&gt; The VPN in many off the shelf devices is PPtP which has numerous, well
&gt; known vulnerabilities. PPtP is used often as it is easy to do and older
&gt; M$ machines support it easily with little support needed to set it up.
&gt;
&gt; When I think of a VPN, I'm thinking IPSec with pre-shared keys. There
&gt; are many firewall boxes that support IPSec with pre-shared keys. None
&gt; are in the $100 range. All require additional license purchase for
&gt; multiple VPN client access.
&gt;
&gt; A _real_ VPN server can act as the end point for the VPN tunnel. Most of
&gt; the firewall devices out there _support_ VPN by merely passing IPSec
&gt; datagrams freely. They do not act as a VPN server or client.
&gt;
&gt; **NOTE** I don't regularly check all the stats on new network hardware
&gt; that does in silicon what I prefer to do in RAM. The last sweep of
&gt; firewall technology I did was Feb. 2004 and that was of corporate
&gt; firewall products that support IPSec. None of those was less than $1500.
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; All of the off-the-shelf firewall devices are generic boxes that are
&gt; &gt; &gt; cookie cutter rule sets for a limited set of protection scenarios. The
&gt; &gt; &gt; ability to ssh into the firewall and adjust as needed is absolutely
&gt; &gt; &gt; priceless.
&gt; &gt; Yes, I like ssh and IPtables too but this isn't a problem for
&gt; that solution.
&gt;
&gt; Then have the client spend the $100 for &quot;The Emperors New Clothes&quot;
&gt; firewall product. Make sure you get a release of liability document
&gt; signed before you put it in. If it is a product that _you_ recommend,
&gt; you WILL be the first person called on a problem. I have found
&gt; supporting products that I don't have complete and full access to
&gt; difficult at best and impossible at worst. I don't like being in the
&gt; position of having the responsibility for a situation but not the
&gt; authority to do what I see is best to make the solution happen.
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; On Sunday 04 July 2004 08:31 pm, James P. Kinney III wrote:
&gt; &gt; &gt; On Sun, 2004-07-04 at 16:15, David Hamm wrote:
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Thanks for the links and suggestions but this firewall is
&gt; for a client
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; and building a custom firewall will not be price
&gt; competitive;  Especially
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; if you consider the ease of use available for $100 from Netgear and
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; D-Link.
&gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; Both of those have known security issues. Neither support VPN
&gt; &gt; &gt; connections directly. Having a hardware device that has had a backdoor
&gt; &gt; &gt; password that is HARDCODED into the silicon and well published is a
&gt; &gt; &gt; waste of cash. One the power blinks, they go back to the default
&gt; &gt; &gt; backdoor settings.
&gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; The upfront cost of buying a supportable setup is negligible
&gt; compared to
&gt; &gt; &gt; the replacement cost over time of upgrading the firewall
&gt; hardware system
&gt; &gt; &gt; everytime a new feature to stop a new style of attack is not
&gt; upgradeable
&gt; &gt; &gt; by a flash of the bios.
&gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; All of the off-the-shelf firewall devices are generic boxes that are
&gt; &gt; &gt; cookie cutter rule sets for a limited set of protection scenarios. The
&gt; &gt; &gt; ability to ssh into the firewall and adjust as needed is absolutely
&gt; &gt; &gt; priceless.
&gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; Besides, how else are you going to run Bob's ruleset?!
&gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; On Sunday 04 July 2004 03:40 pm, Dow Hurst wrote:
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; David Hamm wrote:
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Hi,
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; I'm looking for a firewall that supports IPSEC for VPN and OSPF.
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Netgear has
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; stuff I found attractive but with no OSPF support.
&gt; Moving parts (ie
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; fans and
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; disks ), and user licensing are out. Anyone have any
&gt; suggestions?
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Thanks.
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; _______________________________________________
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Ale mailing list
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Ale at ale.org
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; <a  rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale";>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</a>
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Look at building it yourself using Slackware, Bob Toxen's second
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; edition of his book, and a Epia based fanless supersmall
&gt; machine with
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; dual builtin NICs.  His book has drop in iptables rules that are
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; excellent. Once you get that far then going thru the
&gt; IPSEC Howto is not
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; too difficult.  Just involves a kernel module compile and
&gt; insertion.
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Links:
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; <a  rel="nofollow" href="http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/VPN-Masquerade-HOWTO.html#toc3";>http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/VPN-Masquerade-HOWTO.html#toc3</a>
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; <a  rel="nofollow" href="http://www.impsec.org/linux/masquerade/ip_masq_vpn.html";>http://www.impsec.org/linux/masquerade/ip_masq_vpn.html</a>
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; <a  rel="nofollow" href="http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/bsd/2004/03/11/Big_Scary_Daemons.html";>http://www.onlamp.com/pub/a/bsd/2004/03/11/Big_Scary_Daemons.html</a> (this
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; is one idea)
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; _______________________________________________
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Ale mailing list
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Ale at ale.org
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; <a  rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale";>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</a>
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; _______________________________________________
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Ale mailing list
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; Ale at ale.org
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt; <a  rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale";>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</a>
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; &gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; _______________________________________________
&gt; &gt; Ale mailing list
&gt; &gt; Ale at ale.org
&gt; &gt; <a  rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale";>http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale</a>
&gt; &gt;
&gt; &gt; !DSPAM:40e8cd85313746117867552!
&gt; --
&gt; James P. Kinney III          \Changing the mobile computing world/
&gt; CEO &amp; Director of Engineering \          one Linux user         /
&gt; Local Net Solutions,LLC        \           at a time.          /
&gt; 770-493-8244                    \.___________________________./
&gt; <a  rel="nofollow" href="http://www.localnetsolutions.com";>http://www.localnetsolutions.com</a>
&gt;
&gt; GPG ID: 829C6CA7 James P. Kinney III (M.S. Physics)
&gt; &lt;jkinney at localnetsolutions.com&gt;
&gt; Fingerprint = 3C9E 6366 54FC A3FE BA4D 0659 6190 ADC3 829C 6CA7
&gt;


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