Times to move to Linux

Wed Jun 26 14:41:01 MST 2013

Paul,

On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 2:22 PM, Paul Mooring <paul at opscode.com> wrote:

>  Lisa,
>
>  I think I mostly agree with you here.  If you're opening random pdf
> files ect. than you can be easily compromised for sure, my point was more
> along the lines of it's not all that easy for people to just "get in"
> although there's a litany of attack vectors that could be used to exploit a
> system they all involve some sort of attack vector.  I mostly just get
> tired of the "OMG the NSA is in my box!" mindset that tends to circumvent
> discussion of actual real life issues.  Specifically in light of recent
> events I'm much less concerned with the somewhat far fetched idea that the
> government is is intercepting and decrypted my encrypted traffic on the
> wire and much more concerned with the fact that my telco is just handing
> over all my conversations without even protesting.
>

I completely agree.

>
>
>
>  Paul Mooring
> Operations Engineer
> www.opscode.com
>
>  ------------------------------
> *From:* plug-discuss-bounces at lists.phxlinux.org on behalf of Lisa Kachold
> *Sent:* Wednesday, June 26, 2013 2:01 PM
>
> *To:* Main PLUG discussion list
> *Subject:* Re: Times to move to Linux
>
>  OMG Paul,
>
> On Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 9:19 AM, Paul Mooring <paul at opscode.com> wrote:
>
>> Matt,
>>
>> There couldn't be a saner point to add to this conversation.  I'm
>> frequently surprised at how even people who understand computers and
>> networking treat security as some sort of dark magic.  If you have a fully
>> patched Linux desktop with no externally listening services, no one (not
>> even the NSA) can get in without going to extreme lengths.
>
>
>  Wait, let me send you a PDF file; since you are sure to be running a
> browser from her, or better yet, point you to a nice javascript plugin,
> like BEef? <http://beefproject.com/>
>
>
>> People are so frightened by the PRISM controversy that they aren't
>> acknowledging that it's great insight into how the government really does
>> gather data, they ask for it while holding a really big gun.  There was no
>> crazy backdoors or complex exploits involved, they just told companies that
>> had data to give it to them and the companies complied.  The lesson we
>> should be learning from this is that data you put on the Internet is not
>> private, ever.
>>
>
>  Well said Paul.  It reminds me of the quote "A completely secure server
> is one buried in concrete 30 feet down."
>
>  Hopefully, that is including all TCP/IP services because the linux
> kernel can be trivially fuzzed.<http://resources.infosecinstitute.com/intro-to-fuzzing/>
>
>
>  Even with encryption and pgp keys (all forms of encryption<http://it-clowns.com/c/files/drawer/crypt.ppt>have been broken) all our information is available.
>
>  Even on our internal networks, our SSH and HTTPS sessions are easy
> hijack and intercept without VPN/VLAN (and someone even with).
>
>>
>> Paul Mooring
>> Operations Engineer
>> www.opscode.com
>>
>>  Also see my comments below:
>
>>
>>
>> From: Lisa Kachold
>> > It's trivial to send you a PDF or Javascript Browser Exploitation BEef
>> > hook and walk through your systems
>>
>> How do NoScript and using evince/kpdf instead of Acrobrat Reader affect
>> those
>> trivial exploits?
>>
>
> Noscript stops the BEef from hooking.
> You open a PDF with exploits or shellcode and your still owned.
>
>>
>> > agents that can be delivered via email (Kaseya or LivePerson) and J2EE
>> > exploits that can be launched easily = opening you wide.
>>
>> Of course, if you're using a mail client that executes things found in
>> attachments, you'll get pwn3d quickly.  Are there any mail clients that do
>> those things in this day and age?
>>
>
>  Microsoft Outlook is the only one I can think of, other than the
> versions in Blackberry phones made to use the same type of email "view
> panes".
>
>
>>  I thought they'd even partially fixed
>>
> Not completely!
>
>
>>  Outhouse in that respect.  J2EE?  Who has all the components of J2EE
>> installed
>> (besides Java developers)?  In the last 5 years, I've seen exactly 2 Java
>> applets in the wild.  Client-side Java is *uncommon* in the modern WWW
>> AFAICT;
>> the things people used to use Java for have been taken over by Flash/JS.
>>
>
>  That's due to browser security = but you can still easily GET a J2EE
> virus/infection (in all manner of ways from Win7 to SAP to linux/Mac).
>
>>
>> > Surveillance technology continues from all your expenditures, all your
>> > travel (license plate readers), and your phone behaviors, and can
>> include
>> > remote viewing (without camera technology you would recognize).
>>
>> I can see how it'd be easy to track credit card transactions (bank
>> records)
>> and car movements (via traffic cameras).  Could you explain "remote
>> viewing
>> without camera technology" more clearly?
>>
>
>  It's a common tool that allows military to see inside of buildings.
>  ARGUS uses it:
>
>
> http://motherboard.vice.com/blog/pretty-soon-drones-will-be-able-to-see-inside-your-bedroom
>
>
>>
>> --
>> Matt G / Dances With Crows
>> The Crow202 Blog:  http://crow202.org/wordpress/
>> There is no Darkness in Eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see
>>
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>
>
>
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> it-clowns.com <http://it-clowns.com/d/>
> Chief Clown
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