RE: [fw-wiz] AltaVista Firewall

From: Bruce Platt (Bruce_at_ei3.com)
Date: 06/09/04

  • Next message: Matthew J. Harmon: "Re: [fw-wiz] AltaVista Firewall" 
    To: "Matthew J. Harmon" <mjh@itys.net>, firewall-wizards@honor.icsalabs.com
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2004 14:02:58 -0400

    Previous posters are correct, this was sold to Axent and a maintenance
    release named Raptor-EC was issued four or five years ago.

    I worked on a few of the original versions on both Win/NT and Digital Unix
    in the '97 and '98 timeframe.

    Also correct is the statement that your client should get off of this and
    onto something more modern as soon as possible.

    As far as set up and management is concerned: (and I am going only from
    hazy memory)

    1. Through a web-browser running as part of the fw software.
    2. Application layer proxies for http, smtp, finger, etc. One feature of
    the smtp proxy is that it holds the mail if the internet net smtp server
    goes off the air. Packet Filtering capabilities as well.
    3. None of the modern features we have come to expect. ( :-) ). There is
    little inspection of the application traffic running through the proxy, no
    ability to do things like implement rbl checks, etc.
    4. All configuration information is saved in text files (I am sure about
    this on the Unix version, and I think this is so on the Win/NT version.)
    So, you can look for "config" files in the likely place (the install
    directory of the sw), and look around in them. I would stay away from
    messing with them outside of the browser UI

    I have a copy of the documentation which I will send to Matthew under
    separate cover. He can provide it to others if he chooses

    As an interesting historical note. The AltaVista Firewall product grew from
    work which was originally done at DEC by Marcus Ranum and a few others when
    he worked with Fred Avolio back in the late 80's and early 90's. I had the
    pleasure of knowing them then. They had the vision to know that the
    marketplace needed a "real" firewall product. So, they and a few others
    built one. The AltaVista FW product was intended to be an easy to use
    "gadget" which didn't really need the skills of a sophisticated security
    professional to install configure and deploy.

    Digital created an entire product line around the Search Engine, the
    Firewall, and some other things, pieces of which were sold off as the
    Company required cash to keep running after serious management blunders in
    the 90's and before it was acquired by Compaq.

    +---------------------------------------+
    Bruce B. Platt, Ph.D.

    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Matthew J. Harmon [mailto:mjh@itys.net]
    > Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2004 10:50 PM
    > To: firewall-wizards@honor.icsalabs.com
    > Subject: [fw-wiz] AltaVista Firewall
    >
    >
    > I recently entered an client engagement and they are using
    > the AltaVista
    > Firewall (migrating away, but still need support). About
    > five years ago
    > I very briefly worked with this product (Digital ->
    > Compaq/HP) which now
    > appears to have no support, the digital.com website for their
    > software
    > (altavista.software.digital.com) is gone, the compaq website only has
    > product information (no technical documentation) and the support tech
    > (last ditch effort!) I talked to argued with me for ten minutes about
    > how AltaVista is a search engine and not a firewall.
    >
    > So far, my only luck has been the wayback machine, which has even
    > provided me little information.
    >
    > At this point, I am tossing myself at the mercy of those who may have
    > experience with this firewall and perhaps documentation saved around
    > somewhere? Or even a quick write up would be great. With
    > permission, I
    > will make a quick AltaVista Firewall 101 FAQ.
    >
    > Thanks for any help you can provide!
    >
    > -Matthew
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  • Next message: Matthew J. Harmon: "Re: [fw-wiz] AltaVista Firewall"

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