Re: [Full-Disclosure] No Subject (re: openssh exploit code?)

From: Anders B Jansson (hdw_at_kallisti.se)
Date: 10/21/03

  • Next message: John Sage: "Re: [Full-Disclosure] No Subject (re: openssh exploit code?)"
    To: full-disclosure@lists.netsys.com
    Date: Tue, 21 Oct 2003 12:38:37 +0200
    
    

    There's two sets of bad attitude going round and round in this thread.
    Heating the debate to pure sillyness.

    One shown by the parties that understand how a buffer overflow with
    only zeroes can be exploited, but who until today have refused to
    even mention the theory behind it. Resorting to "if you don't understand
    this just shut up and patch your system".

    The other shown by the parties who don't understand how a buffer overflow
    with only zeroes can be exploited, and taken the position of "if I can't
    understand it, it can't exist".

    Today we've got the explaination.

    Now even I understand how this could be exploited.

    <<snip>>
    > Fact
    > remains that exploiting this issue requires creativity beyond
    > the pre-chewed papers. And that's why you're not seeing the regular
    > array of mediocre "hackers" producing exploit code. I'd like to
    > think that anyone who was capable of writing this exploit also
    > recognises the potential impact of releasing it.

    But the "array of mediocre hackers" also scream wolf quite often,
    causing admins of 24/365 system to be a bit selective on when to
    take the system down to patch.
    And with a weakness/exploit that 99% of even seasoned admins can't
    figure out how it can be an exploit it's not so hard to understand
    that several of us say "huh, can anyone explain how this can be an
    exploit".

    Badly expressed I'm afraid, coming across as "show me a working exploit
    and I'll patch, otherwise I'll regard this a a hoax", instead of "can
    anyone explain, in theory, how this could be exploited".

    End of thread I hope.

    // hdw

    _______________________________________________
    Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
    Charter: http://lists.netsys.com/full-disclosure-charter.html


  • Next message: John Sage: "Re: [Full-Disclosure] No Subject (re: openssh exploit code?)"

    Relevant Pages

    • Sasser virus
      ... not affected by the LSASS vulnerability, there is no patch ... >It is my understanding that Sasser is exploiting a known ... >never bother updating Windows. ...
      (microsoft.public.security)
    • Re: This world is a blast
      ... Capitalism is man exploiting man. ... With communism, it's the other way round. ...
      (soc.religion.quaker)
    • Re: [Full-disclosure] Microsoft patches the WMI Object Broker bug
      ... Doh. ... Ryan Naraine pointed out that there is no patch, ... the advisory just confirms that people are exploiting it. ...
      (Full-Disclosure)
    • Sasser virus
      ... It is my understanding that Sasser is exploiting a known ... Windows flaw for which Microsoft issued a software patch ... never bother updating Windows. ...
      (microsoft.public.security)

  • Quantcast