Re: Email Pen-testing

From: Michael Richardson (mcr_at_sandelman.ottawa.on.ca)
Date: 03/22/04

  • Next message: R. DuFresne: "RE: Email Pen-testing"
    To: pen-test@securityfocus.com
    Date: Sun, 21 Mar 2004 18:16:48 -0500
    
    

    -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

    >>>>> "Blake" == Blake <netspan@hotmail.com> writes:
        Blake> Wanted to get your opinion on something... Doing a
        Blake> pen-test for a small bank which was proving very difficult to
        Blake> get it. A friend of mine suggested I send a backdoor trojan
        Blake> attachment via an email. If they clicked on it, the backdoor
        Blake> performs maybe a boxscan, grab passwords, and connects out to
        Blake> the Internet. --Much like a virus. I think this type of
        Blake> testing is becoming more relevant nowadays, especially with
        Blake> whats out there. It reinforces properly configured antivirus
        Blake> software and user awareness. I spoke with a previous
        Blake> customer of mine about the idea. He said he would be very
        Blake> upset if he was not told prior to that type of test as part

      This a form of what we call _BlackBox penetration testing and response
    testing_

      The purpose of it is to (hopefully) get caught. It is a test of the
    companies' response to an incident as well as whether or not they are
    secure.
      As such, I would expect some part of the customer to be aware of the
    situation, but not all of the customer, and certainly not the IT people.
      (i.e. CIO/CEO only)

      From: http://www.xelerance.com/penetration_testing.php

    } This is done without the knowledge of the end client
    }customer/user. Often only the CEO or CIO of the client is aware of the
    }effort. The consulting is provided with a "get out of jail free"
    }letter. The consultant team attempts to comprise the clients' security,
    }with the goal of causing some reaction from the customer. The goal is
    }not just to compromise a system, but to elicit a response from the
    }client, and possibly a response from a law enforcement agency.
    }
    }In such a test it is acceptable for the consultant to compromise one
    }server in order to continue gathering information, and/or attacking
    }other systems.

        Blake> of normal pen-testing. Generally speaking, my code of
        Blake> ethics doesn't allow me to social engineer. I don't like

      Well, trojan'ed email that needs to be double-clicked *IS* social
    engineering.

    - --
    ] ON HUMILITY: to err is human. To moo, bovine. | firewalls [
    ] Michael Richardson, Xelerance Corporation, Ottawa, ON |net architect[
    ] mcr@xelerance.com http://www.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca/mcr/ |device driver[
    ] panic("Just another Debian GNU/Linux using, kernel hacking, security guy"); [
    -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
    Version: GnuPG v1.2.2 (GNU/Linux)
    Comment: Finger me for keys

    iQCVAwUBQF4iX4qHRg3pndX9AQG9ZgQA35QSFTIOBcSVGiU1RAuXm2Rz5+qNDR9M
    syB2PU+sHg4piULicvVsxFb8RhpzR94lwFe8dIGe+4RDO/Ae4uUV60Rma9IPZKOB
    xuTKo+5ANbTpZRQJDZ56z7SeFYhCwJkJnO/J+lwZep+gAYk/oFnqItopnc8MhMis
    8ip/IdnPjHk=
    =05W+
    -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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  • Next message: R. DuFresne: "RE: Email Pen-testing"

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