Re: Gain root access on linux servers with physical access

Booting with Linux live cd and changing password should work.
Let me add to the mix - even after the access is gained a lot of work
probably remains to be done, since there could probably be back doors or
logic bombs.
For example if developer ABC does not login for x number of days, the
system will wipe out the code or something worse.

Aman Raheja, CISSP
http://ar.techquotes.com/weblog


On 14 Dec 2006 18:27:15 -0000, spammailme@xxxxxxxxx wrote :

All -

I was wondering ideas on how to gain control of linux boxes with physical
access to them in the hosting facility.

The owner has code on them yet never bothered monitoring or gaining root
access and her developers are blackmailing her. She has access the the
hosting facility and the servers and backup staff yet needs to regain
control of the servers.

I asked what OS are they? She did not know. nmap cannot tell and p0f
states:
# p0f
p0f - passive os fingerprinting utility, version 2.0.8
(C) M. Zalewski <lcamtuf@xxxxxxxx>, W. Stearns <wstearns@xxxxxxxxx>
p0f: listening (SYN) on 'eth0', 262 sigs (14 generic, cksum 0F1F5CA2),
rule: 'all'.
x.x.122.x:54368 - Linux 2.6 (newer, 2) (up: 410 hrs)
-> x.114.33.x:80 (distance 0, link: ethernet/modem)

Any ideas how to get root with physical access? I remember in the past
booting to a knoppix CD and messing with boot loader yet it has been a
while.

Also the only ports open are 80 & 443.

Any ideas?



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