Re: some thoughts on the Slammer fiasco

From: Steve Kass (skass@drew.edu)
Date: 01/26/03 

Date: Sun, 26 Jan 2003 16:58:27 -0500
From: Steve Kass <skass@drew.edu>

http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletinsByType/vndr_vax_sys_bulletins.html
bugtraq@securityfocus.com/msg09212.html">http://www.mail-archive.com/bugtraq@securityfocus.com/msg09212.html
http://tinyurl.com/4xe7

SK

rip wrote:

>None of my production servers were affected by this worm.
>Why? Because we don't run "bet your business", large
>revenue generating systems on windoz. We use VMS!!! After
>over 10 years and billions of dollars in revenue
>generation, we have never experienced ANY downtime due to
>viruses (or even loss of data due to StorageWorks).
>
>So why is this? The same dude (Cutler) who architected VMS
>was also the Architect for NT (now windoz 2000). It is
>absolutely impossible for an external IP connection to
>"Take over" a process on VMS because at it's core has a
>priviledged based process creation/image activation
>acrhitecture. Windoz has absolutely no concept of this idea
>and thus will ALWAYS be vulnerable to viruses. The only
>workaround is to block ports and have MS "hack" their own
>software. Pretty poor!!!
>
>So where was MS appology for this mess? Are they monitarily
>responsible? Will there be cival suits? When are they going
>to completely "create" a brand new OS thats secure? I use
>the word create loosely since MS has NEVER created their
>own OS; they bought everyone including windoz.
>
>Lastly, your premise of "loosers" is stupid. The entire
>internet was brought down by a poorly written application.
>Imagine that, application data traffic swamping the
>internet. So, the entire internets availability is the
>responsibility of clones to patch the MS products? No,
>lesson learned. Firewalls are worthless and routers (Cisco
>with million line access lists) were not designed to handle
>this. Is it the responsibility of a router to manage
>application traffic? i think what we need is a whole new
>level of technology to manage and secure application data
>traffic. Don't expect it from MS or Cisco; they'll just
>point fingers at each other.
>
>Lesson learned: Don't use MS to run your critical apps on
>and get them OFF the internet. Amazing that Bank of
>America's ATM network got infected from the internet. Why
>does that ATM network have any connections to the internet.
>Eventually the "internet" will be like a low cost mass
>transit system like a bus or subway and those who want
>highly available/secure networks will buy their own private
>jets for transportation (completely isolated, autonomous
>networks. Forget VPN).
>
>rip
>
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>
>>These are my thoughts regarding some of the moronic posts
>>
>>
>seen here
>
>
>>recently.
>>
>>WTF are you running a software firewall on an SQL box for.
>>
>>
> SQL should stand
>
>
>>alone. And please buy a hardware firewall.
>>
>>Here is a question someone running Oracle would not ask.
>>
>>
>"Can (software
>
>
>>firewall of your choice) block port X.
>>
>>I am an SQL Server DBA and quite frankly ashamed of the
>>
>>
>low level of
>
>
>>knowledge and lack of willingness to keep up with simple
>>
>>
>security updates on
>
>
>>the part of the losers here whining about how to keep
>>
>>
>their servers safe.
>
>
>>Either learn how to play, or get of the field. And people
>>
>>
>wonder why SQL
>
>
>>Server DBAs make less than a DBA for Oracle, DB2, Sybase, etc.
>>
>>"But is was sooo easy to install, I clicked next. I'm
>>
>>
>safe now, right?"
>
>
>>Personally, I hope the IT slump goes on for 5 more years
>>
>>
>to weed out
>
>
>>wannabes like the people here.
>>
>>Sid
>>
>>
>>.
>>
>>
>>

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