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SSH Issues: Does Installing SSH Enable More Exploits Than it Solves?

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John Traenkenschuh 

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Did You Know 4.0
By on August 14, 2010 No Comments

There's an old video on You Tube that purports to be a true indicator of massive world changes.  What do you think of it?

For the Summer...
By on August 8, 2010 No Comments

It's amazing how many songs, how many major events are recorded as Summer events.  How will the summer of 2010 be remembered?

How Long?
By on May 28, 2010 No Comments

John is in shock as the Apple Juggernaut rolls forward.  How long before Win Mobile gets the respect it deserves?

50 times in a minute
By on May 2, 2010 No Comments

What happens fifty times each minute?

How much is your FaceBook account worth?
By on April 27, 2010 No Comments

1.5 Million Facebook accounts are being sold.  How much is yours worth?

Tenent 4: Storing Data? The 90's called...
By on April 25, 2010 No Comments

The 90's called and they want their store-data-live-on-a-PC strategy back

Slash & Burn Computing Tenent 3: Separate browsing from other work
By on April 24, 20102 Comments

So much Drive-By Malware, so much to protect...

Slash & Burn Computing Tenent Number 2: Staying Online Persistently Is like Buying a House in a Bad Neighborhood
By on April 5, 2010 No Comments

Staying Online Persistently is like Buying a House in a Bad Neighborhood; You gotta assume at least one successful break in--when you're not looking.

Slash & Burn Computing Tenent I: Anything Internet is Similar to Sharing a Toothbrush
By on April 4, 2010 No Comments

Today's computing experience is full of risks, with patches and security software moving too slowly to keep up.  Cruising the Internet is like sharing a toothbrush with a tobacco chewer; you never know what you'll wind up getting out of the deal.

Traenk's new Security Design: Slash & Burn
By on April 3, 2010 No Comments

With so many new exploits among so many utilities announced, what is a boy to do???

Guess who isn't abusing our public information?
By on March 20, 2010 No Comments

How much of your information do you allow others to review?

Just how much compter do you really need?
By on March 20, 2010 No Comments

Patch Patch and Patch Some More!  Not!

Two Tier Fortressing
By on March 17, 2010 No Comments

What can a trained security specialist provide; as much as your organization needs?

It's Ba-ack!
By on March 13, 2010 No Comments

It shutdown as mysteriously as it came back earlier.  The TX, once dead, is now back

Who can it be now?
By on March 3, 2010 No Comments

The Google attack teaches many lessons.

Steps You Might Take to Keep Your Laptop Running
By on March 3, 2010 No Comments

It's an old HP tx1000 to you, but to me, it's a cool machine that's worthy of a second life.

Good News; Surprising News
By on March 1, 2010 No Comments

Why does the CISSP certification continue to thrill me?

Windows 7: Status Update at Month 1
By on February 24, 2010 No Comments

So far, Win 7 has pulled an old laptop from the ashes.

You know me--Right???
By on February 24, 20102 Comments

How can I prove to a high school chum just who I am?

So Far So Good
By on February 2, 2010 No Comments

So far, Win 7 is making a thoroughbred of what has been a plough mule laptop

Win 7, something to talk about.
By on January 31, 2010 No Comments

How well does Win 7 accomodate truly junktacular gear?

Out with the Old; In with the New
By on January 3, 2010 No Comments

Time to think through last year's work and this year's goals

Facebook does an About Face--of sorts
By on December 15, 2009 No Comments

Have you tuned your Facebook privacy settings yet?  How's that working out for you?

Sharing Information Can Bring a Share of Problems
By on December 10, 2009 No Comments

Do you really want coworkers to drag you into their own plans, thanks to social networking?

You Can Check Out Any Time You Like, But You Can Never Leave
By on December 8, 2009 No Comments

Much like the line from the song, "Hotel California", Traenk finds out that membership with key Internet II sites is eternal...

Social Networking--Or Else!
By on December 6, 2009 No Comments

Having De-Tweeted, it's time to go further

DeTwitting-UnSocial Networking Redux
By on November 29, 2009 No Comments

What happens when you snip strings to others or refuse to be your own Greek Chorus to your Life's happenings?

Predictions and Predilections
By on November 23, 2009 No Comments

Leaves are down; harvest is in, for the most part.  Another year comes rushing up to us.  What will it bring?

Social Networking for the Anti-Socialites
By on November 11, 2009 No Comments

How would Scrooge handle today's emphasis on social networking?

Out of Sight
By on August 29, 2009 No Comments

Must data be live for you to Live?

Great password information at a small price
By on June 13, 2009 No Comments

Where can cash-strapped security pro's get great information on security basics??

It's Here; Put Away Your Pre-Conceptions on What an OS Must Be: Part III
By on May 27, 2009 No Comments

Having witnessed the PC revolution, Traenk pauses to reflect on the GUI world...

It's Here; Put Away Your Pre-Conceptions on What an OS Must Be: Part IV
By on May 27, 20095 Comments

Graphical User Interfaces were important.  So was cost control.  Just what must an OS be?

It's Here; Put Away Your Pre-Conceptions on What an OS Must Be: Part V
By on May 27, 2009 No Comments

It's been a long while since you had a chance to be excited about a new version of an 'old' OS.  Now is your chance.

Embedded finesse
By on May 24, 2009 No Comments

What's need for Embedded Wave II

It's Here; Put Away Your Pre-Conceptions on What an OS Must Be: Part II
By on May 24, 2009 No Comments

In the last blog in this series, Traenk relates his first experiences with computers and with coding.  But now, some years have passed. . .

It's Here; Put Away Your Pre-Conceptions on What an OS Must Be: Part I
By on May 24, 2009 No Comments

Traenk relates his past experience with Operating Systems that goes back 25 years, ok, more than that but he ain't tellin'

Casting Out Daemons
By on February 9, 2009 No Comments

It's a new computer, and it's also a chance to try out a new vendor.

Step 1: Legislation
By on January 26, 2009 No Comments

Not sure how we've associated improved and secure coding practice with legislation?

Approaching People Versus Technical Approaches: More 2009 Security Predictions
By on January 10, 2009 1 Comment

Traenk loves computers and technologies.  He loves to be a Technical Editor for books.  But his views towards security seem to be straying from the Technical to the Personal.

Are Intrusion Studies Worth the Money? Still more 2009 predictions
By on January 10, 2009 No Comments

There are dozens of security vulnerability scanning tools.  Increasingly security analysts take great pains to emphasize their hacking skills.  Companies pay out great money to find if they are 'vulnerable'.  And in the middle of this, Traenk wonders what the point is to the exercise.

2009 Security Predictions: Part II
By on January 4, 2009 1 Comment

It's that time of year to see what security developments and surprises are waiting for us in 2009

Browser Password Managers
By on January 4, 2009 No Comments

While exploring Chrome as a browser, I stumbled onto some excellent Browser Password Manager criteria and an online test that helps you assess your browser's security

2009 Info Security Predictions: Part I
By on December 28, 2008 No Comments

Traenk ruminates over what's likely to hit security professionals in the coming year.

Year End Ideas
By on December 24, 2008 No Comments

It's that time of year for bold proclamations and year-end housekeeping

Another semester done: Lessons Learned for me
By on December 14, 2008 No Comments

I teach a Visual Basic .Net class at the local university.  Today, I am tired because this was one special class.

This Internet Thing! It's so Invasive!
By on December 14, 2008 No Comments

New ISP = New Challenges and Worries

Embedded Woes part II
By on November 25, 2008 No Comments

The growing linkage of embedded controllers to the Internet may provide special risks to our lives.  These controllers exist in automobiles, appliances, specialized electronics.  What are likely to be some of those special risks that may occur?

The People Side
By on November 15, 2008 No Comments

Cisco has sponsored some excellent research on the People Side of Security

Duty-Loaf designs and Security
By on November 15, 2008 No Comments

Security isn't found in what you've bought or what patches are applied.  It's in the process design.

Embedded Security Woes: Part 1
By on October 26, 2008 No Comments

What are the coming woes as the embedded world is increasingly linked to public networks like the Internet?

Zune has finally arrived...None too soon
By on October 12, 2008 No Comments

The latest Zune software and the Zune Marketplace (and the general death of DRM musicfication) have upped the Zune Joy Factor

Learn Silverlight during Lunch
By on October 12, 20084 Comments

There's a lot of new technology to learn.  What's Microsoft doing for you, the technology innovator who's got lots of learning but way too little time???

NICE Security Site
By on October 12, 2008 No Comments

You really need to add this to y0ur stack of security web links:  http://enisa.europa.eu/

More Embedded Basics
By on October 4, 2008 No Comments

All of us developers are being pulled into the embedded world.  What's that mean?

Nice features in Visual Studio 2008
By on October 4, 20082 Comments

The class is going well, and this semester's gang is really doing well with Visual Studio 2008

Embedded? We don't need no stinkin' embedded devices
By on September 1, 2008 No Comments

Traenk is learning about embedded devices, and it is a confusing world to someone more comfortable with full-featured computers.

The case for embedded anything
By on August 25, 2008 No Comments

As the need more more pervasive, more secure embedded designs grows, JT offers a series of blogs on the embedded world

One for All or All for one purpose?
By on August 10, 2008 No Comments

What are your thoughts on those all in one boxes? 

New sparks for a smokin' good time
By on August 3, 2008 No Comments

You're a geek, a new-ground finder in the IT woods.  What's waiting for you, and to be sure, what are you waiting for?

Appliances Equal Ready-Made Security Risks
By on July 27, 2008 No Comments

What does Embedded really mean?

Vrtually Impossible
By on July 20, 2008 No Comments

Virtualizing Sloppy Practice Makes Security Virtually Impossible

Hacking as a Service (HaaS)
By on July 17, 2008 No Comments

Remember stories of teens munching Doritos while making off with all your data?  Those days of innocence are long gone.

P2P Piloting Your Car
By on July 9, 2008 No Comments

Will the coming computerization of our appliances and vehicles be implemented securely?

Gary McGraw Does IT Again
By on July 9, 20083 Comments

Good books by Gary McGraw predict today's security issues again.

Computer Welt
By on June 28, 2008 No Comments

John, maybe like Dustin Sullivan, wonders if those who bring embedded systems are ready

Old technology and Nostalgia
By on June 24, 2008 No Comments

John wonders what to do with yesterday's dreams and how to implement Green IT at home

Monitoring versus Privacy Rights?
By on June 24, 2008 No Comments

Is there any right to privacy?  Do modern monitoring systems go to far or not far enough?

Independence from Clunky, Kludgy Forms of Input
By on June 22, 2008 No Comments

Put a Fork in me, I'm Done!

Need help from InformIT Readers
By on March 30, 2008 No Comments

Need advice finding a portable Digital Recorder for my motorcycle rides

guard your CISSP status
By on March 30, 2008 No Comments

New procedures at (ISC)2 may foster your mistake

Application security--the new unknown
By on March 29, 2008 No Comments

I've been reading and enjoying Gary McGraw's three books on application security.  Each and all is a phenomenal read.  [And worth buying...Won't loan mine]

Where is the computer?
By on March 29, 2008 No Comments

Take a look around you.  Can you spot the computer in your apartment, in your living room?

Hack a Mac: New Pressures @ CanSecWest
By on March 29, 2008 No Comments

I wrote this a few months ago.  Now that the Mac crumbled in 2 minutes during the Pwn to Own contest at CanSecWest, the ideas are especially important

Marcus Ranum has engaging security postings
By on March 29, 2008 No Comments

Do you like despair.com's postings?  Marcus provides a humor with a security bent.

MVP again, with work, and Visual Studio 2008
By on January 16, 2008 No Comments
John Traenkenschuh writes about the continuing improvements made to Visual Basic...
Physical security is Information Security
By on January 16, 2008 No Comments
Pundits predict the eventual merging of Physical Security and Information Security fields.  That may not be a bad thing?
2008 Security predictions
By on January 2, 20083 Comments
I think 2008 will be a real year of change for the Security Practitioner and Security field.
Compact Irony
By on December 24, 2007 No Comments

Have you studied the articles regarding the iPhone?  Who knew a mobile device could inflict such damage?  You did, of course...

Giving Back: Act II
By on December 24, 2007 No Comments

Center for Internet Security Benchmark is Done!

Closed goes Open?
By on October 6, 2007 No Comments
What IS the real impact to the .Net Framework source code being available to developers?
Giving Back
By on October 6, 2007 No Comments

Anyone can complain about firewall security.  Maybe you can do something about it?

Open Source Security
By on August 21, 2007 No Comments

I like Open Source, but I don't like vendors who munge versions or who don't update their code quickly enough.  That said, can't you type 'make'?

Are Certifications Worth It?
By on August 18, 20075 Comments

You scan the available certifications and wonder, "Are They Really Worth the Trouble?"

VB goodies
By on August 18, 2007 No Comments

VB .Net Free Learning Tools

SSH, the wonder tool of the security set, is misused by your users more easily and more often than you may think. John Traenkenschuh points out how well-intentioned administrators are using SSH to create gaping holes in their own security, and what you can do about it.

SSH as Salvation?

Some years ago I started doing research on SSH, the wonder tool of the security set. I read one article about a clever SSH setup. The administrator’s DMZ hosts could contact the intranet patching server, something normally verboten. The DMZ servers would route through the administrator’s PC and then access the internal patching server. After considering the author’s SSH design, however, I soon recognized definite security impacts to this approach.

Although several major security compromises are made possible through poor SSH design, does that mean that SSH is a likely target? Consider this: SSH is one of the most attacked services. As the SANS Institute states in its current top 20 vulnerabilities roundup, "Of particular interest this year are attacks against SSH." SSH is rated U1, the top UNIX vulnerability. Why is SSH such a target? In this article, you’ll learn why people are implementing SSH on Windows, mainframe, and UNIX devices. We’ll explore port forwarding, a cool SSH capability. Then we’ll take apart the clever administrator’s SSH design, including attacks against key authentication itself.

In a later article, I want to discuss what you can do if you’re a firewall or a UNIX administrator. You probably recently implemented SSH as a drop-in security precaution against Telnet and FTP exploits—if so, depending on your firewall and SSH design, you likely just enabled many more exploits.

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