[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: [Full-disclosure] Ubuntu 11.10 now unsecure by default



On 11/18/2011 11:33 PM, Valdis.Kletnieks@xxxxxx wrote:
> On Fri, 18 Nov 2011 06:10:00 PST, Dan Kaminsky said:
>
>> OK, seriously.  If you're sitting in front of a machine that's presenting
>> you a login prompt, you've got enough privileges to insert a bootable
>> USB/CD and pull all the data / make yourself an account (FDE/Bios PW
>> notwithstanding).
>
> Right.  Which is why a passwordless guest account available to people who have
> physical access isn't such a big deal.  The problem is that if you manage to
> get ssh enabled, there's not *that* much stopping the account from being used
> from Zanzibar.
>
> Some operating systems (AIX, for instance) allowed tagging a userid as "local
> access only", or even "may only login on tty 3, 5, and 23".  Adding that sort
> of a tag to the guest account would help the situation by adding some
> security in depth.

Not saying this train of thought itself is safe, but... we've needed a 
singleuser mode (by whatever name) as a failsafe since ages forgotten.

That being said, I don't know what is necessary about a default guest 
account -- those who really need physical access, passwordless guest 
accounts tend to know how to set them up.

_______________________________________________
Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/