* David B.Teague said: > > Doesn't the fact that I can go to any Linux box with an install > > disk or cd and gain root access mean that the all Linux > > systems are fundamentally insecure? > > Absolutely. Any system to which physical access is allowed, then > the system is vulnerable to a sufficient knowedgable cracker. One doesn't have to be cracker at all :))) - just boot from the rescue floppy then do mount /dev/hda1 /mnt; vi /mnt/etc/shadow and voila :))) The system is yours :) > > Perhaps the install process could be changed so that root > > password, or some other verification system is required, > > before a reinstall is permitted. > > A physical lock is better for security. Absolutly yes! > An effort such as this is now made: when the system crashes > requiring a manual fsck, the root password is required for system > maintenance. Of course - it's been there for years and if the user thinks that pressing Ctrl-D to bypass it will do anything good to him, he's wrong - the system starts up in a multi-user mode and prompts for the login/password in a usual way. The only way to go aroud it is booting from the rescue floppy/cd > It isn't much, and I find this irritating on my test machine. You can easily turn it off by forbidding sulogin be spawned at startup. > > It is true that compromising a system this way requires > > unfettered access to the box. However as Linux is used more and > > more in commercial environments this issue will need to be > > addressed. > > I have used machines that have a 'firmmware' password, PCs provide > this, as do many machines. If you allow physical access, one can > disconnect the battery from the CMOS, and eliminate the password. Hmm... not always true - NVRAM can be used to disable such an action and even the PCs now have NVRAM. > There seems to me to be nothing you can do to provide security > against entry if you allow physical access. That's true. > Someone on this list said, approximately: "A secure system is > turned off and sealed in concrete." Just line WIndows NT which has the C2-level security certificate if it has no modem, NIC or any means that allow connecting to it from the outside :)))) regards, marek
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