Well stated, Al.

To re-emphasize a general principle you appear to be making: If one is
not going to choose the most secure path possible, then at least try
to keep it simple.  Adding complexity without increasing security (as
in options 2 or 3), is more of a drawback for those who have to
maintain the environment.


-ASB
 FAST, CHEAP, SECURE: Pick Any TWO
 http://www.ultratech-llc.com/KB/


On 9/8/05, Al Mulnick <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Option #1
> Procure and deploy ISA as an application publishing device.  Note: 
> investigate the appliance versions - Way cool.
> Pros: recommended method for publishing trusted network resources to 
> non-trusted or semi-trusted networks; only requires one easily monitored 
> network port to allow communications (TCP 80); can bridge SSL conversations 
> for additional protection options; etc
> Cons: additional hardware/software to deploy and support
> 
> Option #2
> Procure and deploy a second Sharepoint server in the DMZ. Allow two-way 
> communication between DMZ host to domain controllers, DNS, and SQL as if it 
> were a trusted resource.
> Pros: easily done with current software and hardware expertise
> Cons: Solution provides high risk of being hacked; Solution provides high 
> impact if hacked because the hacker has full run of the trusted servers from 
> the semi-trusted servers. DMZ servers tend to not be watched as well as 
> trusted hosts. Complex solution that requires a lot of moving parts causing 
> higher impact to problem resolution should the need arise. Also impacts 
> upgrade process should it be needed. In the final analysis, this would also 
> likely not be in line with the company security policy.  If it is in line 
> with it, you may want to fish around for a new CSO as there may soon be a 
> vacancy :)
> 
> Option #3
> Procure and deploy a second SP server in the dmz and connect it back via 
> IPSec tunnel to trusted network.
> Pros: easier to set up with fewer network ports to allow
> Cons: See Option #2 cons.  Add to that the inability to monitor any of the 
> conversation between the DMZ sp host and the trusted network hosts thereby 
> allowing an attacker the ability to freely move around the network without 
> being detected by IDSes. The list goes on...
> 
> Option #4
> Allow external semi-trusted traffic to penetrate the hard candy shell of your 
> network to access SP resources on the trusted network via SSL or TCP80 
> traffic.
> Pros: easily allowed without any further modification to internal systems; 
> increased reliability due to simplicity could be realized.
> Cons: See cons for #3, #2 and add: The potential impact of a breach would be 
> severly critical because in addition to the specified trusted hosts that 
> solution #2 would allow, the attacker would have unrestricted (even trusted) 
> access to any system left out on your trusted network without having to hack 
> another machine to do so.  (Keep in mind that an attacker could gain control 
> of the DMZ host, then the DC, then have the same access, but we're talking 
> about risk management; security is never perfect.)
> 
> 
> 
> If you can't persuade them to go with option #1, then perhaps it would make 
> more sense for them to go ahead and just go with option #4 as it would at 
> least be more reliable.
> 
> My $0.04 anyway.  I'm sure there's something that can be added/modified but 
> this would be my first pass (rather, it has been a first pass in the past for 
> other applications :)
> 
> Keep in mind that it all comes back to your seucurity policy and I highly 
> encourage you to find out what that is and how this fits vs. listening to the 
> network administrator. Unless that's the same person in which case you may 
> want to just go with whatever is easier to support for you in the long run 
> (just kidding).
> 
> Al
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Jason B
> Sent: Thu 9/8/2005 4:37 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [ActiveDir] Which ports to open in the DMZ to communicate with 
> AD & SQL...
> 
> 
> 
> This has been a GREAT discussion and I have received a lot of useful info.
> I really appreciate the replies, suggestions, slams and help.  I think I am
> going to revisit trying to have the sharepoint server moved to the LAN and
> see if I can't convince the powers that be to apportion an ISA license and
> hardware appropriate for running ISA to put on the DMZ.  We already have a
> sharepoint server on the LAN...  I am not too familiar with sharepoint, but
> I wonder if the existing sharepoint server can handle both the internal and
> external users...  That's a question for another group, I guess.
> 
> Anyway, I gathered quite a bit from the posts and discussion, but what are
> the main specific and concrete points that I am going to want to bring up to
> dissuade them from having the sharepoint server on the DMZ?  My expertiese
> isn't in the hardware/networking aspect of configuration, but I know enough
> that I am not comfortable opening all the ports for AD auth from the DMZ to
> the LAN.  Our network admin didn't think that it was a big deal to open the
> ports since it was "only on the DMZ" and he could control the traffic that
> was allowed to the DMZ.
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Al Mulnick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: <[email protected]>
> Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 5:04 PM
> Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] Which ports to open in the DMZ to communicate with
> AD & SQL...
> 
> 
> Looks like we have plenty of ideas and opinions ;)
> 
> ISA is a great way to deal with this, but I believe the decision was made to
> put the SP machine in the DMZ regardless of the technical merit or
> viability. And whether or not it is a good idea.  That said, ISA doesn't
> offer much if you put it AND this machine in a semi-trusted network (for
> whatever that means these days.)
> 
> Shame there's no leeway though.  The downside to using IPSec is that as
> others have pointed out, it won't work on member server <->DC for W2K
> servers (limitation of the OS) but will for 2K3 member servers but that
> still leaves you with a secure channel from the DMZ host to your internal
> network.  That means you can't monitor the traffic from the DMZ to your
> internal network because it's encrypted (sounds like a broken record, I
> know.)
> 
> Too bad you can't sway the decision makers to do this differently. But
> hopefully you've received a lot of ideas to pick from.
> 
> Best of luck,
> Al
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Bernard, Aric
> Sent: Wed 9/7/2005 7:40 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: RE: [ActiveDir] Which ports to open in the DMZ to communicate with
> AD & SQL...
> 
> 
> 
> I agree with Phil - I think using an ISA (or other reverse proxy solution)
> is the best way to go given your constraints.
> 
> 
> 
> Using a reverse proxy solution allows you the following:
> 
> 1. Keep you Sharepoint server behind the firewall, yet make it accessible to
> external clients as if it was in the DMZ.
> 2. Restrict your [additional] holes through the firewall to only that needed
> by the reverse proxy solution to interact with the Sharepoint server (port
> 80).
> 
> 
> 
> BTW - this scenario is becoming extremely common.  The next common addition
> you will see to this will likely be the use of ADFS to provide an identity
> trust bridge between the internal forest and a partner forest (or other
> identity system).
> 
> 
> 
> Regards,
> 
> 
> 
> Aric Bernard
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> 
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Phil Renouf
> Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 9:20 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [ActiveDir] Which ports to open in the DMZ to communicate with
> AD & SQL...
> 
> 
> 
> I would look at putting the Sharepoint server on the internal network and
> deploy an ISA server in the DMZ and use Web Publishing or Server Publishing
> to get your external clients access to the site. If you want to open access
> from the DMZ to your AD Forest your firewall will be swiss cheese from all
> the ports than need to be open.
> 
> 
> 
> If you absolutely HAVE to then I would prefer to look at using IPSec for
> communication between the Sharepoint box and your DC's. That leaves you only
> needing the IPSec port open and not the very large number of ports to
> support AD communication.
> 
> 
> 
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q179442/
> 
> 
> Phil
> 
> 
> On 9/7/05, Jason B <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> 
> Because this will be a sharepoint server for clients.  Regardless, that
> decision has already been made and I don't have any input into it.
> Any info on the ports I'd need open?
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "ASB" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: < [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> >
> Sent: Wednesday, September 07, 2005 8:45 AM
> Subject: Re: [ActiveDir] Which ports to open in the DMZ to communicate with
> AD & SQL...
> 
> 
> Why did you decide to put it in the DMZ?
> 
> -ASB
> 
> On 9/7/05, Jason B <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> > We are putting a MS sharepoint server in the DMZ and need to have it on
> > the
> > domain and communicating with a SQL server on the domain.  Because of
> > these
> > needs, we only want to open the minimum number of ports to get
> > functionality.  We have LDAP (389) opened and SQL (1433) opened.  What
> > other
> > ports will we need to open to be able to log in on the sharepoint server
> > with a domain account?  Currently, with only these two ports opened, a
> > domain account can't log on to the sharepoint server in the DMZ.
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