Devin blocked this at the meeting, after 3 hours of arguments. Justin wants
to discuss in physical form and disagrees with the consensus. Others also
agree.


On Tue, Mar 18, 2014 at 1:01 AM, Omar Rassi <[email protected]> wrote:

> Andy, in answer to your questions by how other companies do it, I'll tell
> you how the Army does it,
>
> First, you go through a 24 week long training course that takes you from
> what is a computer, all the way to basic Cisco switch deployment/management
> (just lightly touching the surface of cisco equipment, basic LAN management
> and network topologies, windows deployment, information assurance/security,
> DoD policies, and basic active-directory concepts). I went through a
> different but similar training program when I entered the service but I was
> able to demonstrate knowledge in all of these areas during the interview.
> Once you complete this, you must be Security+ certified and demonstrate
> knowledge of Windows image deployment, Active-Directory server, exchange
> server, SCCM, troubleshooting and repair, customer service skills, LAN
> management, and be able to hold a level-secret clearance before becoming a
> new sysadmin. A contractor must have similar credentials/experience before
> becoming a new sysadmin for DoD. And then there is a TON of on-the-job
> training that you have to go through to include scripting.
>
> When it comes to the infrastructure that supports your website and your
> central database, there is no margin for error. Many companies will require
> that you possess MSCE/MCSA, Cisco and Comptia certifications of varying
> levels and/or a college degree in computer science and scripting/coding
> proficiency just to get noticed,
>
>
> On Tue, Mar 18, 2014 at 12:38 AM, Torrie Fischer <[email protected]
> > wrote:
>
>> On Tuesday, March 18, 2014 00:21:16 Andrew Buczko wrote:
>> > 1> do we have a processes for issuing Admin rights to new admin's?
>>
>> For synhak.org, it involves scrutiny, vetting, keysigning, sending a PGP
>> signed ssh key, and a lot of proof that you know what you're doing.
>>
>> > 2> If no, then How do other companies bring on new admins?
>>
>> In most cases, see above
>>
>> > 3> Who are our current admins?
>>
>> Chris, G, Craig, and myself. Chris and I are the only active ones.
>>
>> > 4> What rights do they have for what services/virtual spaces.
>>
>> They've got complete access to the synhak.org AWS account. They're free
>> to
>> rack up our server bill, delete data with reckless abandon, have sudo
>> access
>> on all *.synhak.org machines, and get SMSs when system load is too high.
>>
>> If its in the physical space at 48 S Summit, thats a different topic.
>> Anyone
>> is free to rip open the boxes and reset the root passwords on everything
>> as
>> per do-ocracy. Nothing has a real connection to synhak.org except through
>> tightly secured channels that have no chance of escalation of privileges.
>> The
>> Kiosk, for example, doesn't even have any access credentials to update the
>> site.
>>
>> In fact, anyone can post some JSON data to
>> https://synhak.org/auth/v1/sensor/3/, or any other sensor for that
>> matter.
>> There isn't a real way into the underlying linux system through any
>> exposed
>> endpoint. Even if they got onto the system, the services running on the
>> web
>> servers and the administrivia server have AWS credentials that limit them
>> to
>> specific operations such as creating new files on S3 (but not deleting!)
>> and
>> connecting to the mysql server.
>>
>> Actually, S3 and two tables on mysql are the only things the servers are
>> allowed to touch. They can't kill servers, start up new ones, or wipe the
>> database snapshots, or even see what backups we have.
>>
>> It is, of course, possible to limit AWS user accounts to only a small
>> subset
>> of permissions. For example, there exists a Treasurer role in the system
>> that
>> Xander previously held that only permitted viewing of the monthly bill and
>> usage report.
>>
>> >
>> > On Mon, Mar 17, 2014 at 11:00 PM, Omar Rassi <[email protected]>
>> wrote:
>> > > As a sysadmin myself, I'd have to agree with the extra scrutiny for
>> > > digital assets. I don't see it as a personal attack on anyone that
>> > > regarding this scrutiny, we've spent the past three years fine tuning
>> this
>> > > virtual space to what it is now. Our virtual space is not like our
>> > > physical
>> > > space at all, you can't walk in to 48 South Summit and accidentally
>> burn
>> > > the whole building down with a typo or wrong command with ease, but
>> that
>> > > is
>> > > MUCH easier to do on our virtual space.
>> > >
>> > > I've been involved with Synhak since Torrie's garage and in all this
>> time,
>> > > I have decided not to get involved with the AWS instances for this
>> reason
>> > > since I typo alot, instead I applied my talents elsewhere. Although,
>> it
>> > > would be nice if anyone who wanted to try their hand at improving our
>> AWS
>> > > instance or "Virtual Space" had sudo access to a sandbox duplicate,
>> then
>> > > we
>> > > can only commit changes to the live instance that are proven to work
>> while
>> > > only providing read only access to the live instance. Keep in mind
>> that
>> > > the
>> > > "Virtual Space" you are talking about does not just contain the
>> website,
>> > > as
>> > > I understand it, Spiff is also on AWS, which handles, among other
>> things,
>> > > our membership database. Let's please try to keep admin rights to
>> this on
>> > > a
>> > > "need to know" basis. I feel the term "positive control" (I know I
>> use it
>> > > alot) applies well in this scenario.
>> > >
>> > > On Mon, Mar 17, 2014 at 7:50 PM, Torrie Fischer
>> <[email protected]>wrote:
>> > >> On Monday, March 17, 2014 18:22:38 Justin Herman wrote:
>> > >> > NOTE: Chris and Torrie were able to decrypt it with their private
>> > >> > key's.
>> > >> >
>> > >> > In order to avoid extra noise and virtual conflict I have opted to
>> > >>
>> > >> answer
>> > >>
>> > >> > any questions during our meeting. I will be available to answer any
>> > >> > questions during that time. This is equivalent in conditions met to
>> > >>
>> > >> acquire
>> > >>
>> > >> > a Physical Space key.
>> > >>
>> > >> Noise implies useless information. I'm certain that SYNHAK would find
>> > >> someone's reason for wanting access to AWS and all of our servers to
>> be
>> > >> useful
>> > >> and even important information.
>> > >>
>> > >> I'm concerned about this "virtual conflict" you perceive. Why would
>> you
>> > >> think
>> > >> that an open discussion about security would create conflict?
>> > >>
>> > >> You're also aware that meeting in person during a meeting aren't the
>> > >> conditions for getting a key, right? It involves a proposal for
>> > >> Consensus.
>> > >> There's also the fact that a physical door key is completely
>> different
>> > >> from
>> > >> having administrative access to synhak.org.
>> > >>
>> > >> I will block any proposal to grant you AWS access on the grounds
>> that you
>> > >> haven't demonstrated why I should trust you, and that you're
>> currently
>> > >> demonstrating some interesting interpretations of protocols.
>> > >>
>> > >> > On Mon, Mar 17, 2014 at 6:10 PM, Torrie Fischer
>> > >>
>> > >> <[email protected]>wrote:
>> > >> > > On Monday, March 17, 2014 17:05:56 Justin Herman wrote:
>> > >> > > > SOME KIND OF BLOB
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > Ok. Right.
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > You sent a SSH key signed with a PGP key that I have not
>> verified.
>> > >> > > The
>> > >> > > signed
>> > >> > > key was encrypted with my public key, meaning that only I could
>> > >>
>> > >> decrypt
>> > >>
>> > >> > > it.
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > Justin, are you aware that we are also asking you questions and
>> not
>> > >>
>> > >> just
>> > >>
>> > >> > > asking for an SSH key? I'll copy them again:
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > VVVV QUESTIONS VVVV
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > 1.) What is your primary purpose for requesting access to AWS?
>> > >> > > 2.) What problems with the current website and online
>> infrastructure
>> > >>
>> > >> do
>> > >>
>> > >> > > you
>> > >> > > currently see that require AWS root and sudo access to solve?
>> > >> > > 3.) What improvements can you offer to the overall
>> infrastructure?
>> > >> > > 4.) Are you familiar with Ansible, the configuration-management
>> > >>
>> > >> software
>> > >>
>> > >> > > used
>> > >> > > to configure, deploy and maintain servers? If not, do you intend
>> to
>> > >>
>> > >> learn
>> > >>
>> > >> > > about it?
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > ^^^^ QUESTIONS ^^^^
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > In case they kept getting lost in the noise of this thread, I've
>> also
>> > >> > > trimmed
>> > >> > > out the rest of the inline quotes.
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > There seems to be a pattern of not answering any questions when
>> > >>
>> > >> directly
>> > >>
>> > >> > > asked. Would you prefer that I ask them in private instead of on
>> > >>
>> > >> discuss@?
>> > >>
>> > >> > > I'm
>> > >> > > often at the space, so I can handle either e-mail or in person. I
>> > >>
>> > >> would
>> > >>
>> > >> > > still
>> > >> > > need to relay the answers to a public forum such as noc@ to
>> preserve
>> > >> > > transparency about our site security and keep everyone else up to
>> > >> > > date
>> > >> > > with
>> > >> > > who has unlimited and absolute power over synhak.org.
>> > >> > >
>> > >> > > If you're not able to make this work, then I can't really give
>> you
>> > >>
>> > >> access.
>> > >>
>> > >> _______________________________________________
>> > >> Discuss mailing list
>> > >> [email protected]
>> > >> https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>> > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
>> > > Discuss mailing list
>> > > [email protected]
>> > > https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Discuss mailing list
>> [email protected]
>> https://synhak.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>
>
>
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