On Fri 27 May 2016 04:53:12 NZST +1200, RB wrote:

> > http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Jan/77
> >
> > http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2016/Mar/25
> 
> I see, but that has nothing to do with the security of the VLAN
> implementation, rather of the switch as a whole.

Uhhmm, very moot point. They can't even make a secure switch, how secure
their VLAN is becomes irrelevant. And the switch manufacturer couldn't
care less about fixing anything - what's your trust value in the VLAN
implementation? How different are other manufacturers?

> Nor does it mean we avoid using an entire technology because there
> "might" be vulnerabilities in what has otherwise remained a stable and
> useful paradigm for decades.

As "stable and useful" a paradigm as the Internet was before Snowden?

> The question of VLAN jumping remains open, in my mind.  An
> appropriate, well-configured switch fabric should have no problem

True - as you say, "should", but it's utopic. Which means reducing critical
firmware entirely increases security a lot. No matter where you buy your
VLAN, it doesn't come close to the security of an extra port on the
firewall you already trust. VLAN is just being lazy.

> vulnerabilities in its management software notwithstanding.

This is a laughable argument! You can only use the whole. You're arguing
it's safe to use a (potentially!) safe fragment of VLAN firmware that by
necessity is embedded in whatever management, of which you know it's a
piece of rubbish. I'm increasingly getting the impression that network
device manufacturers only ever fix anything if there is sufficient
public backlash to make it financially worth fixing - no other reason to
fix anything exists. The logical conclusion is that such "technology" is
unsafe.

VLAN switch with 100% open source firmware please...

Volker

-- 
Volker Kuhlmann                 is list0570 with the domain in header.
http://volker.top.geek.nz/      Please do not CC list postings to me.
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