There also seems to be some inconsistency in the doc. Under "3.4 Important
Options" it states that "a fourth one changes the behaviour of aggressive
scripts:
- Safe checks"

This implies that safe checks is not redundant with "Enable all but
dangerous plugins" as the former changes behavior of a given script and the
latter turns it off entirely.

Unfortunately I'm not savvy enough to figure out what's really going on from
the source code.

Michael



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Cox, Michael 
> Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 12:11 PM
> To: Omernik, John; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: DOS vs Non-DOS with Safechecks
> 
> 
> Read nessus-core/doc/WARNING.En from the Nessus distribution.
> 
> A couple of bits are excerpted below. I've seen conflicting 
> info on the list
> though as to whether or not these two options really are redundant.
> 
> Regards,
> Michael
> 
>    3.3. Scripts selection
> 
> With the GUI, one can
> - select everything in one click,
> - select "Everything but dangerous plugins".
>   This choice eliminates the categories ACT_DENIAL, ACT_KILL_HOST or
>   ACT_DESTRUCTIVE_ATTACK. This is redundant with the "safe checks"
>   option and will probably disappear one day.
> - select or remove each plugin individually.
> - select a whole family.
>   Keep in mind that all dangerous scripts are not in the "denial of
>   service" family!
> 
>    3.4.4. Safe checks
> 
> This option disables the dangerous script that may kill the system or
> some service.  Nessus then relies upon the version numbers in banners,
> for example.  If no clue is available, the test is simply dropped.
> 
> This option is more dangerous that it looks:
> - You can get a false feeling of security. Not seeing a weakness in
>   the report does not mean it is not there.
> - If the script was badly written and does not check the option with
>   the safe_checks() function, the attack will be launched.
>   Scripts delivered with Nessus are supposed to be safe, but a
>   "unofficial" or experimental script might be dangerous.
> 
> Note that ACT_DENIAL, ACT_KILL_HOST and ACT_DESTRUCTIVE_ATTACK scripts
> are never run when this option is on.
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Omernik, John [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 9:20 AM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: DOS vs Non-DOS with Safechecks
> > 
> > 
> > If you have safe checks enabled is it safe to run the DOS plugins? I
> > have been running tests WITHOUT the DOS plugins, even though 
> > I have safe
> > checks enabled.  Thoughts?
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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