I don't think any of us in the SLP group (correct me if I'm wrong) are
qualified security people yet. Probably not even collectively. Security
is a big area. To cover it sufficiently well requires competence in
multiple areas:
(1) System administration caveats and gotchas
(2) Linux kernel and C library operation and exploits
(3) Poor programming practices
(4) Well-known as well as recent exploits in popular daemons + apps
(5) Safer alternatives to popular insecure daemons + proper operation
(6) Architectural security problems among popular Internet protocols
(7) Various means of securing popular Internet protocols +
interoperability problems
(8) Probably more...
The above are only the general categories. The details can become quite
unmanageable; e.g. knowing the Java sand-box model, Java exploits in
various Java VMs + fixes, UNIX shell script operation, scanf vs fgets in C
programming, setuid programs, limitations of chroot environments, physical
security, public key cryptographic methods, TLS vs SASL vs IPsec, etc etc
etc...
I think you understand now why we're not jumping and saying "yes, yes,
we'll do this!" just yet.
Rhan.
On Sat, 26 Jun 1999, Moonshi Mohsenruddin wrote:
> Basically, setting-up the basics security, hardening it for specific
> servers, like FTP, WWW, SAMBA, etc... etc and I think you guys should know
> better...
>
> --Moonshi
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Ng
> Kai Hoe Raymond
> Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 1999 10:43 PM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [SLP] [Fwd: Call for Papers-SANS 1999 Workshop On Securing
> Linux]
>
>
> Moonshi Mohsenruddin wrote:
>
> > I am interested in Security of OSes, particularly on Linux but can we get
> a
> > pool of guys to collate the information of securing Linux and get some
> good
> > Linux Systems Security Administrators to assist us?
>
> What aspects do you want to know?
>
> >
> >
> > BTW, Lim Fung your name is very familiar... :)
> >
> > --Moonshi
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 1999 9:44 AM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: [SLP] [Fwd: Call for Papers-SANS 1999 Workshop On Securing
> > Linux]
> >
> > Anyone interested? :)
> >
> > -------- Original Message --------
> > Subject: Call for Papers-SANS 1999 Workshop On Securing Linux
> > Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 15:34:53 -0700
> > From: Laura LeHew <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > Reply-To: Laura LeHew <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> > Call for Papers
> > SANS 1999 Workshop On Securing Linux
> > December 15-16, 1999
> > San Francisco
> >
> > Deadline June 28, 1999
> >
> > Note: Best proposal will get a free trip to San Francisco to present their
> > paper at the conference
> >
> > Conference Objective
> > Topics
> > Who Should Submit a Proposal
> > How to Submit a Proposal
> > Questions
> > Program Sponsors
> >
> > LINUX is winning! Where other new operating systems failed, LINUX is
> > gaining converts among users and vendors at an increasing rate, proving
> > that the
> > community of computer users can create extraordinarily valuable tools. At
> > the
> > same time Linux systems are the targets of a huge number of successful
> > attacks.
> >
> > There is debate over the causes of storm of Linux security incidents, but
> > whether it is the operating system's immaturity or the carelessness of its
> > users, continued growth demands that Linux users and the developer
> > community
> > meet the security challenges.
> >
> > An important initiative was launched at SANS99 in Baltimore. Linux
> experts
> > from more than a dozen universities are jointly creating a hardened
> version
> > of
> > Red Hat Linux, in a project named Bastille Linux. They are fixing the
> > default
> > configurations and adding security features so the university
> > administrators
> > will feel safer distributing Linux to students. Information on the
> project
> > may be
> > found at http://www.bastille-linux.org/ . Every person who attends the
> > Securing
> > Linux Workshop will be given a copy for adaptation and/or redistribution.
> >
> > There's more that can and is being done to make Linux systems less
> > vulnerable. If you are one of the people who have developed home-grown
> > solutions or are one of the developers of a more secure version of Linux,
> > please submit a proposal for the Securing Linux Workshop.
> >
> > If you have solutions (even partial ones) we welcome your input.
> >
> > The 1999 SANS San Francisco Network Security Conference is being held
> > concurrently with the Intrusion Detection & Response Training Conference,
> > where the nation's top network security and intrusion detection experts,
> > people like Stephen Northcutt, Gene Schultz, Randy Marchany, Ed Skoudis,
> > and many more will be teaching in-depth, full-day, intense courses for
> > security practitioners.
> >
> > We hope that you will consider joining the Securing Linux Workshop to
> > extend
> > this tradition of quality by submitting a proposal for:
> >
> > A paper focused on practical solutions (2-10 pages) along with a
> > presentation (25 or 50 minutes)
> >
> > other types of presentations (panels, demonstrations, mini-tutorials, etc.
> > -
> > 15-90 minutes in length)
> >
> > Even if you choose not to submit a short paper and presentation, we hope
> > you
> > will join us in San Francisco on December 11 - 16, 1999 for the workshops
> > and
> > courses that you feel will be helpful in meeting your professional needs.
> > Course titles and a preliminary schedule will be posted to
> > http://www.sans.org
> > around July 15, 1999.
> >
> > Topics
> >
> > Any topic that you feel would provide immediate pragmatic information on
> > Linux security to an assortment of researchers, practitioners, and
> > observers
> > coming to the workshop is invited. Here are a few topic groups that might
> > give you ideas, but submissions are by no means confined to these:
> >
> > Hardening the Operating System
> >
> > Improving Practices and Procedures
> >
> > Risks Particular to Linux Systems
> >
> > Configuration Errors
> >
> > Silly Things Users Do
> >
> > Good New Tools
> >
> > Bad Tools New or Old
> >
> > Automating Installation to Reduce Risks
> >
> > Network-Based Intrusion Detection
> >
> > Host-Based Intrusion Detection
> >
> > Vulnerability Analysis
> >
> > Who Should Submit A Proposal and Why Should You
> >
> > Anyone who has done useful work in improving the security of Linux systems
> > is invited to submit a proposal.
> >
> > The recognition afforded by being chosen to present some of your work can
> > be
> > a marvelous avenue of professional growth and can yield results throughout
> > many aspects of your career. If you have a solution that you would like
> to
> > share, please consider taking the time to write it up and submit a
> proposal
> > to SANS. Being selected to be a part of the SANS faculty gets you more
> > than
> > just the rare ID&R-Securing Linux polo shirts. It also conveys an
> > appreciation
> > of the value you are contributing to the field.
> >
> > You don't have to be solving the largest problems in order to have your
> > proposals accepted. We are looking for a wide variety of proposals and
> > encourage you to submit one even if you are not sure of its worth.
> > Besides the distinctive polo shirts, authors also earn substantial
> > discounts
> > on conference and tutorial attendance.
> >
> > If you are a vendor, please consider joining the SANS evening vendor
> > presentation
> > program. Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] for opportunities to present technical
> > aspects of your products to SANS participants in a variety of venues.
> >
> > How To Submit A Proposal
> >
> > Send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject `Securing Linux
> > Proposal'.
> >
> > Submissions will only be accepted in any of the following formats: PDF,
> > Word '97, PowerPoint '97, ASCII text, or HTML.
> >
> > Deadline for submission is June 28, 1999.
> >
> > Please include the following items:
> >
> > Your Name
> > Preferred email
> > Phone
> > Fax
> > Employer
> > Surface mail address
> >
> > The title of your proposed presentation
> > The length (25 minute presentation with 2-5 page paper or an alternative
> > format).
> >
> > At least three paragraphs containing:
> >
> > The specific challenges or problems the presentation will help the
> audience
> > solve.
> >
> > The approach you used including any specific tools you created or used
> > The evidence you have that proves that your approach works well and can be
> > used by other people.
> >
> > SANS has made great strides in the past few years and is now recognized as
> > one of the two most useful learning opportunities in the system
> > administration, networking, and security field. This year, SANS is
> > introducing policies that will enable us to continue to earn quality
> > accolades:
> >
> > All presentations focus on actual challenges faced by system
> > administrators,
> > security professionals, and network managers.
> >
> > All presentations provide practical solutions that can be implemented
> > immediately.
> >
> > All daytime presentations are free of vendor bias (except the panels in
> > which multiple vendors are speaking together and will `correct' one
> > another).
> >
> > Vendors and their representatives are welcome to present in the SANS
> > evening
> > program.
> >
> > All presenters will be given opportunities to ensure their presentation
> > skills are the best they can be: through pre-conference training
> > Programs, coaching-on-request for content and speaking, and/or audio tape
> > exchange.
> >
> > Questions
> >
> > Please contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] with questions.
> >
> > Program Committee Chairs
> > Alan Paller, The SANS Institute
> > Jon Lasser, University of Maryland Baltimore Campus
>
> --
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> Ng Kai Hoe Raymond Pager : 92279944 ICQ UIN : 4878260
> Editor, Singapore Linux Portal http://linux.com.sg
> Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED] / [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> PGP Public Key : http://members.tripod.com/~ngkaihoe/ngkaihoe.txt
>
> 'This has given me the greatest trouble and still does: to realize
> that what things are called is incomparably more important than what
> they are.'
> - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, "The Gay Science"
>
>
>
>
