@Jamie I agree that this is not a security bug in the traditional sense.

However, it does amount to something like a social engineering attack,
in the sense that it can easily cause the computer to run without a
firewall due to user inaction.

I often switch between from using my laptop at home on a wired network
(on a USB adaptor), to using it at my local pub on wi-fi. I have lost
count of the number of times I have forgotten to both shut down the
running firestarter and restart it (so it actually sees the new
interface), and then go into preferences and switch firestarter to the
new interface.

The firewall remains inactive from the moment the machine connects to
the network until firestarter is reconfigured to use the new interface.
This leaves the machine vulnerable to attack from anything monitoring
RIP or similar for new connections to the network.

Since Firestarter isn't designed for systems with more than one internet
connection, this isn't even a bug; it's technically more of a feature
request. But the lack of this feature makes Ubuntu systems vulnerable to
attack every time they connect to a network using firestarter.

So I for one would categorise this ticket as a "serious missing security
feature", and would be very happy to see it resolved, particularly as it
shouldn't involve much work for someone who knows the code.

-- 
Firestarter should switching automatically
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/374858
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Bugs, which is a direct subscriber.

-- 
ubuntu-bugs mailing list
[email protected]
https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs

Reply via email to