Administration
  Home arrow Administration arrow Page 5 - Webserver Security (Part I)
Dev Shed Forums 
Administration  
Apache  
BrainDump  
DHTML  
Flash  
Java  
JavaScript  
Multimedia  
MySQL  
Oracle  
Perl  
PHP  
Practices  
Python  
Reviews  
Security  
Style-Sheets  
Web Services  
XML  
Zend  
Zope  
Forums Sitemap 
IBM® developerWorks 
Dedicated Servers 
E-Commerce Hosting 
Linux Web Hosting 
Managed Hosting 
Small Business Hosting 
Download TestComplete 
VPS Hosting 
Weekly Newsletter

 
Developer Updates  
Free Website Content 
 RSS  Articles
 RSS  Forums
 RSS  All Feeds
Write For Us Get Paid 
Request Media Kit
Contact Us 
Site Map 
Privacy Policy 
Support 
 USERNAME
 
 PASSWORD
 
 
  >>> SIGN UP!  
  Lost Password? 
ADMINISTRATION

Webserver Security (Part I)
By: Kristian Kohntopp
  • Search For More Articles!
  • Disclaimer
  • Author Terms
  • Rating: 5 stars5 stars5 stars5 stars5 stars / 2
    2000-04-19

    Table of Contents:
  • Webserver Security (Part I)
  • The server offers services it was not intended to
  • Dumping a zone using nslookup
  • Other Helpful Tools
  • rpcinfo query to www.example.server
  • Remote SNMP queries

  • Rate this Article: Poor Best 
      ADD THIS ARTICLE TO:
      Del.ici.ous Digg
      Blink Simpy
      Google Spurl
      Y! MyWeb Furl
    Email Me Similar Content When Posted
    Add Developer Shed Article Feed To Your Site
    Email Article To Friend
    Print Version Of Article
    PDF Version Of Article
     
     
    The Best Selling PC Migration Utility.
     
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Dell PowerEdge Servers

    Webserver Security (Part I) - rpcinfo query to www.example.server
    (Page 5 of 6 )

    Using rpcinfo and showmount (Linux: also kshowmount in some installations) you may query which services the sunrpc service of your machine offers. If NFS is running, it is possible to get a list of exported filesystems from the server.
    # rpcinfo -p www.example.server
    program vers proto   port
    100000    4   tcp    111  portmapper
    100000    3   tcp    111  portmapper
    100000    2   tcp    111  portmapper
    100000    4   udp    111  portmapper
    100000    3   udp    111  portmapper
    100000    2   udp    111  portmapper
    As can be seen, the sunrpc service of www.example.server is talking to external machines like ours. This is unnecessary and can be blocked by installing a rpcbind program with access control or by configuring the firewall.

    Because the NFS defaults are as braindead as the behaviour of NFS in case of syntax errors in the configuration file, it is a very common error to export filesystems completely unprotected and world writeable. Here a particularly severe case:
    # /usr/sbin/kshowmount -e center2.sample-university.net
    Export list for center2.sample-university.net:
    /usr/lib/cobol       (everyone)
    /usr/sys/inst.images (everyone)
    /stadtinf            (everyone)
    /var/spool/mail      (everyone)
    /usr/lpp/info        (everyone)
    /usr/local           (everyone)
    /pd-software         (everyone)
    /u1                  (everyone)
    /user                (everyone)
    /fix                 (everyone)
    /u                   (everyone)
    /ora                 rzws01
    /install             (everyone)
    /ora-client          192.168.15.20
    All directories listed as "everyone" are wide open. This includes "/var/spool/mail", containing life mail from several hundred users as well their homes under "/u" and "/u1". Also writeable are "/usr/local" and "/usr/lib/cobol", making is very easy to install trojans. This system can be taken by anyone without noticeable resistance. By manipulating software under "/install", you will probably subvert additional clients produced from the images stored in this tree. This particular system will make a fine base to trade warez and is an ideal system to launch attacks against other sites. Does their insurance company cover the damages which will follow? Does yours?

    More Administration Articles
    More By Kristian Kohntopp


     

       

    ADMINISTRATION ARTICLES

    - Configuring Load-Balanced Clusters
    - Load-Balanced Clusters
    - UNIX Time Format Demystified
    - Making Changes in the CVS
    - Building Your First CVS Repository
    - CVS Quickstart Guide
    - Authorizing Users in Samba
    - Handling User Accounts in Samba
    - Authentication in Samba
    - Accounts, Authentication, and Authorization
    - Advanced Concepts on Dealing with Files and ...
    - Dealing with Files and Filesystems
    - More Hacks for the User Environment in BSD
    - Personalizing the User Environment in BSD
    - Customizing the User Environment in BSD

     
    Accelerating Trading Partner Performance
     
    Competing on Analytics
     
    Cost Effective Scaling with Virtualization and Coyote Point Systems
     
    Five Checkpoints to Implementing IP Telephony
     
    Hosted Email Security: Staying Ahead of New Threats
     




    © 2003-2008 by Developer Shed. All rights reserved. DS Cluster 3 hosted by Hostway