RE: [Security] [SNS #9838] Blocking netbios at the gatway

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From: Eric Chamberlain, CISSP (eric_at_uclink.berkeley.edu)
Date: Fri Aug 01 2003 - 13:28:37 PDT


While I support a long term plan to block NetBIOS at the border. I know
there are off-campus users accessing resources on campus that would be
cut-off. Particularly since today is a Friday and a popular day to
telecommute. Here is the off-campus connection numbers for the 8 CCS-SDA,
UC, and CAMPUS domain controllers over the last 24 hours:
8 Kerberos
162 NetBIOS Name and Datagram
439 NetBIOS session and SMB
29 NTP
90 LDAP
120 RPC

When I get back from the UCCSC conference, I plan to setup the Domain
Controllers to accept IPSEC traffic from any machines that want to use
IPSEC. The machines have network cards that off load the IPSEC processing.

--
Eric Chamberlain, CISSP
Campus Active Directory Architect
Central Computing Services
University of California, Berkeley
http://calnetad.berkeley.edu
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ucb-security_at_uclink4.berkeley.edu 
> [mailto:owner-ucb-security_at_uclink4.berkeley.edu] On Behalf Of 
> Jake F Harwood
> Sent: Friday, August 01, 2003 1:07 PM
> To: ucb-security_at_uclink.berkeley.edu
> Cc: projects_at_info-sec.berkeley.edu
> Subject: [Security] [SNS #9838] Blocking netbios at the gatway 
> 
> 
> ucb-security et al,
> 
> Unfortunately, I'm out for the next few days but I wanted to 
> put in my 2 
> cents on this issue.
> 
> I can certainly understand Craig's reluctance to block the 
> ports given the 
> serious problems this will cause for units whose operations 
> depend on using 
> net-bios.  That being said, I personally agree with CNS and 
> others that the 
> breadth and severity of this vulnerability warrants blocking 
> the ports 
> temporarily, even though it will have a negative impact on 
> some campus 
> operations.  This is a tricky balancing act and I hope we all 
> can see both 
> sides of the debate.
> 
> 
> Since January, I have been working to document a case to 
> block net-bios at 
> the gateway. I have been working with CNS and others within 
> SNS to document 
> attack trends and network usage both legit and aggressive.
> 
> As soon as this vulnerability was announced,  I started 
> soliciting input 
> from various departments as to our explosibility, and actions 
> departments 
> were taking.  I will be adding all of your comments to the Project 
> notes  [SNS #9838],in order to bolster the argument for permanently 
> blocking net-bios as soon as we have a viable alternate 
> solution.  Hopefully, this case will highlight the inherently 
> insecure 
> nature of  net-bios and push us all to pick up the pace on 
> moving to a more 
> secure and robust solution, and what I feel are industry best 
> practices.
> 
> I feel badly about being out at this critical time,  but I 
> have a family 
> obligation this weekend and the early part of next week that I cannot 
> reschedule.
> 
> I will be back on 8/6 to assist with these issues.
> 
> jake-F
> 
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------
> Jake F Harwood                         University of 
> California, Berkeley
>                                                2484 Shattuck Avenue
>                                                 Phone (510)643-8241
>                                                 Cell  
> (510)390-2580 "Who is this General Failure and why is he 
> reading my hard drive?" -F
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------
> 
> -------------------------------------
> Sent via the ucb-security mailing list.
> 
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