Prevention is the best medicine.
1
vote
1answer
36 views
Buffer overflow prevention
I was reading about return-to-libc attacks at Wikipedia.
According to what I read and understood from the article, ASCII armoring means that binary data is converted into ASCII values by grouping ...
70
votes
7answers
4k views
How can I protect my internet-connected devices from discovery by Shodan?
There's been a lot of buzz around this recent CNN article about Shodan, a search engine that can find and allow access to unsecured internet-connected devices.
Shodan runs 24/7 and collects ...
3
votes
4answers
296 views
Database hardening techniques
So as I understand it database hardening is a process in which you remove the vulnerabilities that result from lax con-figuration options. This can sometimes compensate for exploitable vendor bugs.
...
1
vote
1answer
113 views
What are the basic implementations that make a network secure from the inside\outside?
Would you consider the following to be "basic hardening items" for network equipment and servers?
VLANs
Access Control (such as NTFS permissions)
Patch Management System
Host Firewall
Anti-Virus
...
2
votes
1answer
82 views
Quick Security Mitigations to Impending attacks
Suppose you are the sysadmin, and you know of an impending attack that just started or about to start soon. You can either wait it out, or try a few tricks and quick mitigation to fend off attackers ...
4
votes
3answers
108 views
Defense in depth vs low complexity - Balancing point?
I've asked a few questions relating to schemes for various security-related functions, and posited schemes to accomplish those goals. In the responses, I see a conflict between two fundamental ...
5
votes
3answers
261 views
Setting up a security CTF server
I'm looking for resources and information from people who have experience running hacking capture-the-flag challenges.
To sum it all up in a simple one-sentence question: How do you set up a server ...
0
votes
1answer
121 views
Hardening Web Browsers - Detailed Guidance
Is there any specific and complete guidance on what is needed to harden a web browser given the number of attack vectors possible, particularly given that browsers allow so many varied plugins?
All I ...
2
votes
2answers
167 views
2
votes
1answer
68 views
Forefront Identity Management Server Hardening
Is there a good document for hardening FIM? I've tried CIS and NIST, but I couldn't find anything. If there is no such document, what would I have to look out for in the configuration?
7
votes
3answers
469 views
Securing a laptop against attacks (article)
I came across this article when looking for ways of hardening my laptop, and this guide seemed extremely thorough. It is perhaps overly paranoid, but it will be good to have a guide I can trust should ...
2
votes
2answers
220 views
How to correctly secure a ssh session against MITM attack?
How do you improve the security of your ssh session against a man-in-the-middle attack?
7
votes
2answers
218 views
Can a webcam be turned on when disabled in Windows' device manager?
In addition to whether a webcam can be turned on without the indicator light, I was wondering if disabling the device in Windows' device manager is a good option.
Of course when your system is ...
6
votes
5answers
433 views
Securing Debian Apache PHP Server
I have Debian Apache PHP server. I want to secure him after the classic installation process.
My usual steps are :
List item
update all packages
remove all unnecessary services like named, portmap, ...
3
votes
2answers
310 views
How helpful is rkhunter?
I have a software firewall implemented on my server, and I have closed all unnecessary ports. I have strong passwords, and I validate user input on my website.
With these things already in place, do ...
5
votes
2answers
440 views
How to harden my Buffalo LinkStation Pro?
The Buffalo LinkStation Pro Duo that we use can be pretty easily hacked into. The good thing about this is that this NAS runs Linux and can therby be improved in features, e.g. running an NFS or LDAP ...
5
votes
3answers
607 views
What can a hacker do when he has physical access to a system?
I mean, I'm a tech guy here in my region (not a hacker...). When I sit in the front of another person's PC, I notice a little fear about what I can do in the system.
It's obvious that I will not ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
Is server hardening with GRSecurity really necessary on the CentOS 6.3 environment?
I consider myself to be reasonably good with IT, however I am relatively fresh at server and system administration. I am a web developer for my company and I have been charged with setting up and ...
3
votes
3answers
218 views
Why should every file have a user and a group?
I've been reading in most hardening guides for linux, that you should check for files and directories without valid user or valid group. What I can't find, is how this could be used for an attack, or ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Building a secure server with CentOs [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Hardening Linux Server
I recently started to manage my own server with a cloud-based server. Recently I got hacked somehow and the server was used for phising. On the ...
3
votes
2answers
141 views
Protect sensitive data from sysadmin prying eyes
I'm thinking about this problem. What if I have to manage sensitive data (i.e. health data), and I use a managed server?
I'd use encryption of course, but if they have root access they can see conf ...
3
votes
3answers
252 views
How to effectively (and reasonably) secure Windows in corporate environment.
A member on my staff recently had their work computer compromised while on their home network. The following is the information regarding their computer
Windows XP SP3 - fully patched at the time of ...
1
vote
3answers
291 views
Is this approach of securing cookie secure?
I could not find writeups about secure cookies so I have done some thinking. (I already have a "secure" password database with bcrypt and salt)
Steps:
User logs in
Save user IP + randomstring in ...
3
votes
3answers
261 views
How would one make a network resistant to the unknown?
I play in a game which includes normal risks, but also a wide range of supernatural powers which could affect the security of a network. These may be as prosaic as a retrieving data directly from a ...
2
votes
1answer
351 views
Hardening a perimeter router
What are some of the steps that could be taken to harden a perimeter (internet facing) router from attacks by potentially malicious users?
5
votes
1answer
225 views
What are some good ways to secure personal computers
I see that many topics here are related to securing data, equipment at an enterprise level. Good advice includes stuff like blocking all unused ports, allowing only whitelisted traffic and installing ...
2
votes
1answer
424 views
EMV Security? How is it possible that it's secure?
I recently read some articles on EMV and the various ways in which it has been improved over the years. I then read this which shows that it has been possible for some time to exploit EMV via a man ...
1
vote
1answer
653 views
How do these Windows services affect the security of Windows Firewall?
Its common to disable unneeded services in Windows 2008 R2, but sometimes I come across installations that use Windows Firewall and related services. More info: see service dependencies for Windows ...
1
vote
2answers
302 views
What are best practices for implementing Remote Desktop within a corporation?
After the recent critical vulnerability: 'MS12-020: Vulnerabilities in Remote Desktop could allow remote code execution' I have been looking for a hardening checklist or in the scenario that I am an ...
4
votes
2answers
371 views
Is it a secure way to declare DB parameters in htaccess rather than in a PHP file?
It has been suggested in securing PHP article that using directive as below in htaccess is more secure than hardcoding it into your app:
<VirtualHost ilia.ws>
Include /home/ilia/sql.cnf
...
3
votes
2answers
741 views
NSA RHEL5 Checklist
The NSA has came up with the "Guide to the Secure Conguration of
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5" (http://www.nsa.gov/ia/_files/os/redhat/NSA_RHEL_5_GUIDE_v4.2.pdf) I have read through this guide and it is ...
1
vote
2answers
317 views
Hardening network infrastrucure? [closed]
I would like to know, what are the best hardening methodologies, procedures, and books to use when hardening your network? Especially for the following:
Windows /Linux Server
SQL server
Microsoft ...
7
votes
1answer
3k views
Available Resources for Securing RHEL 6
Some in our infrastructure group want to upgrade to start taking advantage of the new features in RHEL 6. In the past, I have relied on the NSA Guide to secure RHEL 5 and CentOS 5 installations. I ...
8
votes
1answer
516 views
Hadoop security, isolation, and hardening
This is a multiple part question, which all really come back to the main question:
How best to protect data in a Hadoop (wikipedia) cluster.
(Current version, vanilla main-branch distro - ...
10
votes
3answers
642 views
VPS security best practice
I've just signed up for a linux VPS to host a website I've been creating and I need some advice on the best approach to secure it.
I've previously been hosting it off a VM in the house, but I want to ...
3
votes
1answer
409 views
Blacklist IP addresses based on number of 404s in Apache
I'm getting a lot of hackers spamming my domain with requests for files that just don't exist. This is eating up a lot of my allotted bandwidth and I'd like to blacklist these IP addresses.
Is there ...
3
votes
2answers
2k views
How to secure a dedicated linux server running a LAMP stack for commercial E-commerce use
To be more specific, I would like to get some help, either through a tutorial or through a book, on how to configure an apache server to run securely and minimize the risks for commercial use.
...
6
votes
2answers
243 views
Do I have to harden IE if I'm only using Firefox?
Assume a Windows 7 system (probably whatever home version comes with the machine), with the latest OS patches, latest IE and latest Firefox. Also assume that the user uses only Firefox for browsing, ...
27
votes
19answers
2k views
How can I prevent my kids from bypassing my computer restrictions?
My son has a downloaded copy of Ubuntu that he uses to "break" into my computer, bypassing Vista. I have two questions:
Can this damage my computer or corrupt my files? (I have lots of pictures)
Is ...
6
votes
1answer
2k views
How to secure a ActiveMQ?
Does anybody have experience with securing/hardening ActiveMQ?
Check lists or guides would be welcome.
22
votes
6answers
2k views
Keeping secrets from root on Linux
I am looking for ways to harden a linux system so that even when gaining full root access (through legit or non-legit means), some secrets remain inaccessible. But first a little background.
Many of ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
Implications of Trace/Track Methods on Apache
When performing vulnerability scans using Nessus, against a host running Apache, one expected result is always "HTTP TRACE / TRACK Methods Allowed". While this result only has a base CVSS of 4.3, I ...
21
votes
3answers
5k views
How to secure a MongoDB instance?
Does anybody have experience with securing/hardening MongoDB server? Check lists or guides would be welcome.
3
votes
2answers
377 views
ICMP redirects and source routing in the wild?
Theoretically, ICMP redirect messages (IPv4 and IPv6) and source routing (IPv4) / routing headers (IPv6) are very dangerous. However, I'm curious as to if attacks using these features really work in ...
3
votes
3answers
248 views
Servers: Why a separate device for a firewall, aside from reduction in IP spoofing or increase in performance
Why should the firewall be outside the server, excepting these two items
Take the performance impact of noise off of the server.
Add a physical layer between devices so they can be on separate ...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
php.ini security setting after attack
My website have been attacked and I need a best practice for a php.ini I have done some reading but I am still not sure if I covered most of the options.
here is my settings:
file_uploads = Off
...
4
votes
5answers
398 views
What are the likely threats to a public-facing DB instance?
Quick intro: Small company, VERY limited resources. I pretty much do everything including take out the trash.
We've been running an instance of MySQL internally for years and it's worked OK, but I ...
5
votes
2answers
228 views
Advice for writing my first application security review
I wish to write a security review for a specific windows server/client application that runs on a closed LAN or WAN (between 1 and 200+ users across multiple sites); it's not a web-application. The ...
0
votes
5answers
442 views
What should one do when he/she wants to protect him/her home--computer--?
As you know, deleting a file by pressing shift-delete or by using the Trash doesn't mean that the file is unrecoverable. It's data persists on your computer.
In day to day life, adversaries use ...
12
votes
3answers
1k views
Bruteforce attack on my FTP server
I recently setup VSFTPD on my personal server for sharing files over FTP. In the vsftpd.log file, i see hundreds of failed attempts to login with usernames like "adminitrator" , "adminitrator1", ...
