 Jon_Hanson
Mountain Dew Rules
Premium
join:2001-07-09
Gilbert, AZ
| Article is misleading Let's be clear about some things here. This was not a remote exploit of the OS. They guy was giving shell accounts to access via SSH to anyone who requested them via this webpage: »rm-my-mac.wideopenbsd.org.nyud.net:8090/ssh. This hack was via a local exploit. While this is still a problem it is not a way to gain root access to the machine remotely and is not nearly as critical as a remote exploit. You never give out shell access to a machine to people you don't know or trust.
SSH is off by default in OS X.
This does not impress me nor does it warrant all of the attention it has been getting. | |
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
 ·T-Mobile US
| Re: Article is misleading said by Jon_Hanson  :Let's be clear about some things here. This was not a remote exploit of the OS. They guy was giving shell accounts to access via SSH to anyone who requested them via this webpage: » rm-my-mac.wideopenbsd.org.nyud.net:8090/ssh. This hack was via a local exploit. While this is still a problem it is not a way to gain root access to the machine remotely and is not nearly as critical as a remote exploit. You never give out shell access to a machine to people you don't know or trust. SSH is off by default in OS X. This does not impress me nor does it warrant all of the attention it has been getting. Most likely because you don't get the story, can't understand how serious is this.
FYI: when a simple user account can be elevated to root level, that means *anything (ie apps) that runs under simple user credentials* might can do the same. That's pretty serious threat. | |
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sporkme
drop the crantini and move it, sister
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-01
Morristown, NJ
 ·Optimum Online
1 edit | Re: Article is misleading said by kamm :FYI: when a simple user account can be elevated to root level, that means *anything (ie apps) that runs under simple user credentials* might can do the same. That's pretty serious threat. Then that should really be the news story, shouldn't it?
I might also mention that one random cracker on the internet saying "there's lots of holes that I can't tell you about" does not make it true. | |
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US
1 edit | Re: Article is misleading said by sporkme :said by kamm :FYI: when a simple user account can be elevated to root level, that means *anything (ie apps) that runs under simple user credentials* might can do the same. That's pretty serious threat. Then that should really be the news story, shouldn't it? I might also mention that one random cracker on the internet saying "there's lots of holes that I can't tell you about" does not make it true. How about actually reading the article before posting stupid silly comments?
Gwerdna concluded that OS X contains "easy pickings" when it comes to vulnerabilities that could allow hackers to break into Apple's operating system.
"Mac OS X is easy pickings for bug finders. That said, it doesn't have the market share to really interest most serious bug finders," added gwerdna.
Apple's OS X has come under fire in recent weeks with the appearance of two viruses and a number of serious security flaws, which have since been patched by the Mac maker.
In January, security researcher Neil Archibald, who has already been credited with finding numerous vulnerabilities in OS X, told ZDNet Australia that he knows of numerous security vulnerabilities in Apple's operating system that could be exploited by attackers.
"The only thing which has kept Mac OS X relatively safe up until now is the fact that the market share is significantly lower than that of Microsoft Windows or the more common UNIX platforms.… If this situation was to change, in my opinion, things could be a lot worse on Mac OS X than they currently are on other operating systems," said Archibald at the time.
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sporkme
drop the crantini and move it, sister
Premium,MVM
join:2000-07-01
Morristown, NJ
·Optimum Online
| Re: Article is misleading said by kamm :said by sporkme :said by kamm :FYI: when a simple user account can be elevated to root level, that means *anything (ie apps) that runs under simple user credentials* might can do the same. That's pretty serious threat. Then that should really be the news story, shouldn't it? I might also mention that one random cracker on the internet saying "there's lots of holes that I can't tell you about" does not make it true. How about actually reading the article before posting stupid silly comments? Um, so basically if I say I have 18 super-secret windows holes that I'm not telling anyone about, you'll believe me? Cool deal.
OK, big news item coming:
Spork Research, LLC has recently discovered that there are VERY SERIOUS security flaws in the Windows Operating system. Microsoft had no comment.
Spork Research found these holes after logging in to a remote windows machine via an RDP account that the machine owner gave him.
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Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity | |
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US
| Re: Article is misleading said by sporkme :Um, so basically if I say I have 18 super-secret windows holes that I'm not telling anyone about, you'll believe me? Cool deal. OK, big news item coming: Spork Research, LLC has recently discovered that there are VERY SERIOUS security flaws in the Windows Operating system. Microsoft had no comment. Spork Research found these holes after logging in to a remote windows machine via an RDP account that the machine owner gave him. I told you stop posting stupid comments when you have zero knowledge on the subject...
»www.oreillynet.com/cs/catalog/view/au/2163
»felinemenace.org/~nemo/
And in case you couldn't follow, no, it's not the hacker - it's another person, a professional with a track record on OS X issues. | |
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russotto
join:2000-10-05
Collegeville, PA
| Not just SSH.... The guy didn't just leave SSH open. He gave all comers a user account (he didn't say whether it was an administrative account or not; I assume not). So basically all he proved is that there are local privilege escalation exploits. Which aren't good things, but they don't put Mac OS X in the same class as Windows. | |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA | Re: Not just SSH.... Of course not. Windows is much better. Mac OS is pure shit. | |
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Anonymous
Premium
join:2004-06-01
IA | Re: Not just SSH.... Oh I have tried OS X. And it crashed  | |
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gudel
System Lord
join:2004-06-03
Santa Barbara, CA | take that mac is secure huh  | |
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OS_X_Tiger
Macintosh
join:2006-02-14
Tucson, AZ | Mac OS X isn't the problem, it's SSH It's an SSH problem. SSH is not turned on by default. I don't think it was the fault of Mac OS X.
And by the way there are no updates right now (I just checked) for OS X 10.4.5. | |
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guhuna
R.I.P Mike
Premium
join:2001-03-31
Brentwood, CA | Hmm. This makes me want to find Exploits for Mac OS X. | |
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sst
Premium
join:2001-12-03
Show Low, AZ | Mac OS X Security Challenge In response to the woefully misleading ZDnet article, Mac OS X hacked under 30 minutes, the academic Mac OS X Security Challenge has been launched.
»test.doit.wisc.edu/ | |
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skyweir9
join:2003-07-05
San Francisco, CA | OSX vulnerability In other news, after giving burglars the first three of four numbers for your safe's combination, the fastest can open it in less than 30 minutes. | |
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US
| Re: Enjoy your FUD Too bad the writer completely missed the point - he wrote lengthy sentences about nothing (most likly he loves to read his own writings ) but he did not mention the fact that if a user can get root permissions, then it's possible anything ele (running with same user privileges) can do that. Well, maybe next time... | |
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cableties
Premium
join:2005-01-27 | hack me... Hack my As/400 and I will give you both it and my house!
...hahah...I dont have an AS/400...nor a house. | |
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Michieru2
zzz zzz zzz
Premium
join:2005-01-28
Miami, FL
| sigh Well this just proves that here nobody RTFA. When you got local privilages it's a whole different ball game. So he was provided access into the system. What "has" failed is the system's ability to defend itself from a local attack. Not a outside attack. He could of uploaded code through SFTP with scripts that ran against the system to get the keys he needed.
But to make a few corrections Mac OS X client version has SSH off as default and firewall is also off. Only ports exposed on the client side are that of Netinfo, and Cups. If I miss one please point it out.
On the Mac OS X Server version SSH is on by default. Why? Because sometimes you would be doing headless installs and you need access to the system. So having SSH on my default in Mac OS X Server makes life easier for setting them up.
When ipfw is activated all ports are blocked you cannot access any ports on the system remotely. It can also drop packets or also called (stealth mode).
Even then Netinfo might be vunerable to an attack but from what I know there are none and neither for CUPS as you can only access CUPS locally and not remotely it's like that by default in the cupsd.conf file.
Anyway local attacks are very hard to stop because the attacker would already have access to some of the systems resources it will eventually get broken in too. Does not matter if it's Linux, Unix, Windows. This is simply escalation of privilages done locally using SSH.
Nothing to see here move along folks. | |
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YOUR_UGLY_VT
Windows Is Crap
join:2001-09-27
Hoover, AL
| Macs Mac are still much more safer especialy for viruses because of the fact that OS X doesnt give access to core root files automaticaly like Windows. Windows opens windows to many many viruses. Windows is alot more vunerable to things than Mac though. I wonder if this person had a Hardware firewall. I do so I don't think anyones getting into my Mac or Windows Computer.
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I hate VT_ Insert Employee's or Users Name here! Cough.. | |
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kamm
join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US
| Re: Macs said by YOUR_UGLY_VT :Mac are still much more safer especialy for viruses because of the fact that OS X doesnt give access to core root files automaticaly like Windows. Windows opens windows to many many viruses. Windows is alot more vunerable to things than Mac though. I wonder if this person had a Hardware firewall. I do so I don't think anyones getting into my Mac or Windows Computer. Man... where did you hear these 'smarties'? | |
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dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ | S'ploitz one of the best ways to get unpublished exploits, announce a hack contest and log everything to another system that the hackers do
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You can never be too rich, too thin or have too much Bandwidth | |
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SocialEngineering
@net.au
| Social Engineering + sloppy reporting = Owned!! Either this attack did not take place at all or it's FUD reporting.
Gwerdna is Andrew G in reverse.
This is the 'source' of most the information given to the author of the article.
The author is writing for ZDNet.com.au an Australian website.
"Andy G" as he is called, is the host of Australian Idol.
I think 2 years ago "Andy G", a tall man with long blond hair who dresses effeminately was voted Australian Bachelor of the year by Cleo magazine Australia. Why would a 'hacker' want to be associated with him?
This 'hack' either did not exist, or was so trivial it really can't be classed as hacking. "Unknown exploit" is highly unlikely.
Regards,
Dslreports-registered-member-who-lurks-around-the-Security forum
(credit where credit is due - andrewg in reverse was found by someone else in discussion part of zdnet) | |
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sykocus
Watashi Wa Shashin O Toru Ga Suki Desu
Premium
join:2002-11-21
Guam, USA
| Re: Social Engineering + sloppy reporting = Owned!! said by SocialEngineering :
Either this attack did not take place at all or it's FUD reporting.
Gwerdna is Andrew G in reverse.
This is the 'source' of most the information given to the author of the article.
The author is writing for ZDNet.com.au an Australian website.
"Andy G" as he is called, is the host of Australian Idol.
I think 2 years ago "Andy G", a tall man with long blond hair who dresses effeminately was voted Australian Bachelor of the year by Cleo magazine Australia. Why would a 'hacker' want to be associated with him?
This 'hack' either did not exist, or was so trivial it really can't be classed as hacking. "Unknown exploit" is highly unlikely.
Regards,
Dslreports-registered-member-who-lurks-around-the-Security forum
(credit where credit is due - andrewg in reverse was found by someone else in discussion part of zdnet)
I'm just wondering where the 2nd gunman on the grassy knoll fits in on this one.
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My Gallery
"Every time someone tells me how sharp my photos are, I assume that it isn't a very interesting photograph. If it were, they would have more to say." -Author Unknown | |
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paulhaskew
Unoffical Dominos Spokesman
join:2002-01-10
Vancouver, WA
clubs: | Go MS! Go Microsoft! w00t!
lol... ok ok... we all know every OS has vulnerabilites... anyone cracked NAT yet? | |
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