Re: [ISN] Why I should have the right to kill a malicious process on your machine

From: InfoSec News (isnat_private)
Date: Thu Jan 16 2003 - 22:34:47 PST

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    Forwarded from: security curmudgeon <jerichoat_private>
    
    > http://212.100.234.54/content/55/28851.html
    >
    > By Tim Mullen
    > Security Focus Online
    > Posted: 14/01/2003
    
    > To refresh, I believe you should have the right to neutralize a worm
    > process running on someone else's infected system, if it's
    > relentlessly attacking your network. I've even written code to
    > demonstrate the process. Though the initial news coverage of the
    > concept was grossly inaccurate in conveying my ideas, it has stirred
    > up a constructive dialog.
    
    > It has been the "security experts" who have grouped as the
    > opposition, some even with a level of condescension. For instance,
    > Eugene Schultz
    
    > I think the main reason for the knee-jerk criticism from the likes
    > of Schultz is that they work largely in a theoretical rose-colored
    > world of security, where all problems are solved after a cup of
    > coffee and a bit of pontification. Those who actually work in the
    > operational end
    
    Heed your own insults Tim. Your proposal falls in the category of
    theoretical rose-colored solutions. Hopefully you enjoyed your coffee
    as you pontificated.
    
    There are several issues that you do not clearly address in such a way
    to sell this idea. Further, by bringing up the details, you will open
    yourself up to further criticism and further validate the criticism on
    the table already.
    
    Who defines "relentless" attacks? Is one worm spamming your web server
    with 6 hits every 30 minutes as it tries to spread "relentless"? Is it
    really threatening your machine or stealing your bandwidth? What if is
    the same 6 hits every 5 minutes? Or even every minute? Is that really
    a "relentless attack" or is that an annoyance? Is your answer the same
    as everyone elses?
    
    Who authenticates these attacks? Are your web logs grounds for you to
    engage in what is normally considered felony level activity and title
    18 violations? Are you sure you are reading those web logs right? Have
    you considered some possible scenarios that might challenge your ideas
    on strikeback?
    
      What if I forge some logs showing tim-mullen.com being worm infected
      and attacking my systems? Now I break into your system and "kill your
      malicious processes" *at my discretion*. Well, the worm utilizes syslog
      in one place, so let me kill syslogd. The worm uses this other process,
      you dont need that "kswapd" anyway.
    
      What if I hack c4i.org and then do a few lynx calls that mimick a worm's
      signature. Now you are mad and you want to break into c4i.org and stop
      the activity. Court battle ensues.. you have logs showing the attack,
      William Knowles has system logs showing no such infection, but does
      have the logs of you hacking into his system. Who is in the wrong here?
      Who is the court going to believe when they review all the logs?
    
      Let's consider a large business I run, where I am typically very good
      at maintaining a secure network. One day I install MS Patch #982349823
      and go home. That night a 0day worm compromises my system and tries to
      spread, attacking your system. Am I really liable at this point? Let's
      pretend that during your frenzied strikeback session you kill the worm
      and also typo the process number. When my proprietary database shuts
      down uncleanly and corrupts the last 100 customer transactions and
      further corrupts a different database. Who is liable here?
    
    
    These are three examples off the top of my head that show some serious
    flaws in the idea of strikeback technology. You are definitely not the
    first to bring this idea up, and you are certainly not the first to
    consider all the scenarios and ramifications.
    
    If you find yourself asking what else can be done to stop these
    problems, one answer that comes to mind is simple. ISP's need to be
    more reactive to complaints about abuse on their network. Their
    customers already sign an agreement stating they will follow an
    Acceptable Use Policy. Every AUP I have seen covers malicious activity
    like you describe, and puts the liability on them. If your system
    attacks mine, be it from automated worm or not, and I report that
    activity to your ISP.. they need to kill your conneection until the
    problem is solved. If they read the logs I sent, they can then make
    the determination if it is a serious problem, contact you, or monitor
    your traffic to find their own verification of the activity. Once they
    find it, they pull your plug and problem is solved temporarily. While
    this system is not flawless, it is certainly more feasible and
    responsible than any strikeback proposal.
    
    
    
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