('binary' encoding is not supported, stored as-is) -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 For Immediate Disclosure ============================== Summary ============================== Security Alert: NOVL-2002-FAQ Title: Novell Security Alerts Fact Sheet Date: 12 Aug 2002 Revision: Original Product Name: Novell Products in general OS/Platform(s): Netware, Windows, Linux, UNIX, Solaris, AIX, HP/UX, and others Reference URL: http://support.novell.com/security-alerts Vendor Name: Novell, Inc. Vendor URL: http://www.novell.com Security Alerts: http://support.novell.com/security-alerts Affects: None - informational Identifiers: None ============================ Description ============================ In light of increased customer interest in Internet-related security and the migration of Novell's products to the Internet Protocol, Novell is taking steps to better inform our customers and partners about security alerts. This fact sheet is intended to answer questions about this new policy and provide pointers to interested parties who want additional information. ============================== Impact =============================== Q: What is Novell's policy for releasing information about product-related vulnerabilities? A: Generally, Novell will provide information to the public (both customer and non-customer) about real or potential security vulnerabilities in our products along with recommended corrective actions, patches and other guidance, as those corrective actions become available; accordingly, we won't disclose information about theoretical or unsolved (nor unsolvable) problems until a workaround or product "fix" is available. Q: Are there exception to this general policy? A: For any given security vulnerability, we reserve the right to provide information in a time and manner that we determine based on the surrounding circumstances. Q: Under what circumstances might Novell delay publishing information about a problem? A: We cannot predict every eventuality. One circumstance may be when we're aware or a problem but other vendors afflicted with the same problem have not yet had the opportunity address the issue in their own products. Such circumstances will usually arise in conjunction with our work with CERT (http://www.cert.org) or other multi-vendor forums. Q: How will Novell provide information to the public? A: Novell intends to publish security alerts to CERT (http://www.cert.org), Bugtraq (http://online.securityfocus.com/archive/1), our own security-focused web site (http://support.novell.com/security-alerts) and other suitable public forums that become well known to our customers and us. Q: How is this different from past Novell policy? A: In the past, customers could find information about fixes to security-related problems, but we didn't make it particularly easy for customers (or attackers) to find the information. That is what is changed. Now, customers will be able to go to a single Novell Support site to find security-related fixes for their Novell products. Q: Doesn't it pose a risk to customers to publish information about vulnerabilities? A: The risks to customers are the vulnerabilities themselves. Novell intends to notify customers about the fixes they should apply to help protect them from those vulnerabilities. It's every customer's responsibility to maintain (and secure) its own systems and to keep its Novell products up-to-date by applying security-related patches. Novell cannot commit to keeping products free of security flaws, but Novell is committed to providing a process to be used when a product is suspected of having security problems. Q: Where and how can people report suspected vulnerabilities in Novell products? A: The new web site, http://support.novell.com/security-alerts has a form that can be used to submit information about a suspected problem. In addition, reports can be made to secureat_private via email. Q: How do people without Novell support contracts report problems? A: Novell is interested in security-related issues with all our products, regardless of whether there's a support contract in place. Use the same web site or email address as above: http://support.novell.com/security-alerts and secureat_private Q: Is this a ploy to get customers to buy upgrade protection and maintenance contracts from Novell? A: No. In today's world and today's Internet, network systems are facing many more attacks than ever before. Customers who use our products (and, for that matter - other vendor's products, too) have to work harder to secure their systems from attack. That's just the way it is. This new policy is one way to help customers keep on top of their systems maintenance, and to easily know what patches and precautions should be taken with our products. Novell will benefit if this attention to customer needs results in more sales, but that's not why we're doing it. ======================== Recommended Actions ======================== Monitor Novell websites (http://support.novell.com/security-alerts) for Security Alerts and (http://support.novell.com) regularly for general information relating to the Novell products you have installed, and follow the recommendations and directions posted there. It's every customer's responsibility to maintain (and secure) their own systems and to keep their Novell products up-to-date by applying security-related patches. In addition, Novell recommends users periodically review websites such as the following for reported vulnerability issues: CERT/CC (www.cert.org) ICSA (www.icsalabs.com) Security Focus (www.securityfocus.com) ============================ DISCLAIMER ============================= The content of this document is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing based on currently available information. However, the information is provided "AS IS" without any warranty or representation. Your use of the document constitutes acceptance of this disclaimer. Novell disclaims all warranties, express or implied, regarding this document, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Novell is not liable for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, this document or any security alert, even if Novell has been advised of the possibility of such damages and even if such damages are foreseeable. ============================ Appendices ============================= None ================ Contacting Novell Security Alerts ================== To report suspected security vulnerabilities in Novell products, send email to secureat_private PGP users may send signed/encrypted information to us using our PGP key, available from the pgpkeys.mit.edu server, or our website at: http://support.novell.com/security-alerts Security Alerts, Novell, Inc. PGP Key Fingerprint: F5AE 9265 0A34 F84E 580E 9B87 3AC1 1974 DE05 0FDB ========================= Revision History ========================== Original: 12 Aug 2002 - Original Publication -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGP Personal Security 7.0.3 iQA/AwUBPVgM/DrBGXTeBQ/bEQJDPQCdFNxb1k/BgRxiN9LcDig5QyezrzcAn0tm NyaPoi6qpFREhLmoRVW8JbAT =bAkR -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Aug 13 2002 - 10:28:12 PDT