RE: UDP Port 137 - Now TCP 143

From: David Bovee (dbovee@inetsec.com)
Date: Wed Feb 10 1999 - 16:05:05 PST

  • Next message: Cohen Liota: "Re: Session hijacking, source-routes"

    I guess I would add that tcp/143, associated with IMAP, has been a victim to
    various DoS and other security exploits. I guess I can dig out the CERT
    advisories if needed...bottom line, it is commonly used as a doorknob twist.
    I raise this issue because I've seen MANY dozens of instances of valid IMAP
    doorknob twists that did not involve other ports, such as the mountd below.
    
    -David
    
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: owner-firewall-wizards@nfr.net
    > [mailto:owner-firewall-wizards@nfr.net]On Behalf Of David Gillett
    > Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 1999 12:52 PM
    > To: Bill_Royds@pch.gc.ca
    > Cc: 'firewall-wizards@nfr.net'
    > Subject: Re: UDP Port 137 - Now TCP 143
    >
    >
    > On 6 Feb 99, at 22:32, Bill_Royds@pch.gc.ca wrote:
    >
    > > John Burgess asked:
    > >
    > > Thanks to all who responded regarding UDP port 137.  I learned some
    > > interesting facts.  I got a new one this morning.  Does anyone know why
    > > would someone/something be hitting TCP port 143?  This was at
    > 2:30 AM from
    > > bay-030-b5.codetel.net.do (206.105.238.30 - Dominican Republic - a
    > > router?) Protocol=TCP Port 2734->143?
    > >
    > > JB
    > >
    > >   Port 143/tcp is IMAP. THere are several known vulnerabilities with
    > > some IMAP servers that he may be trying to exploit.
    >
    >   Just about every time I've seen someone try port 143, one of two other
    > things was true:
    >
    > 1.  The same machine also tried port 110 (POP3).  The user is trying to
    > retrieve email, possibly from the wrong server (either mistyped server
    > name/IP, or misunderstood scope of service provided).
    >
    > 2.  The same machine tried ports 23 (telnet) and 635 (mountd), and
    > usually a couple of others as well.  I've seen this ten times now, five
    > in Novemeber and five in 1999.  In the cases where I reached an admin
    > of the source machine, it always turned out to be a Linux box; on one
    > occasion, it was also launching "land" DoS attacks against Windows
    > servers.  The reference to port 635 may relate to CERT advisory 98-12,
    > regarding an unsecured configuration of mountd that Red Hat, at least,
    > installs as the default.
    >
    >
    > David Gillett
    > Network Security Engineer
    > General Magic, Inc (operators of portico.net)
    > davidg@genmagic.com
    > (408) 774-4384
    >
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Fri Apr 13 2001 - 13:21:39 PDT