[fw-wiz] OBSD reaction to CERT advisory

From: Paul D. Robertson (probertsat_private)
Date: Wed Oct 09 2002 - 06:27:12 PDT

  • Next message: Daniel Hartmeier: "Re: [fw-wiz] OBSD reaction to CERT advisory"

    You know, it's probably not really CERT's fault, but when a "vendor" 
    reaction to an advisory paints a specific picture about a "competing" 
    project or product *especially* after the IP Filter/OpenBSD fragfest, it's 
    just not good to republish it.  The CERT/CC Addendum *should* have been 
    used in this case, or CERT at least should have contacted Darren Reed to 
    get from "I didn't install an ipf machine, but from looking at the code..." to 
    reality.
    
    http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/AAMN-5EQPEF
    
    When we get such uttlerly childish public statements in a security venue 
    such as a CERT vulnerability note, it doesn't help anyone.  I'd think 
    twice about any using an OS from a team who treats security more like a 
    "celebrity deathmatch" wrestling event than a professional one.
    
    I hope Darren does update CERT with a statement about IPFilter, and I hope 
    it's based more on the information Mikael posted here than the stuff CERT 
    did the first or second time around (We've gone from SACKs to TCP 
    congestion control on the CERT side...)
    
    Between this, misspelling Mikael's last name, and the fact that his vendor 
    statement didn't show up until round 2, I'm not sure CERT has gained much 
    at all credibility-wise, if anything from times past when they were more 
    widely ridiculed.  Republishing this sort of childishness doesn't do CERT 
    any good, and writing it in the first place makes the OBSD team look like 
    a bunch of spoiled brats.
    
    Statements like "The problem is in ipf" when there's been zero 
    actual verification, let alone communication with the author should be 
    taken as disinformation.
    
    Paul
    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Paul D. Robertson      "My statements in this message are personal opinions
    probertsat_private      which may have no basis whatsoever in fact."
    probertsonat_private Director of Risk Assessment TruSecure Corporation
    
    _______________________________________________
    firewall-wizards mailing list
    firewall-wizardsat_private
    http://honor.icsalabs.com/mailman/listinfo/firewall-wizards
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Wed Oct 09 2002 - 06:30:23 PDT