SNMP is used to manage networks. As it has weak authentication (except in some implementations, which are not entirely interoperatble with other such implementations), it is insecure, profoundly so, over untrusted lines. It is definitely NOT used to manage the internet, just certain parts of it, and even then SNMP is not allowed in or out of the border of those networks, when properly done. Queries are illegal in some jurisdictions, as they are both more informational and less casual than, say, a ping sweep. Simply put, SNMP is something that we have inherited from the time when the entire internet was a trustable network. > -----Original Message----- > From: Kevin Reardon [mailto:Kevin.Reardonat_private] > Sent: Friday, December 27, 2002 1:55 PM > To: Incidents List > Subject: Re: RPAT - Realtime Proxy Abuse Triangulation > > > Is not SNMP used to manage the Internet? I would think that > queries on > public would not be illegal at all. More like a passerby > looking at the > sign on the door. Breaking into the system into the read/write > community might land you in the clink (or if somebody got > rambunctious, > in Cuba). > > ---K > > Jay D. Dyson wrote: > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > > Hash: SHA1 > > > > On Tue, 24 Dec 2002, Mathias Wegner wrote: > > > > > >>>I would be very nervous about running this, remote SNMP queries of > >>>someone elses system (say a .gov or .mil proxy) may be considered > >>>illegal activity in some jurisdictions. > >>> > >>Depending on the SNMP daemon, it would/should be as illegal > as opening > >>an ssh investigating the system from the command line. Most SNMP > >>offers at least some amount of configuration via the read/write > >>community. I know that when I see SNMP queries on network hardware > >>that I manage, I consider it hostile activity. > >> > > > > Color me jaded, but if someone has an open proxy and > spam is spewed > > my way via that avenue, it's a pretty fair bet that the system I'm > > scanning is run by an admin who -- whether through > ignorance or sloth > > -- doesn't know or do jack about securing or monitoring his system. > > Moreover, open is open; whether a relay, proxy or anonymous FTP > > server. It is impossible to be charged with breaking and > entering when > > there's no breaking involved. > > > > With that in mind, I would not waste any time or energy > worrying > > about whether or not my scan would be picked up. Let's face it, a > > spammer just spewed through the idiot's proxy. Yet we're > supposed to > > believe that this otherwise lazy dope now possesses the > Eagle Eye of > > All Intrusion Detection Systems? Maybe I'm just cynical, > but I really > > doubt it. > > > > All that said, I should point out that I am not a > lawyer. I prefer > > to make an honest living. > > > > - -Jay > > > > ( ( > _______ > > )) )) .-"There's always time for a good cup of > coffee."-. >====<--. > > C|~~|C|~~| (>------ Jay D. Dyson - jdysonat_private > ------<) | = |-' > > `--' `--' `How about a 10-day waiting period on YOUR rights?' > > `------' > > > > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- > > Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (TreacherOS) > > Comment: See http://www.treachery.net/~jdyson/ for current keys. > > > > iD8DBQE+DJooTqL/+mXtpucRAjy+AKCZ9eiSmvKyuSzZuNX9hbXTF9IDRACg4/gN > > 2Gs+0tVYEQqykUc+/AUgFBg= > > =/ofa > > -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > ------ > > This list is provided by the SecurityFocus ARIS analyzer service. > > For more information on this free incident handling, management > > and tracking system please see: http://aris.securityfocus.com > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > -------------- > This list is provided by the SecurityFocus ARIS analyzer > service. For more information on this free incident handling, > management > and tracking system please see: http://aris.securityfocus.com > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This list is provided by the SecurityFocus ARIS analyzer service. For more information on this free incident handling, management and tracking system please see: http://aris.securityfocus.com
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