Gentoo Archives: gentoo-user

From: Grant <emailgrant@×××××.com>
To: gentoo-user@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-user] OpenVPN setup
Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2008 20:03:55
Message-Id: 49bf44f10802171203x6d0504a1jee0da9523a7ac255@mail.gmail.com
In Reply to: Re: [gentoo-user] OpenVPN setup by Albert Hopkins
1 > > > I'd just like to reiterate that most of those don't need any extra
2 > > > security. SSH and HTTPS are already secure, and IMAP and SMTP can be
3 > > > accessed over SSL (like HTTPS). These are all secure enough to be
4 > > > widely used without extra layers of encryption.
5 > >
6 > > I'm surprised, but glad to hear this. I was under the impression that
7 > > opening services like SSH and CUPS to the internet was a bad idea. I
8 > > guess they're secure enough. That removes #2 and #3 from my 4-part
9 > > list above.
10 > >
11 > > If I can print with CUPS via SSL and submit SMTP mail via alternate
12 > > port 587, I won't need a VPN or tunnel.
13 > >
14 > > Thanks a lot for everyone's help. I'm going to start a new thread for
15 > > those topics.
16 >
17 > What wasn't mentioned is that SSL covers transport encryption, not
18 > necessarily application security. What that means is if you open IMAP,
19 > SMTP, CUPS, and SSH daemons over the internet then you also need to keep
20 > (better) track of security vulnerabilities found in those applications,
21 > and fix them as needed. SSL alone won't help you there. Whereas if
22 > you're only running, say OpenVPN over the Internet then that's the only
23 > application you gotta look out for.
24 >
25 > Also, doing things such as running IMAP over SSL using accounts with
26 > weak passwords doesn't gain you much either.
27
28 Good points Albert. Is a daily 'emerge --sync && emerge -avDuN world'
29 generally enough as far as tracking security vulnerabilities?
30
31 - Grant
32 --
33 gentoo-user@l.g.o mailing list

Replies

Subject Author
Re: [gentoo-user] OpenVPN setup Albert Hopkins <marduk@×××××××××××.org>
Re: [gentoo-user] OpenVPN setup Mick <michaelkintzios@×××××.com>