Beware of ransomware, firm warns

Pretty suspect scenario: The Linux admin made a SSH hole in the firewall for remote working. Some hacker in Romania with IPScan found the hole (scanning the internet), and bruteforced a weak password.
(very simple script will do this)

OK, the Linux admin was smart enough to figure out how to create a hole in the firewall after getting ssh server working, but left a "weak password". Likely, no, possible yes.

The hacker then downloaded and installed a rootkit.(there are hundreds of these available for download).

This allowed the hacker to trade up to root.

You need to be root to install a rootkit, but after the rootkit was installed, they used this to "trade up" to root. Which came first, the ability to become root or installing the tool to become root.

A rootkit is a set of tools a cracker users ONCE they have become root. They therefore don't need a rootkit to trade up, they already have it.

Anyway, maybe you don't understand the actual circumstances surrounding the cracking of the box, or it is a Kaspery (sp?) proof of concept vulnerability?

Getting in through SSH with easy password, possible, finding it and attacking it over all the others, unlikely, getting in and as non root finding a local exploit to escalate to root, getting more and more unlikely. I think it was either an inside job, or ssh as root was allowed and the password was weak.

TripleII; Posted by: TripleII Posted on: 12/13/06 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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Pretty suspect scenario TripleII | 12/13/06

michael_t | 07/24/06

yeah and still yet not of this world | 07/24/06

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