Flaw in Linux kernel allows attack

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Are you reading the same article ?

I don't remember it ever says anything about the compromised was done via a physical touching of the machine (developer). All it says, and I quoted:

"The attacker gained access to one of the systems by compromising a developer's computer and installing a program to sniff out the characters typed on the developer's keyboard, according to a postmortem analysis..."

Okay, so this is how the hacker got the password into the Develoment System as a DEVELOPER. But then, the big flaw is then it was then able to (and I quote again) "...Using the September flaw, the attacker gained owner privileges on Klecker. This is frequently referred to as "owning" the system. The flaw--in a part of the kernel that manages memory--allows only users that already have access to the system to raise their privileges. Such flaws are less critical than vulnerabilities that give an outside attacker access to a server and so are fixed less quickly...."

I believed that the problem here is that these 'Less Critical Flaw' is NOT looked at as careful as one would believed that they are or else there wouldn't be a compromise.

It's easy to hack into a user's desktop system via different ways (social engineering hack, etc), but Linux's strength was supposed to be on the Servers. What this flaw tells me is that if I have an inside person then I could be in for a big problem. Which, according to all security/business reports, are the #1 cause of security/thief for any business.

Spin as you will, this just says that Linux is finally growing up and are now facing the same problems that MS has been for years and that the microscrope is only going to be right on top of them.

Posted by: JJ_z   Posted on: 12/02/03 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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