[CentOS] Strange kernel messages

Mon Feb 22 21:35:25 UTC 2010
James B. Byrne <byrnejb at harte-lyne.ca>

My logwatch reported this in this mornings report:


--------------------- Kernel Begin ------------------------

 WARNING:  Kernel Errors Present
    usb 3-1: can't read configurations, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: can't set config #1, error -71 ...:  8 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: can't set config #1, error -84 ...:  66 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device descriptor read/all, error -71 ...:  3 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device descriptor read/all, error -84 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 120, error -71 ...:  1
Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 122, error -71 ...:  1
Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 14, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 21, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 39, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 50, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 51, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 57, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 58, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 68, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 7, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: device not accepting address 78, error -71 ...:  1 Time(s)
    usb 3-1: string descriptor 0 read error: -71 ...:  2 Time(s)

 ---------------------- Kernel End -------------------------

I have never seen this sort of thing before.  The reporting host is
my desktop PC and the office was closed yesterday so I cannot see
anyone pushing things in or out of any of the usb ports.

I had a persistent penetration attempt yesterday as well. Could the
two be related?



-- 
***          E-Mail is NOT a SECURE channel          ***
James B. Byrne                mailto:ByrneJB at Harte-Lyne.ca
Harte & Lyne Limited          http://www.harte-lyne.ca
9 Brockley Drive              vox: +1 905 561 1241
Hamilton, Ontario             fax: +1 905 561 0757
Canada  L8E 3C3