[CentOS] Another Fedora decision

Thu Feb 5 23:29:42 UTC 2015
Valeri Galtsev <galtsev at kicp.uchicago.edu>

On Thu, February 5, 2015 5:07 pm, Les Mikesell wrote:
> On Thu, Feb 5, 2015 at 4:39 PM, Valeri Galtsev
> <galtsev at kicp.uchicago.edu> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> Yes, /etc/shadow would have always been readable only by root by
>>> default.   The interesting question here is whether an intruder did
>>> it, clumsily leaving evidence behind, or whether it is just a local
>>> change from following some bad advice about things that need to be
>>> changed - or running some script to make those changes.  The latter
>>> seems more likely to me.
>>>
>>
>> Be it me, I would consider box compromised. All done on/from that box
>> since probable day it happened compromised as well. If there is no way
>> to
>> establish the day, then since that system originally build. With full
>> blown sweeping up the consequences. Finding really-really-really
>> convincing proof it is not a result of compromise (and yes, fight one's
>> wishful thinking!).
>
> You aren't being paranoid enough.

Really? My take is to take it as seriously as it can potentially be. It
_is_ paranoid, and is paranoid enough.  Which would constitute pretty good
compliment responsible sysadmin can get ;-)

> If it happened as a result of
> following some instructions or running a script, it's not just the box
> that is compromised, it is everything you think you know.   On the
> other hand it could have just been an accidental typo.

That's why I said "avoid wishful thinking".

Yes, but "could have been" is one story (then, still variety of important
things may be left in jeopardy). Finding the proof that it is accidental
typo or stupid script is another. The second one takes much more time and
effort in my experience. I figure my teachers deserve their share of
credit for teaching me the way I am. Your response to incident that just
got discovered may be different. But what, after all it is your money
(well, _his_ money in this case). As I figure, there are no other users on
this box. But imagine there are...

Valeri

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Valeri Galtsev
Sr System Administrator
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics
University of Chicago
Phone: 773-702-4247
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