Depending on your network, and assuming they compromised the web-server, they could in theory use it to attack other resources behind the firewall/nat/packet-filter. This assumes however that there are other machines to attack.
Also, in theory, complete remote control of the system can certainly be obtained over port 80 as exemplified by the eeye exploit, and a couple of the NULL.printer exploits floating around. So yes, there's more to lose than just a web-site defacement. Any time you open a port, you need to harden the service behind it. -----Original Message----- From: apif [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2002 5:26 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: seeking a better understanding I recieved one response to my original post... so maybe I am not in the right conference / newsgroup. If this is so, please let me know. Otherwise, the two following questions would scoot me along to understanding what I need about basic security. Thanks. 1. Given port 80 (and only port 80) is open to the outside world, if someone were to breach that port, could they do more than deface my website? 2. Is a home router that does src port blocking, packet intraspection, and NATing enough, or do I need a middle box running some form of firewall software too? -----Original Message----- From: apif [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2002 2:25 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: seeking a better understanding All, Where to begin? I have a home network, and am considering putting in a web server. At this point I am considering the security of it. I suppose the best way to help you in helping me is to tell you a little about me, my network, and how I plan on using this. I'm from a technical background and support MS servers. I have very little experience in Linux, and only a little in security. Security mostly comes from another group in my company. My connection to the internet is DSL. I am planning to upgrade it to a premuim connection so that I can have static IP's. A domain name and DNS registration will be a course of action further down the line. My home network consists of less than 5 boxes, each running varying O/S's. All MS O/S's are running personal firewalls. Other boxes are Linux. I have a netgear R0318 router which is up to date on it's firmware. It supports NATing, packet intospection, and blocks ports except where I specify they should be allowed through. So here is the run down. I'm weak on Linux, but that is what I want to put the web server on. It will run on Apache web software. All machines are behind the router, and all addresses are NAT'd. I would project out port 80 for the Slackware Linux machine, and no others (except maybe FTP at some point unless you think this would not be wise). I currently do not have any A/V software on my linux box (and to be honest, have no idea what sort of A/V to put on a linux box). Now that you have the background, my questions comes down to this. If port 80 is the only port allowed through, and someone chose to attack this port, could they compromise my system, and if so how? What other steps should I take to protect this system? I see IPTables (I guess it replaced IPchains) in slackware. I know this is a firewall, but I don't think it is like the personal firewall I have on MS boxes. I suspect it is more like a full corp class firewall, and probably as complicated. Should I be using this on my Slackware machine? Do you have any suggestions of what A/V software I should use on a linux machine, and do the spot trojans as the MS ones do? Thank you for your time. I'm sorry this was so long.
