[Tfug] OT: Predrag wants attention! WAS: Re: Server Compromise

Shawn Nock nock at email.arizona.edu
Fri Sep 28 10:51:52 MST 2007


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Predrag Punosevac wrote:
> My first letter to this list in almost a month hardly could be called the
> attention request. Actually, one of the answers initiated by my "openly  
> hostile
> answer" did get him a real help. 

This may be the case. Honestly, had you elaborated, you would have had
some decent, useful points about security.

Mention chroot jails in the comment about /var. Perhaps you could have
talked about what kernel security levels are and how they could have
helped the situation. Mention a few of the ways OpenBSD's security
features could have helped.

Any of these would have truly been useful. The problem, as I see it, was
that you dropped some names then left with "It sounds like your problems
are homemade". Maybe this wasn't an attention grab. I am willing to
chalk it up as cultural differences, a bad day, whatever... it isn't
important.

>
>I am keeping my mouth shut.
> 

You really shouldn't take my response this way. I wasn't lying when I said:

>> Predrag Punosevac, I wish you well. I'll buy you a beer at the next
>> happy hour if you please promise to do better (be nicer) next time you  
>> post.

You just triggered my pet peev (#1 below, clearly #2 is the best choice
if one has the time). A knowledgeable person has three options on how to
use his knowledge:

1. To exclude others
2. To help others
3. To shut up

Plus, I'd had a long, crappy day (I woke @ 4:30a to watch Women's World
Cup semifinals... Brazil destroyed us 4-0! Gah!)

Peace,
Shawn
- --
Shawn Nock (OpenPGP: 0x5E377505)
Unix Systems Group; UITS
University of Arizona
nock at email.arizona.edu
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