Firewall Wizards mailing list archives

Re: Blocking Google Talk


From: Frank Knobbe <frank () knobbe us>
Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2006 16:07:20 -0500

On Mon, 2006-06-19 at 08:35 -0400, Paul D. Robertson wrote:
As usual, it's always good to start at the source...

From:  Google Team <talk-feedback () google com>

Hello,

Thank you for contacting the Google Talk Team. We understand that it is
sometimes necessary to disable instant messaging services on a network. If
you need to disable Google Talk on your network, we suggest blocking DNS
lookups to talk.google.com, by returning 127.0.0.1.


Wait.... isn't that "security through obscurity"? What prevents the user
from using:

216.239.37.125   talk.google.com

in his hosts file? You are telling me that Google recommends attempting
to foil a resolver by returning bogus entries as an attempt to prohibit
Google Talk traffic in a network? Is that the new Status Quo of Internet
giants, giving stupid "un-security" advice like that?

Excuse me while I wipe the coffee off my screen and keyboard...

Cheers,
Frank


-- 
It is said that the Internet is a public utility. As such, it is best
compared to a sewer. A big, fat pipe with a bunch of crap sloshing
against your ports.


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