Penetration Testing mailing list archives
RE: Pentester convicted..
From: "Shane Warner" <shane () aplv com>
Date: Thu, 11 May 2006 12:21:05 -0700
You are absolutely right. Why in the heck would someone cruise around the net probing random websites poking and prodding for vulns unless they were up to something no good. These things aren't found by "accident" most times, and in fact finding such vulns usually requires at least a bit of time and effort, and the intent and drive to get into the system. -my 2 cents -Shane -----Original Message----- From: Craig Wright [mailto:cwright () bdosyd com au] Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 8:33 PM To: bill.hancock () isthmusgroup com; pen-test () securityfocus com Subject: RE: Pentester convicted.. First - Get a clue. The "I was doing it for their good defence" is beyond lame. Responsible professionals do NOT go around testing web sites without authority. Next the conviction is not for reporting a vulnerability but for sending email through the companies server *** WITHOUT PERMISSION ***. With all the free email systems about these days... (need I go on here?) Mr McCarty did NOT tell the University of the issues. He informed journalists. He was seeking publicity. He did not tell the Uni of the issue and leave it at that, he used the violation to send emails and account details from the server. In fact he stole the application details of several University applicants - again *** without permission ***. Stating AFTER the event - WHEN you are caught that this was for the common good is not a defence! Bret McDanel The other mentioned 1030 case also broke the law - Plain and simple. You have no right to scan sites for the hell of it. This is illegal, unprofessional and plain stupid! Regards, Craig -----Original Message----- From: William Hancock [mailto:bill.hancock () isthmusgroup com] Sent: Thursday, 11 May 2006 12:20 AM To: pen-test () securityfocus com Subject: Pentester convicted.. Hey there pen-testers, take this with a grain of salt, it just got me excited. I am really interested in everyones opinion on the matter or corporate responsibility and ownership. <RANT> In an article posted to slashdot today (http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/05/10/112259&from=rss) a man has been convicted of hacking when he casually and helpfully reported a security vulnerability to the owners of a web site, in this case The University of Southern California. It reads like it was some sort of simple SQL injection and upon gleaning the information he reported it. What are we to do as a community I ask? We should we, the good guys, who are paid for our knowledge and ability to exploit mistakes, oversights, and weaknesses then professionally report them to aid in the securing of information capital (or anyone who reports the flaw for that matter) worry about prosecution. It lends itself to a forcing the technical community to sit on their laurels and wait for the people who don't report issues to exploit them. Further it sounds very clear that had he not notified them, they would have never known. A security pro notices a flaw, checks to make sure he is not on crack by 'flipping a bit', deems the threat viable and is likely to be exploited, notifies the owners, then get arrested and charged with unauthorized access. We, as a or even The security community, should push corporations, governments, and organized body's to take responsibility and ownership of their problems. If they publish a site that is flawed or exposing information then they are authorizing the retrieval of that information. I'm not advocating that they laws should allow any jerk to try and brute his or her way in to a public or private web site, but come on. If someone leaves their wallet in the park with no guard or protection, I pick it up and bring it back to the owner, the owner didn't want me to have it but I brought it back to him. Why in the hell should I have to go to jail for returning it to him, why should I/we be punished for doing the right thing? I acknowledge this to be a rant but there must but some way to insist that when people make something available to the public that it is their responsibility to safeguard it and appreciate not persecute someone who let's them know (for free I might add) that a weakness exists. This is simple scapegoating, the University did something not advisable as a good practice and instead of owning up to it they villafied a professional pen-tester for offering valid advice. </RANT> Thanks, Bill Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation in respect of matters arising within those States and Territories of Australia where such legislation exists. DISCLAIMER The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not use or disclose the information. 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Cenzic has the most comprehensive solutions to meet your application security penetration testing and vulnerability management needs. You have an option to go with a managed service (Cenzic ClickToSecure) or an enterprise software (Cenzic Hailstorm). Download FREE whitepaper on how a managed service can help you: http://www.cenzic.com/news_events/wpappsec.php And, now for a limited time we can do a FREE audit for you to confirm your results from other product. Contact us at request () cenzic com for details. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Current thread:
- Re: Get out of jail cards (Statement of work authorizing access, was Re: Pentester convicted..), (continued)
- Re: Get out of jail cards (Statement of work authorizing access, was Re: Pentester convicted..) Dotzero (May 12)
- Re: Get out of jail cards (Statement of work authorizing access, was Re: Pentester convicted..) Paul Asadoorian (May 12)
- RE: Get out of jail cards (Statement of work authorizing access, was Re: Pentester convicted..) Clement Dupuis (May 12)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. bofn (May 11)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. Christine Kronberg (May 11)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. mike (May 11)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. Dotzero (May 12)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. David J Blackburn (May 11)
- RE: Pentester convicted.. Craig Wright (May 11)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. etropos (May 11)
- RE: Pentester convicted.. Shane Warner (May 11)
- RE: Pentester convicted.. Kluge (May 12)
- RE: Pentester convicted.. Shenk, Jerry A (May 11)
- RE: Pentester convicted.. Pachulski, Keith (May 11)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. nimus396 (May 11)
- RE: Pentester convicted.. Shenk, Jerry A (May 11)
- RE: Pentester convicted.. Levenglick, Jeff (May 11)
- RE: Pentester convicted.. Craig Wright (May 12)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. bofn (May 12)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. Mark Teicher (May 12)
- Re: Pentester convicted.. Mark Teicher (May 15)