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Re: is gitosis secure?

From
martin <martin@siamect.com>
Date
Dec 14, 2008, 11:02 UTC
Message-ID
<4944E7E1.2030907@siamect.com>
In-Reply-To
<alpine.DEB.1.10.0812140304320.17688@asgard.lang.hm>
david@lang.hm wrote:
Show 36 quoted lines
> On Sun, 14 Dec 2008, martin wrote:
>
>> Dear David.
>> Why do you trust VPN more than the SSH?
>> I ask because I have just removed the "first VPN then SSH" solution 
>> in favor for a SSH only solution using Gitosis just to get rid of the 
>> VPN which I believe is less secure than SSH (well until I read you 
>> comments below).
>> I thought I was doing something right for once but maybe I'm not?
>> Thanks and best regards
>> Martin
>
> in part it's that a VPN is a single point of control for all remote 
> access.
>
> If you use ssh you end up exposing all the individual machines
>
> 1. data leakage of just what machines exist to possibly hostile users.
>
> 2. the many machines are configured seperatly, frequently by different 
> people. this makes it far more likely that sometime some machine will 
> get misconfigured.
>
> 3. people who are focused on providing features have a strong 
> temptation to cut corners and just test that the feature works and not 
> test that everything that isn't supposed to work actually doesn't 
> work. as a result, in many companies there is a deliberate seperation 
> (and tension) between a group focused on controlling and auditing 
> access and one that is focused on creating fucntionality and features.
>
> also from a polical/social point of view everyone recognises that if 
> you grant someone VPN access you are trusting them, but people don't 
> seem to think the same way with ssh.
>
> David Lang
>

I opened port 22 in the firewall to just those hosts that I need to reach, which is one in this case...the rest of the machines I cannot reach. I did a brief port scan and the thing is silent... so I don't think I reveal any of the other hosts... but I should not say is it's secure with your measures...

Your point two I don't understand... If you are in charge of the firewall you also know what machines you let people reach. If these machines are numerous then I think there is a management problem somewhere else...

Point 3 is correct but I fail to see how this is less of a problem with VPN than SSH.

Thanks and Best regards Martin

Previous: david@lang.hmNext: david@lang.hm
Message 23 of 41 in “is gitosis secure?”
  1. Thomas KochDec 9, 2008
  2. Sam VilainDec 9, 2008
  3. Florian WeimerJan 18, 2009
  4. Boyd Stephen Smith Jr.Jan 18, 2009
  5. Florian WeimerJan 18, 2009
  6. Boyd Stephen Smith Jr.Jan 18, 2009
  7. Tommi VirtanenFeb 3, 2009
  8. Stephen R. van den BergFeb 4, 2009
  9. Tommi VirtanenFeb 4, 2009
  10. Stephen R. van den BergFeb 5, 2009
  11. Tommi VirtanenFeb 5, 2009
  12. R. Tyler BallanceDec 9, 2008
  13. Tommi VirtanenFeb 3, 2009
  14. Sverre RabbelierDec 9, 2008
  15. NixDec 13, 2008
  16. Sverre RabbelierDec 13, 2008
  17. Sitaram ChamartyDec 14, 2008
  18. david@lang.hmDec 14, 2008
  19. martinDec 14, 2008
  20. david@lang.hmDec 14, 2008
  21. Jakub NarebskiDec 14, 2008
  22. david@lang.hmDec 15, 2008
  23. martinDec 14, 2008
  24. david@lang.hmDec 15, 2008
  25. Mike HommeyDec 15, 2008
  26. david@lang.hmDec 15, 2008
  27. Mike HommeyDec 15, 2008
  28. TaitDec 15, 2008
  29. Sitaram ChamartyDec 14, 2008
  30. david@lang.hmDec 15, 2008
  31. Jakub NarebskiDec 14, 2008
  32. david@lang.hmDec 15, 2008
  33. Rogan DawesDec 15, 2008
  34. david@lang.hmDec 15, 2008
  35. Rogan DawesDec 15, 2008
  36. Jakub NarebskiDec 14, 2008
  37. NixDec 15, 2008
  38. david@lang.hmDec 15, 2008
  39. Asheesh LaroiaDec 15, 2008
  40. david@lang.hmDec 15, 2008
  41. Garry DolleyDec 9, 2008

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