[THIN] Re: Securing MFXP

  • From: "Steve Greenberg" <steveg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 14:31:37 -0700

I tend to agree, but rather than target the CERT for improvement, I would
use a third party security add on such as Secure Computing and require
another factor of authentication to gain access.

 

Steve Greenberg

Thin Client Computing

34522 N. Scottsdale Rd D8453

Scottsdale, AZ 85262

(602) 432-8649

www.thinclient.net

steveg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

  _____  

From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Marc-Andre Lapierre
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 2:02 PM
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [THIN] Re: Securing MFXP

 

What if you use Entrust Authority?

 

Right now, the weakest aspect of a CSG setup is the username/password. If
you use a private Cert that you don't give, the hacker has to find the
Username/Password + hack/fake or whatever your private CA certificate, which
is not that easy even with MS technology. If you use the public one, yes
your encryption might be stronger, but anyone can get that CA certificate
and the only wall they have in front of your network is, in most cases, a
username/password to find. The hacker that has the knowledge/ability to
break in a Microsoft CA certificate is probably able to break in a
Thawte/Verisign one. While a username/password guess/try is easily feasible
to anyone. Maybe I'm wrong, but if I have to choose, I prefer having a
slightly week encryption (specially knowing that the content of an ICA
packet is almost useless) with an easy to create and a private MS CA Cert
than having a stronger encryption but easier to break in a Username Password
only!

 

  _____  

From: Bray, Donovan (ESC) [mailto:BrayD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 4:29 PM
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [THIN] Re: Securing MFXP

 

From a security standpoint I don't think what you are suggesting is entirely
true. I guarantee you Thawte and Verisign run a much more secure CA, than
the rest of us can.

 

What you are suggesting is potentially more hoops for an attacker, but if
the hoops are easier to get around, there's no security advantage. Also as
stated before it increases your training costs, and ongoing TCO for
additional helpdesk calls, that you could have reduced by paying $300/yr to
a reputable publicly available CA.  I wouldn't consider anybody's self setup
CA to be more secure than a reputable public CA, unless you are in the
business of setting up Certificate Authorities and you had a considerable
amount of money to invest in the PKI infrastructure.  Setting up a secure CA
and PKI infrastructure is well beyond running just running Microsoft's CA
software on a single box. It's about the business practices of the CA as
much as it is about the technology.

 

  _____  

From: Marc-Andre Lapierre [mailto:malapierre@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 1:00 PM
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [THIN] Re: Securing MFXP

But using a private cert is more secure than using a public one since the
ICA has to trust the Root certificate of the CSG box. It's a king of two
factor authentication since you need to give the private certificate to your
users.

 

  _____  

From: Joe Shonk [mailto:joe.shonk@xxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2005 1:26 AM
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [THIN] Re: Securing MFXP

 

I would look at using CSG; it's more secure and free with your SubAdv.  It's
much simpler to setup and maintain than SSL Relay, even with 2 servers.   I
would also look into using a Public cert.  They can be had for only $50
dollars and saves a bunch of time and hassle trying to teach end users how
to install the root cert.

 

Joe

 

  _____  

From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of ILMS (Air)
Sent: Tuesday, August 16, 2005 9:24 PM
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [THIN] Securing MFXP

 

Hii friends!

 

We have 2 MFXP FR3/W2k3 servers, users logging in using WI over LAN/WAN.

Would like to implement SSL.

 

What I have in mind is:

 

1.  Setup CA on one MF server. Create root cert.

Issue Server cert to both MF servers (IIS servers) and install through IIS.

 

2. Direct WI to use HTTPS (or Citrix SSL??) on 443, also set MF server name
same a certificate name.

 

3.  Setup citrix ssl relay on both MF servers (required??).

 

4. Install root cert on clients.

 

5.  Open only 443 port.

 

6.  Direct users to use https://server

 

 

waiting for your feedback!!

thnx in advance!

 

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