[dba-Tech] Wanna Cry/WannaCrypt

Wed May 24 12:08:54 CDT 2017

I would like to reverse my OS setup, which is currently Win 10 as the root
OS and Linux in VirtualBox VMs (I run more than one Linux virgins),.I have
an old box that I use to test stuff on, and have experienced numerous
failures with Grub, and had to rebuild from scratch after each failure, so
there's no way I'm going to do that to my main squeeze until I've sorted
all the problems.

A.

On Wed, May 24, 2017 at 10:08 AM, Jim Lawrence <accessd at shaw.ca> wrote:

> Hi John:
>
> Of course I would work it around to Linux...just being logical...almost 40
> years in the business and all that. ;-)
>
> I fully endorse the process of appropriate updates of an application. I
> tend to use "automated" rolling releases.
>
> That said, the reason I did not mention regular updates and virus
> protection software was because users start to rely on these two features
> as a complete solution to potential problems. They are like wearing a
> seat-belt; good precaution but its best not to get in that accident in the
> first place. First when it comes to updates, not all systems can be
> updated, in this case XP, updates may even cost and should we be expect
> Microsoft to be on the hook, for free, indefinitely?  Second, protection
> software, is usually behind the curve as the malware has already hit and
> the damage has already been done. If it comes to spending money for updates
> and malware protection software and a business has more than a dozens
> computers, a few a hundred a month, without any guarantees, is prohibitive
> to the point where infrequent repairs can be cheaper than a regular hit to
> the bottom line.
>
> That is why I emphasis a good network infrastructure is more important.
> Like a doctor that recommends a healthy life-style, with regular exercise
> and nutrition saying it's better than depending only on clinics and
> medication.
>
> As you have said, this all is common sense but common sense apparently is
> not that common. Of course that is why we get paid the big bucks...or not
> as the case may be. :-)
>
> Aside: Just converted a neighbour, a retired farmer to Linux. Don't worry,
> he may not have completed high-school but he taught himself Japanese in his
> spare time, so he is probably smarter than I am and he will have not
> problem with the OS.
>
> A happy penguin day to you too.
>
> Jim
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John R Bartow" <jbartow at winhaven.net>
> To: "Discussion of Hardware and Software issues" <
> dba-tech at databaseadvisors.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2017 3:10:35 PM
> Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Wanna Cry/WannaCrypt
>
> Lol, I knew that eventually you work this around to suggesting everyone use
> Linux.
>
> The fact is Wannacry was not a threat to people who upgrade and apply
> patches on a regular basis. You didn't see any big warnings about it from
> me
> did you? When a hack is released to the public - it's not only the black
> hats that should be taking note, the white hats should be too. I have a
> good
> group of white hats in my corner and my security had this vulnerability
> covered a month before the black hats took advantage of it - even on
> unpatched XP systems.
>
> So the questions Wannacry raised are: Do you patch? Do you know why you're
> patching? Do you have proper, multi level security? And, as you mentioned,
> do you have proper offline backups.
>
> So nothing new here. Just common sense that applies to ALL computers,
> Windows or not.
>
> Nice try at trying to recruit more penguins though ;-)
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dba-Tech [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of
> Jim Lawrence
> Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2017 1:07 PM
> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
> Subject: [dba-Tech] Wanna Cry/WannaCrypt
>
> Hi All:
>
> The is a rather late comment on the Wannacry worm that spread around the
> planet.
>
> <rant mode on>
> People have been quick to blame Microsoft for their hacked systems when the
> problem could have been easily blocked and recovered from by just using the
> most basic steps. I personally find it amazing that even though PCs have
> been around for a generation, few seem grasp the basics of planning for
> failure. Failure of your system is guaranteed. Consider your computer like
> a
> light bulb...all fail eventually and if you career or business depends on
> your data, plan for system failure one way or the other. The Wannacry worm
> was a wake up call.
>
> Aside: I strong disagree with the creation and storage of hidden system
> vulnerabilities. Not matter how well hidden they always get out and if not,
> when used, they are like a gas attack. It takes a wary opponent hours to
> reciprocate and because of our highly technical society we end up getting
> hammered to pieces, far worse. Can you imagine what would have happened if
> after Japan was nuked, within hours, Japan was nuking the west coast, in
> retaliation?
> </rant mode off>
>
> XP was really not the problem as how could anyone expect a ancient system
> to
> not be easily hackable? The real problem is that of how the system's
> routers
> were setup. To start with, secure mode should always be set, on the router.
> This mode shuts down every port except port 80 unless specifically
> requested
> by the user and that requires a manual entry. The hack, passed through the
> router, using port 139, that was used by NetBIOS and in conjunction with
> port 445, for direct TCP/IP SMB. No one uses these ports anymore so they
> should be turned off. Even as far back as 1995, when install Windows 3.1
> workgroup, Microsoft was recommending not using applications that required
> these ports. If you want to check to see if these ports are open on your
> router or network, browse to one of many external port checkers. I use the
> following online app as it is generic and works on everything:
>
> http://www.yougetsignal.com/tools/open-ports/
>
> When arriving on the opening screen find and click on the button, on the
> right saying "Scan all common ports". If ports 139 and 445 show up as open
> turn them off through your router.
>
> Backup are the essential for every PC that has data that is worth anything.
> The MAC has an excellent, fully automated system called the timemachine,
> that initialises with a hard-drive image and then does a regular/continuous
> backup of all changed files. Linux has many excellent backup systems...a
> package called Cronopete emulates the features of the Apple Timemachine.
> Both these products allow your system, from a hard down, to operational
> within an hour. MS Windows may have something similar, I don't know...all I
> can say is they didn't use to.
>
> I don't want to make the following appear as a rant against Microsoft but
> there are some major faults in Window design. Its greatest strength and
> weakness is it backward compatibility. With that compatibility comes an
> inability to sand-box or isolate a process, a user or application. That is
> just the way it is designed from the ground up and the cost of rebuilding
> millions of lines of ancient of code is prohibitive. I am pleased to see
> Microsoft is adopting more and more Linux modules. At one time, in the
> future, in may just become another flavour of Linux. In the meantime, while
> MS is going through this migration process, I just use Linux. Linux is also
> great for walling in and protecting your Windows servers as Linux is much
> better at being front facing. Linux today, runs most of the best routers
> (ie. Cisco) but not all are expensive and many older routers can be
> upgraded
> using products like OpenWrt, pfSense, OpenVPN to name but a few industry
> standards. (They are also OSS!
>  .)
>
> One last comment on Windows and Linux comes from TechRepublic. A quote from
> the article goes as follows; "The important question here is this: Have
> there been any ransomware attacks on the Linux desktop? The answer is no.
> With that in mind, it's pretty easy to draw the conclusion that now would
> be
> a great time to start deploying Linux on the desktop.":
>
> http://www.techrepublic.com/article/wannacrypt-makes-an-
> easy-case-for-linux/
>
> Jim
>
>
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-- 
Arthur