0

Nmap and DNS resolution Timeouts

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I think Nmap is by far the best portscanner around if you want to do some serious port-scanning. Nmap performs a DNS resolution by default. This is good for obtaining the fully qualified domain names (FQDN), however, in some cases when you are scanning huge networks spanning several class Bs, it can have a significant effect on the duration of the scan.
Although using the -n parameter can completely stop nmap from performing any resolutions, but sometimes there’s that fine granularity that you need, i.e., you want to perform name resolutions but not if it exceeds a certain amount of time. I have to say that I wouldn’t have even craved for such an idiosyncratic feature, had it not been for nmap. Fyodor has been awesome enough to provide fine-grained control over port-scanning to your heart’s content.
So I opened up the nmap code, trying to figure out if I could fine tune that feature myself and I was not at all surprised that there were several comments in the code that would give you the impression that the authors of nmap have been considering this feature.
At this time it seems that the timeouts for the DNS servers are being read out of an arrayname:
static int read_timeouts[][] in nmap_dns.cc.
The way the code works is, this array has retransmission timeouts. Each row of this array represents what retransmission timeouts that nmap will follow depending on the number of DNS servers provided.

In nmap 4.76, therefore, if you specify one DNS server (or only one entry exists in /etc/resolv.conf) nmap will wait 4000ms, then another 4000ms followed by 5000ms before giving up. But if you do specify two DNS servers, then for the first DNS server the timeouts are 2500ms followed by 4000ms and then the same is tried for the 2nd entry in the DNS servers. Therefore, it seems that nmap will wait 13 seconds at max before giving up on the DNS resolution of a host. Imagine scanning a class B and having to wait 13 seconds for each of the hosts to resolve. It would be a significant overhead.

Of course, one can find other things to do if the IP address space is not DHCP, e.g., starting a separate list scan (-sL) and a portscan (with -n) simultaneously so that the DNS resolution timeouts do not result in a major impact as far as the portscanning itself is concerned.
There could be pros and cons to this as well which I may have failed to consider. But at this time it seems that it might be the most judicious approach.

0

Metasploit Veritas BackupExec Dumping

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In metasploit there’s a plugin admin/backupexec/dump. This plugin uses the default credentials to login to Veritas backupexec agent and download an arbitrary file. The catch is it downloads it in the MTF (Microsoft Tape Format) file. You need a utility called NTBackup to restore this file. Metasploit authors have conveniently made this available for us at http://metasploit.com/tools/msbksrc.tar.gz.
However, if you compile this file you get an error:
msqic.c:814: error: conflicting types for ‘bques’
This happens because the function prototype is missing.
Goto line 169 of msqic.c file in the source code and add the following line:
int bques(char);
Once you add this, you should be able to make the client and should be able to extract the file from the .mtf file.

0

Brother HL-2040 Linux install on Backtrack 4

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I was getting CUPSD errors when trying to use my Laser Brother HL 2040 printer. But, you can install Brother HL-2040 by going to the brother website and downloading the linux drivers located here:
http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public_s/id/linux/en/download_prn.html#HL-2040
I just installed the lpd driver using the command as follows:
$ sudo dpkg -i brhl2070nlpr-2.0.1-1.i386.deb
When printing now, just select local lpd and then select brother-HL2070 printer from the list (the drivers for both versions are same).

5

Cell SDK on PS3 with Yellow dog linux 5.0

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People tend to think that gone are the days when the “RPM Hell” used to exist. We have yum, aptitude and what not! If you install linux on a PS3, I’d like to bring you back to reality, especially like me when you have yellowdog 5.0 installed on a first gen PS3.
What is interesting is that all these package managers rely on repositories in /etc/yum.repos.d/*.
If you do not have the good repositories then you can kiss goodbye to installing the Cell Broadband Engine SDK provided by IBM. This SDK has the spu-gcc, spu-g++ which is the right set of compilers if you want to use the 1 master processor (Power Processor Element – PPE) and the other six SPE (Synergistic Processor Elements – SPEs) …think of these as slaves. You might wonder where’s the 7th of the cell processor, well, you cannot access it because it is used internally by the PS3 for virtualization.
So I got a yellow dog 5.0 iso image from here. I followed the instructions for installing it from here. I did this almost a year ago! Yes…I did actually keep it dead for a while! Then I installed gcc and compiled John the ripper! To my utter disappointment, there was no performance benefit!
Then Marc Bevand told me at Toorcon X that I needed spu-gcc to compile JTR on PS3 to get the benefits. So I got the cell sdk ISO from here. I then mounted the ISO.
mount -o loop cellsdk11.iso /mnt/disk
cd /mnt/disk
cd software
./cellsdk install
I got bunch of errors. It wanted me to install freeglut-devel and tk-8.4.*.
Thus began my journey of 10,000 steps to get the dependencies resolved and I burnt my fingers, keyboard, brains, etc….and although I realized that everyone in the US and the world had found hope…things were not looking bright for me! Until I bumped into this fantastic repository here. Trust me it took me about 8 hours of incessant installing and compiling (almost 120 odd different files) and scores of google searches to land me into this. I installed the glut, libx11, tk, tcl, libtcl, glut-devel, libstdc++, libstdc-so7, and many other packages that I cannot even recall now to get the cellsdk to work! And even though I did, I still couldnt get ./cellsdk install to work! After about 8 hours of effort and being so close to success just seemed evil. Then I realized that all the packages needed were related to the PPC64 simulator (libx11.ppc64, libtcl.ppc.64, etc.)…a quick look into the readme told me that I could neglect that using the –nosim directive to make it work.
Finally,
./cellsdk install –nosim
worked!!!!!
A small step for mankind but a giant step for me!

0

Android Source Downloading Errors

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Over this weekend I decided to download the Android source tree on my computer (Backtrack 4 R2). The BT4R2 is no longer supported by the Offsec/Backtrack guys (mutt, purehate, etc.).
To start off with I tried to follow the instructions listed here.
The first error I got was with Git, I was using a version earlier than 1.5.4. So I downloaded git version 1.7.4, compiled it and installed it. Then I got the error:
fatal: unable to find remote handler for 'https'
Too bad, I tried recompiling and what not, and I did have openssl…so what was the problem?
The problem was not having libcurl-devel library. So I downloaded the library and launched configure, make clean, make and make install to reinstall git. Now the error was gone.

On the step where I am supposed to execute the following:
$ repo init -u https://android.googlesource.com/platform/manifest
I got the following error:

Exception in thread Thread-1:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 486, in __bootstrap_inner
self.run()
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 446, in run
self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/subcmds/sync.py", line 182, in _FetchHelper
success = project.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 926, in Sync_NetworkHalf
if alt_dir is None and self._ApplyCloneBundle(initial=is_new, quiet=quiet):
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1444, in _ApplyCloneBundle
exist_dst = self._FetchBundle(bundle_url, bundle_tmp, bundle_dst, quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1514, in _FetchBundle
size = r.headers['content-length']
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/rfc822.py", line 384, in __getitem__
return self.dict[name.lower()]
KeyError: 'content-length'
Exception in thread Thread-3:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 486, in __bootstrap_inner
self.run()
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 446, in run
self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/subcmds/sync.py", line 182, in _FetchHelper
success = project.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 926, in Sync_NetworkHalf
if alt_dir is None and self._ApplyCloneBundle(initial=is_new, quiet=quiet):
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1444, in _ApplyCloneBundle
exist_dst = self._FetchBundle(bundle_url, bundle_tmp, bundle_dst, quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1514, in _FetchBundle
size = r.headers['content-length']
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/rfc822.py", line 384, in __getitem__
return self.dict[name.lower()]
KeyError: 'content-length'
Exception in thread Thread-4:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 486, in __bootstrap_inner
self.run()
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 446, in run
self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/subcmds/sync.py", line 182, in _FetchHelper
success = project.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 926, in Sync_NetworkHalf
if alt_dir is None and self._ApplyCloneBundle(initial=is_new, quiet=quiet):
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1444, in _ApplyCloneBundle
exist_dst = self._FetchBundle(bundle_url, bundle_tmp, bundle_dst, quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1514, in _FetchBundle
size = r.headers['content-length']
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/rfc822.py", line 384, in __getitem__
return self.dict[name.lower()]
KeyError: 'content-length'
Exception in thread Thread-2:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 486, in __bootstrap_inner
self.run()
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 446, in run
self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/subcmds/sync.py", line 182, in _FetchHelper
success = project.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 926, in Sync_NetworkHalf
if alt_dir is None and self._ApplyCloneBundle(initial=is_new, quiet=quiet):
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1444, in _ApplyCloneBundle
exist_dst = self._FetchBundle(bundle_url, bundle_tmp, bundle_dst, quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1514, in _FetchBundle
size = r.headers['content-length']
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/rfc822.py", line 384, in __getitem__
return self.dict[name.lower()]
KeyError: 'content-length'
Exception in thread Thread-5:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 486, in __bootstrap_inner
self.run()
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/threading.py", line 446, in run
self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/subcmds/sync.py", line 182, in _FetchHelper
success = project.Sync_NetworkHalf(quiet=opt.quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 926, in Sync_NetworkHalf
if alt_dir is None and self._ApplyCloneBundle(initial=is_new, quiet=quiet):
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1444, in _ApplyCloneBundle
exist_dst = self._FetchBundle(bundle_url, bundle_tmp, bundle_dst, quiet)
File "/home/user/bin/.repo/repo/project.py", line 1514, in _FetchBundle
size = r.headers['content-length']
File "/usr/lib/python2.5/rfc822.py", line 384, in __getitem__
return self.dict[name.lower()]
KeyError: 'content-length'
error: Exited sync due to fetch errors

Seems like this error is caused because the content-length http header is not sent by the repository. If you upgrade to Python 2.7.x you can resolve this error.
Now if you are compiling Python from source, it doesn’t come by default with SSL support. So to add SSL support you should edit the Python-2.7/Modules/Setup file and uncomment four lines:
_socket socketmodule.c
# Socket module helper for SSL support; you must comment out the other
# socket line above, and possibly edit the SSL variable:
SSL=/usr
_ssl _ssl.c \
-DUSE_SSL -I$(SSL)/include -I$(SSL)/include/openssl \
-L$(SSL)/lib -lssl -lcrypto

Of course, then you can do the standard steps to compile and install python:
$ ./configure
$ make
$ sudo make install

repo sync would work very well thereafter.

0

List of Chrome URLs in Firefox

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These are the firefox URLs for different settings. Just paste them into the browser and bang, there you go:

chrome://pippki/content/getpassword.xul
chrome://pippki/content/PrefOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-ssl.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-certs.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-ciphers.xul
chrome://pippki/content/cipherinfo.xul
chrome://pippki/content/ssl2ciphers.xul
chrome://pippki/content/ssl3tlsciphers.xul
chrome://pippki/content/ssl3tlsciphers2.xul
chrome://pippki/content/PageInfoOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/cacertexists.xul
chrome://pippki/content/CAOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/WebSitesOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/OthersOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/MineOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/viewCertDetails.xul
chrome://pippki/content/certpicker.xul
chrome://pippki/content/certDump.xul
chrome://pippki/content/load_device.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-validation.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-masterpass.xul
chrome://pippki/content/createCertInfo.xul
chrome://pippki/content/formsigning.xul
chrome://pippki/content/changepassword.xul
chrome://pippki/content/resetpassword.xul
chrome://pippki/content/newserver.xul
chrome://pippki/content/downloadcert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/certManager.xul
chrome://pippki/content/editcacert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/editemailcert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/editsslcert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/deletecert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/getp12password.xul
chrome://pippki/content/setp12password.xul
chrome://pippki/content/domainMismatch.xul
chrome://pippki/content/serverCertExpired.xul
chrome://pippki/content/clientauthask.xul
chrome://pippki/content/certViewer.xul
chrome://pippki/content/device_manager.xul
chrome://pippki/content/choosetoken.xul
chrome://pippki/content/escrowWarn.xul
chrome://pippki/content/crlManager.xul
chrome://pippki/content/serverCrlNextupdate.xul
chrome://pippki/content/crlImportDialog.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-crlupdate.xul
chrome://pippki/content/getpassword.xul
chrome://pippki/content/PrefOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-ssl.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-certs.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-ciphers.xul
chrome://pippki/content/cipherinfo.xul
chrome://pippki/content/ssl2ciphers.xul
chrome://pippki/content/ssl3tlsciphers.xul
chrome://pippki/content/ssl3tlsciphers2.xul
chrome://pippki/content/PageInfoOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/cacertexists.xul
chrome://pippki/content/CAOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/WebSitesOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/OthersOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/MineOverlay.xul
chrome://pippki/content/viewCertDetails.xul
chrome://pippki/content/certpicker.xul
chrome://pippki/content/certDump.xul
chrome://pippki/content/load_device.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-validation.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-masterpass.xul
chrome://pippki/content/createCertInfo.xul
chrome://pippki/content/formsigning.xul
chrome://pippki/content/changepassword.xul
chrome://pippki/content/resetpassword.xul
chrome://pippki/content/newserver.xul
chrome://pippki/content/downloadcert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/certManager.xul
chrome://pippki/content/editcacert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/editemailcert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/editsslcert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/deletecert.xul
chrome://pippki/content/getp12password.xul
chrome://pippki/content/setp12password.xul
chrome://pippki/content/domainMismatch.xul
chrome://pippki/content/serverCertExpired.xul
chrome://pippki/content/clientauthask.xul
chrome://pippki/content/certViewer.xul
chrome://pippki/content/device_manager.xul
chrome://pippki/content/choosetoken.xul
chrome://pippki/content/escrowWarn.xul
chrome://pippki/content/crlManager.xul
chrome://pippki/content/serverCrlNextupdate.xul
chrome://pippki/content/crlImportDialog.xul
chrome://pippki/content/pref-crlupdate.xul
1

Cisco Router Security

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Long time since I posted anything here …. but it’s just been those times been busy as a bee. So securing Cisco routers is a big deal especially since the routers (especially the edge routers) can be critical to any organizations infrastructure. I am not a Cisco guru but am only a student. However, I thought I should create a list that could help me perform security reviews of routers.
Security of routers is important as attackers could add static routes, advertise bad BGP neighbours on edge routers, create inbound tunnel into the intranets and such. Therefore, it’s imperative that adequate efforts be put in to secure Cisco routers.

I thought I’ll put in my first attempt at creating a small checklist:

  1. Use SSH for non-console access (“line vty” command should not have telnet in it)
  2. Use class 5 passwords, do *not* use class 7 passwords as they’re easily reversed (“enable secret”) alongwith the use of strong passez
  3. Limit virtual terminal access by using an ACL
       access-list 100 permit 10.10.10.10 log
       access-list 100 permit 10.10.10.11 log
       access-list deny any log
       line vty 0 4
        access-class 100 in
  4. Disable Proxy ARP on each interface (“no ip proxy arp”)
  5. Disable CDP as it can be used for information disclosures (“no cdp run”)
  6. Use AAA (TACACS+ or RADIUS) (“aaa new-model”, “aaa authentication”, etc.)
  7. Use “access-list ACL_NAME deny ip any any log” at the end of each ACL
  8. Disable http server (“no ip http server”)
  9. Keep the IOS versions updated
  10. Set centralized logging using a syslog (“logging internal_ip_address”)
  11. Configure NTP to keep the time synchronization (“ntp server 129.6.15.28”)
  12. Disable TCP and UDP small services e.g., echo, chargen, discard, etc. (“no service tcp-small-servers” and “no service udp-small-servers”)
  13. Put RFC 1918 (ingress filtering) protections using ACLs
       access-list 100 deny ip 127.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 any log
       access-list 100 deny ip 10.0.0.0 0.255.255.255 any log
       access-list 100 deny ip 192.168.0.0 0.0.255.255 any log
       access-list 100 deny ip 172.16.0.0 0.15.255.255 any log
  14. Put some more filtering for common IPs
       access-list 100 deny ip 169.254.0.0 0.0.255.255 any log
  15. Use SNMPv3 with ACLs if you must (“snmp-server v3 auth priv”)
  16. Use SSHv2 (“ip ssh version 2”)
  17. Try to use EIGRP instead of RIP/OSPF (“ip authentication mode eigrp N md5”)
  18. Use MD5 authentication for RIP/OSPF if you must use these protocols (RIPv2/OSPF)
    (“ip rip authentication mode md5”)
  19. For edge routers using BGP authentication (if possible)
       router bgp 10
        neighbor 10.10.10.10 password Cr4zY$%^
  20. Configure BGP route flap dampening that prevents BGP oscillations (“bgp dampening”)
  21. Use warning banners that could be used for legal purposes for prosecuting hackers