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- Date: 23 Mar 1992 14:46:00 +0000 (GMT)
- From: Scientific VAXcluster Administrator
- <eagle!mars.lerc.nasa.gov!uugblum@UCBVAX.BERKELEY.EDU>
- Subject: Security software evaluation - Summary
- Sender: INFO-VAX Discussion <INFO-VAX@uga.cc.uga.edu>
- Message-id: <01GI0MBBO37Y0012K4@VAXF.COLORADO.EDU>
-
-
- VAX/VMS Security Software
-
-
- Computer system security awareness is an important issue at NASA.
- Over 2 years ago, all employees received computer security training which
- proved to be a benefit when the Michaelangelo virus was announced. The
- devastating effects of a virus were understood by the user community. Virus
- detection software was distributed and run on over 4000 PCs prior to the
- attack date.
-
- Security training did increase my awareness of system security. In
- addition to the NASA training, I also attended a class on Unix security and
- completed the class with a severe case of security paranoia. Be glad you're
- working with VMS :-). Besides operating system software integrity, "Computer
- Security" also includes limiting physical access to the computer system,
- maintaining disk backups for file recovery, and preventing theft or disclosure
- of confidential information, all of which I'm not going to discuss (Cheers from
- one of the reviewers!).
-
- People who don't have a good understanding of security tend to ignore it.
- I remember getting a call from a user a few years ago who complained about
- changing his password. He said he really liked a computer system he used to
- work on because he could use "M" as the password and never had to change it.
- I laughed at that one for a while. After we upgraded to VMS 5.4, several users
- complained about not being able to reuse passwords. Well, maybe the security
- class should be held again...
-
- Security guidelines are applicable to any operating system. For example,
- passwords should not be easy to guess and should be changed on a regular basis.
- Also, users should not share accounts. All of these items are covered in the
- Department of Defense Password Management Guideline "Green Book".
-
- Starting with VMS 5.4, new passwords are compared to a list of common or
- previously used words and are rejected if found. The VMS operating system has
- a number of other features which can be configured to enforce system security.
- These include file and device protection, identifiers and ACLs, Sysgen
- parameters, the AUDIT_SERVER process, Accounting, etc. The VAX/VMS "Guide to
- VMS System Security", DEC Part # AA-LA40B-TE, shows how to configure these
- features. However, it doesn't discuss how to audit the system.
-
- The ANALYZE/AUDIT utility, added in VMS 5.2, offers reports on selected
- information contained in the security audit file. This is the only utility
- specifically designed to produce security reports. However, login failure
- reporting is only a small part of system security. For example, it would be
- beneficial to produce a report showing all of the user accounts which have not
- been used in over a year. Additionally, a report containing all files on a
- disk which have world write access would be very useful. You can write DCL
- command procedures that parse and sort output from various VMS utilities to
- produce specialized reports. However, these take time to develop.
-
-
- Third-party VMS security software packages provide an alternative to DCL
- command procedures. I was aware of several, but I didn't know which one was
- the best. What did they test? How did they work? Twice this year, I posted
- questions on USENET concerning VMS system security software and obtained very
- little response. Since no one confessed to comparing security software
- packages and I haven't run into anyone at the local VAXSIG who is using
- security software, I set out to do my own research.
-
- Demo software was obtained from Braintree, Demax, and Raxco in two days
- or less after I requested it. However, I had to visit the local DEC office
- in order to have a peek at DECinspect. To aid in my product evaluation, I
- decided to create a product comparison report organized by the specific
- operating system items the software checked. This turned out to be quite
- difficult since each vendor has his own idea of what security items are
- important. Also, one product might provide a menu pick to produce a specific
- report, whereas another product may require selecting several options to
- generate a similar report.
-
- Another major difference was the type of "baseline" report supported by
- the product. Braintree's Auditor Plus, Demax's SecureMAX, and Raxco's
- Security Toolkit allow you to produce ad-hoc reports. These products also
- include a Prior Period Comparison Baseline test. To obtain initial data, a
- snapshot of the current system is taken. This could include the contents of
- SYSUAF.DAT and RIGHTSLIST.DAT, and protection on devices, disk files, etc.
- Later, another snapshot is taken and compared against the first. Only the
- differences between the two are reported. A disadvantage to this process is
- that you have to interpret the report to determine if a security problem exists.
-
- In contrast to the three products mentioned above, DECinspect and
- Raxco's Baseline generate reports which only contain items that fail the
- security policy you have set. DECinspect uses parameter-based comparison
- baseline testing which allows the user to specify the comparison value of the
- parameter or disable the test. Raxco's Baseline uses rule-based comparison
- baseline testing which provides more flexibility over parameter based testing.
- Rules can be defined for almost any item which needs to be checked in order to
- satisfy the site's security standard. DECinspect is very easy to use and is
- intended for very large networks, but it is limited to checking items for
- which DEC provides tests.
-
- At this time, I would like to make several disclaimers and notes. First,
- the purpose of this report is to point out security items which could be
- checked. I consider some security software reports less useful than others,
- but I left my personal preferences out of this report. I felt that each site
- has its own security requirements and that you should decide what is useful
- for your site. Also, since the security products are very similar, the user
- interface may turn out to be the deciding factor. In some cases, it was
- difficult to determine if a product supported a particular test. Thus, I
- relied on the vendor's support staff to provide this information. Also, I
- haven't double-checked this report, so there could be mistakes.
-
-
-
- Please keep in mind that new features could have been added since I wrote
- this report. If you need a particular feature, it is best to contact the
- vendor and find out if it will be available in the near future. There were two
- features I was interested in which none of the products currently supported.
- All security products had an SMG or DECforms menu interface, but a DECwindows
- interface would make the menus easier to use. Also, does the vendor have a
- similar package for Unix workstations which could be managed by the VAX/VMS
- security product.
-
- After reviewing the security packages, one of the determinations I made
- was that I need two security products. First, an ad-hoc reporting product
- is needed to generate any type of security report on demand. This is useful
- for initially setting up system protection and performing security maintenance.
- Second, I also require a set-and-forget baseline type product which will run
- periodically and report only those items which fail my security policy.
-
- For additional information on security products, you might check
- Ray Kaplan's individual security product reviews in "Digital News". In a
- USENET posting he made on March 16, he mentioned a lengthy article in the next
- issue of "Info Security Products News", a free publication. FAX (508)872-1153.
- ISPNews -498 Concord Street - Framingham, MA 01701-2357.
-
- Last but not least, I would like to thank the product support people at
- Braintree, DEC, Demax, and Raxco for the hours they spent on the phone
- answering questions about their packages.
-
-
- Greg Blumers
- Sverdrup Technology, Inc.
- March 23, 1992
-
- VAX/VMS Security Software Features
-
- Key to codes
- ------------------------------------------------
- Y = Implemented
- y = Implemented by setting/selecting options
- P = Partially implemented
- B = Implemented in the Baseline report
- b = Implemented in the Baseline report by
- setting/selecting options
- N = Not implemented
- O = Capability is available in optional software
-
-
- v--------------- Raxco Security Toolkit V3.1
- v v------------ Braintree Auditor Plus V1.2
- v v v--------- Demax SecureMax 4.0e
- v v v v------ DECinspect V2.1
- v v v v v--- Raxco Baseline V2.0
-
- GENERAL INFORMATION
-
- Y Y Y Y Y - Menu driven.
- Y Y Y Y Y - Menu context sensitive help.
- Y N Y P Y - Command interface.
- Y N Y Y Y - Online help library.
- y N Y N N - Report generated by menu displays the DCL command.
- Y Y N N N - Batch command procedures can be created from menu.
-
- N Y Y N b - Print results of the last report run.
- N Y N N N - Display last report runtime statistics.
-
- Y Y Y O B - Supports query of remote nodes.
- N y N N N - Single status report for entire VAXcluster.
- N Y O O N - Single status report for several network nodes.
- N N N O N - Multi-level consolidated reporting. Token passed to next
- level node.
- N N N B B - Report from remote node contains pass/fail information.
- Y Y Y B b - Report on remote node contains detailed information.
- N N N O N - Security manager information is available to the central
- reporting node.
-
- N N N B B - Several baseline reports can be defined.
- N B N B B - Baseline tests can be enabled or disabled.
- N p N p B - User designed baseline tests are supported.
- N B N B B - Baseline parameters can be changed.
- N N N B N - Scheduled baseline inspections are not started immediately
- when a system is booted.
- N N N N Y - Baseline test is guaranteed to be run at regular intervals.
-
- N y O N N - Automatic actions based on baseline/comparison reports.
- N N N B B - Create corrective action procedure based on security audit.
- Action items must be reviewed/approved before being executed.
- N Y O N N - User defined action routines are supported.
-
-
- v--------------- Raxco Security Toolkit V3.1
- v v------------ Braintree Auditor Plus V1.2
- v v v--------- Demax SecureMax 4.0e
- v v v v------ DECinspect V2.1
- v v v v v--- Raxco Baseline V2.0
-
- N Y N N N - Security software uses encrypted password.
- N Y N N N - Passive/Active/Group Security access.
- O Y N N O - Terminal is locked after a set period of inactivity.
-
- N Y N N N - Batch procedure files are protected against change.
- N P Y P N - Baseline files are protected against change.
-
- O Y N N O - Terminal lock program.
- N Y N N N - Provides restricted SYSUAF access to user group managers.
-
- Y y Y N B - SYSUAF data cached
- Y N Y N B - RIGHTSLIST data cached
- Y N Y N B - NETPROXY data cached
-
- Y Y Y N B - Output file name can be specified.
- y Y y B B - Report can be mailed.
-
-
- SYSUAF.DAT - Security Audits
-
- Y Y P B B - All reports have base values which can be changed.
- Y Y N B B - Complex reporting (keying on two SYSUAF parameters).
-
- YB Y YB N N - SYSUAF changes
- N Y Y B b - Compare default account settings ( access, priv, proxy)
- to other account(s).
-
- Y Y N N B - SYSUAF flags (Selective)
- N N YB N N - SYSUAF flags (Non-Selective)
- Y N N N N - SYSUAF flag summary by privilege class
-
- Y B Y B N - Check for duplicate UICs.
- Y N N N N - Duplicate UIC summary report by privilege class.
- y N y B b - Check that non-privileged accounts have UICs > MAXSYSGROUP
-
- Y N N B N - Check that privileged users don't share UIC groups with non-
- privileged users.
-
- Y Y PB N b - System access (Interactive, batch, etc. & times)
- Y YB YB N b - Login failures
- Y Y YB N b - Captive/Restrictive accounts (Captive/Restrictive flags)
- Y Y YB N b - Disabled accounts (Disuser flag)
- Y Y YB N b - Account expiration
- N B N N N - Report shared user directories.
- y B Y B N - Check existence and ownership of privileged user directories.
- Y B Y N N - Check existence and ownership of user directories.
-
-
- v--------------- Raxco Security Toolkit V3.1
- v v------------ Braintree Auditor Plus V1.2
- v v v--------- Demax SecureMax 4.0e
- v v v v------ DECinspect V2.1
- v v v v v--- Raxco Baseline V2.0
-
- SYSUAF.DAT - Password Checking
-
- N N Y N N - Password Summary Report
- Y Y YB B b - Minimum password length (/PWDMINIMUM)
- Y Y YB B b - Password lifetime (/PWDLIFETIME)
- Y Y YB N b - Accounts which must use generated passwords (GENPWD flag)
- Y Y YB N b - Accounts which can not change their password (LOCKPWD flag)
- Y Y Y N b - Accounts not forced to change password (DISFORCE_PWD_CHANGE)
- Y Y YB N b - Accounts which must use secondary passwords (/PASSWORD)
- Y N Y N N - Accounts with pre-expired passwords (/PWDEXPIRE)
- Y N Y N b - Accounts with old passwords (Based on password change date)
- Y Y Y N b - Accounts with expired passwords (PWD_EXPIRED flag)
- Y Y Y B b - Accounts with history-based password filter disabled
- (DISPWDHIS).
- Y Y Y B b - Accounts with dictionary password filter disabled (DISPWDDIC).
- Y N Y N N - Accounts which have an alternate Hash algorithm (/ALGORITHM)
- YB Y YB N N - Accounts with no password (SYSALF file).
-
- Y B Y N B - Check passwords against guessable passwords
- Y Y Y N N - Compare passwords against user defined password list
- N Y N N N - Compare passwords against DEC password dictionary
- y B y N b - Check passwords for standard VMS accounts (SYSTEM, FIELD, etc.)
-
- Y y Y N N - Accounts with pre-expired secondary passwords (/PWDEXPIRE)
- Y b Y N b - Check secondary passwords against guessable passwords
- Y y Y N N - Compare secondary passwords against user defined password list
- N y N N N - Compare secondary passwords against DEC password dictionary
-
-
- v--------------- Raxco Security Toolkit V3.1
- v v------------ Braintree Auditor Plus V1.2
- v v v--------- Demax SecureMax 4.0e
- v v v v------ DECinspect V2.1
- v v v v v--- Raxco Baseline V2.0
-
-
- SYSUAF.DAT - Privileges
-
- Y B YB N N - Privilege summary report
- Y Y N N b - Privileges granted to users (And)
- Y Y Y N b - Privileges granted to users (Or)
- Y N y N b - Privileges not granted to users
-
- SYSUAF.DAT - Other
-
- Y N Y N N - User account overview (totals)
- Y Y Y N N - User account summary (similar AUTH SHOW/BRIEF)
- Y N N N N - System access summary by privilege class
-
- N Y NB N b - Base priority.
- N N N N b - Queue priority (QUEPRIO is not currently used).
- N Y NB N b - Process quotas.
-
- Y Y Y B b - Accounts never used.
- Y Y Y B b - Inactive accounts (last login date).
- y y y B b - Inactive system support accounts (last login date).
- N B NB N b - Accounts which have CLITABLES set to a value other than DCL
- N B N N b - Accounts with unlimited CPU time
- N B NB N b - Check LGICMD value
-
- SYSUAF.DAT - Special reports
-
- Y Y N N N - Login failure report based on accounting data
-
- RIGHTSLIST.DAT AUDITS
-
- YB Y yB N N - RIGHTSLIST changes
- Y N Y N N - Identifier summary report (Holders not displayed).
- Y Y Y N N - Holder of an identifier.
- Y Y Y N b - Identifiers held by a user.
- Y B N N N - Ungranted identifiers.
- N B N N b - Users which do not have a valid identifier.
- Y N N N B - System identifier integrity check (INTERACTIVE, BATCH, etc.)
-
- VMSMAIL_PROFILE.DATA AUDITS
-
- N B N N N - Check VMSMAIL entries if mail forwarding is defined.
-
-
- v--------------- Raxco Security Toolkit V3.1
- v v------------ Braintree Auditor Plus V1.2
- v v v--------- Demax SecureMax 4.0e
- v v v v------ DECinspect V2.1
- v v v v v--- Raxco Baseline V2.0
-
- DISK AUDITS
-
- Y B YB N b - Check ownership and protection of selected disks.
- N Y N N N - Disk quota audit
- N Y N N N - Disk scavenge for access control strings
- Y Y O N N - Volume directory tree
- Y N O N N - Volume file statistics (# have ACLs, # not-owned by parent dir)
-
- FILE AUDITS
-
- Y Y Y N b - Files which match specified UIC mask. Selection and negation,
- full or partial mask match supported.
- N Y Y N b - Files which can be accessed by a specific user(s).
- N Y N N N - Files owned by privileged user.
- Y Y YB N N - Files owned by a different identifier that the directory owner.
- N N Y N N - Files owned by a different identifier that the directory owner,
- files with an ACL, or files with different protection.
- Y Y Y N N - Files owned by an undefined identifier (orphaned file).
- N N Y N N - Files with a specific protection and/or identifier ACL(s).
- N N Y N b - Files with/without an ACL which is on a specified file.
-
- YB B Y N b - Check ownership and protection of selected files.
- y y YB N b - Protection of all directory files on a disk.
- Y Y Y N N - Find all users that have access to a specified file(s).
- UIC mask is compared.
- N Y y N N - Find all users that have access to a specified file(s).
- UIC mask and ACE identifiers are compared.
- N Y Y N N - File access summary. # users which can/can't access file(s).
-
- Y y y N N - Files which have poor protection against privileged users.
- Y y y N N - Files which have poor protection against users in the same UIC
- group.
- Y y y N N - Files which have poor protection against any user.
-
- y y Y N b - Check for wormholes, directories & files with world write
- access
- Y y Y B N - Check privileged account's LOGIN.COM for access by non-priv
- user.
-
- y y Y B b - Examine user directory files, *.COM, and *.EXE files
- for files with world write.
- Y yB Y B b - Report all VMS system files [SYS*...] which have poor
- protection
- and wrong ownership.
- y y y B B - Check specific system files in SYS$MANAGER and SYS$SYSTEM for
- world access.
-
- N N Y N N - Experiment with device/file protection. Report users
- which can access a file.
-
-
- v--------------- Raxco Security Toolkit V3.1
- v v------------ Braintree Auditor Plus V1.2
- v v v--------- Demax SecureMax 4.0e
- v v v v------ DECinspect V2.1
- v v v v v--- Raxco Baseline V2.0
-
- FILE AUDITS (Continued)
-
- YB Y YB N N - Files with an ACL.
- Y Y Y N N - Files with a specific ACE identifier.
- Y B Y N N - Files with ACLs with an invalid ACE.
- N N Y N N - Files with ACL but no wildcard (catchall) ACE.
- Y N N N N - Files with/without a wildcard (catchall) ACE.
- Y N N N N - Files starting/not starting with a specific ACL.
- Y N N N N - Files containing/not containing a specific ACL.
- Y N N N N - Files ending/not ending with a specific ACL.
- y Y Y N N - Files with a wildcard (catchall) ACE which is not the last ACL.
- Y Y Y N N - Files with Alarm ACL.
- Y N Y N N - Files with an Application ACE.
- y Y y N N - Files granted/revoked access via system identifiers ACEs
- (Interactive, batch, etc.)
- Y N Y N N - Directory files with default ACEs.
- N Y N N N - Set ACLs on all files on volume/directory to be the same.
- N YB N N N - Create a command procedure to restore ACLs to previous value.
-
- Y Y N N N - Files marked nobackup.
- N Y N N N - Files marked erase on delete.
- N Y N N N - Expired files.
- N Y N N N - Old files (over x days old)
- N Y N N N - New files (less than x days old)
- Y Y Y N N - Aliased files (multiple entries)
- N Y N N N - Hidden executables (images which don't have .EXE)
- YB y B N N - Recently deleted directory files
- YB Y N N N - Recently deleted files
-
- N YB B N N - Checksum of images
- B N B N N - CRC of files
-
- Y B N N N - Hidden directory files.
- N B N N N - Check for hidden SYSUAF.DAT file.
- N B N N N - Check for SYSUAF and RIGHTSLIST listing files.
-
- N N N B b - Check for alarm ACE on the system accounting file.
- N N N B b - Check for alarm ACE on all system mail directories.
- N N N B b - Check for alarm ACE on the operator log file.
- N N N B b - Check for alarm ACE on the RIGHTSLIST.DAT file.
- N N N B b - Check for alarm ACE on the SYSUAF.DAT file.
- N N N B b - Check for alarm ACE on the SYSUAF.LIS file.
- N N N B b - Check for alarm ACE on the NETPROXY.DAT file.
-
-
- v--------------- Raxco Security Toolkit V3.1
- v v------------ Braintree Auditor Plus V1.2
- v v v--------- Demax SecureMax 4.0e
- v v v v------ DECinspect V2.1
- v v v v v--- Raxco Baseline V2.0
-
- SYSTEM PARAMETERS
-
- YB YB YB B B - Check LGI_ security Sysgen parameters.
- YB N YB P b - Check other security related Sysgen parameters.
-
- Y YB YB B B - Security auditing features which are enabled.
- N B Y B b - Check that the AUDIT SERVER process is running.
- y y N B N - Check for breakin attempts.
- y y N B N - Check for login failures.
- y y N B N - Check for unsuccessful attempts to access files.
- N y Y B N - Check length of password history file.
- N y Y B N - Check password history file lifetime parameter.
- Y y N N N - Run ANALYZE/AUDIT
-
- Y YB Y B B - VMS accounting parameters enabled
- N YB N N N - Images installed with image accounting.
- N YB YB N N - Images installed with privilege.
- Y N N N N - Run ACCOUNTING
-
- Y Y Y N N - Queue and device summary report (SHOW QUEUE/FULL owner/prot)
- N Y N N N - Users which have access to a queues or devices
- Y B YB N B - Check batch queue protection
- Y B YB N B - Check print queue protection
- Y b YB N b - Check terminal protection
- Y b YB N b - Check other device protection
-
- N b N B B - Check that the OPCOM process is running.
- N b YB N N - System logicals
- Y B N N N - Check system file logicals (SYSUAF, RIGHTSLIST, etc.)
- N YB N N N - Global sections
-
- NETWORK PARAMETERS
-
- Y Y YB B B - Executor characteristics.
- Y YB YB B N - Known DECnet nodes.
- Y Y YB B B - Known DECnet objects.
- Y YB N N N - Known circuits.
- Y YB N N N - Known lines.
- YB YB YB N N - Proxy entries.
- y YB N B N - Check that privileged accounts do not have proxy access.
- N Y N B b - DECnet account parameters.
- y YB N b b - Inhibit DECnet from being used as non-privileged userid.
-
- N PB N B b - Network object account parameters.
- N YB N N N - LAT ports and services.
- Y YB N N N - Packetnet System Interface (PSI).
-
- SECURITY AUDIT MONITOR
-
- N Y N N N - Report security events on a regular basis.
- (Uses mailbox to AUDIT$SERVER process)
- N Y N N N - Take action on security alarms as they occur.
- Limited to predefined actions.
-
- Evaluation Notes
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- BrainTree Auditor Plus V1.2
-
- - Auditor Plus includes three notable programs which the other vendors don't
- include.
-
- 1) A keyboard lock program. This can be invoked by command and is also used
- by Auditor Plus to lock the keyboard after 5 minutes of inactivity.
-
- 2) A program which provides decentralized SYSUAF administration.
-
- 3) A detached process which summarizes selected security events on a regular
- basis and mails a report if any events are found.
-
- - The arrow keys can't be used to move the cursor in all menus. I used the
- arrow keys in the main menu which caused the program to lock up and the
- terminal to continuously beep with no way to abort the program. The
- support person said the problem would be corrected.
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- RAXCO/CLYDE Security Toolkit V3.1
-
- - The optional BASELINE software product provides additional baseline auditing
- capability.
-
- - The optional KBLOCK software product allows users to lock keyboards.
-
- - "HELP and how to get it" from the Main Menu does not display a list of
- valid subtopics.
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- DEMAX SecureMAX V4.0e
-
- - The optional SYSTEM DETECTIVE AO software product provides additional
- security features.
-
- - The optional PAKMANAGER software product provides additional file
- management features.
-
- - Context sensitive help available from the menu interface scrolled off the
- screen. Other products presented a page of information at a time.
-
- - It was hard to find information in the manual for menu selections.
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- DECinspect V2.1
-
- - DECinspect requires a DECforms Runtime license.
-
- - The optional DECsrf software product offers additional reporting capability,
- including the ability to collect and analyze remote nodes. DECsrf requires
- a RALLY runtime license ($$$$).
-
- - The optional DECdetect software product offers checksum file checking.
-
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- The opinions expressed are my own, and not that of my employer.
-
- Greg Blumers Sverdrup Technology, Inc.
- VAXcluster Administrator c/o NASA Lewis Research Center
- (216)433-6777 or FTS 297-6777 Mail Stop 142-2
- 21000 Brookpark Road
- uugblum@scivax.lerc.nasa.gov Cleveland, OH 44135
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-