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Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!pacbell!ames!xanth!mcnc!decvax!decwrl!oli-stl!asylum!romkey
From: romkey@asylum.sf.ca.us (John Romkey)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans,comp.protocols.tcp-ip
Subject: Re: Network Security
Message-ID: <1029@asylum.sf.ca.us>
Date: 4 Dec 88 07:05:56 GMT
References: <26314@bu-cs.BU.EDU> <1009@asylum.sf.ca.us> <26342@bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Reply-To: romkey@asylum.UUCP (John Romkey)
Organization: The Asylum; Belmont, CA
Lines: 38

In article <26342@bu-cs.BU.EDU> kwe@buit13.bu.edu (Kent England) writes:
>Some people
>think that networks ought to be shut down when applications come under
>attack, like what is happening with the ftpd bug on milnet right now
>and what happened this November with the virus attack.  I think that
>this is inappropriate.

Yes, actually, having a worm or virus that spreads through mail is
particularly insidious, because even if the system managers don't
overreact to the point of just unplugging their computers, they will
turn off their external mailers and mail is a key way of distributing
fixs against the attack.

>	Perhaps we agree after all?  Certainly my one line statement
>needed some amplification.

I'm not sure if we agree or not or if it matters, really (actually,
I'm pretty sure that we don't and it doesn't). You're right, the
phrase "secure network" is certainly brimming over with possible
meanings.

My clarified opinion is: I don't think that a network necessarily has
to be "secure" - its basic routing functions or its applications
immune to attack - to be thought of as operating properly.

Probably lots of different people have lots of different ideas on what
a "operating properly" means with regard to a network - I'm sure
you'll hear a wide range of transfer rates and reliablities (I don't
think that qualifies as a word, oh well...) and other variables.

But it's a semantic quibble; it was clear from your original message
that you consider a "security" to be a requirement for proper
operation. I just want to make it clear that not everyone does.
-- 
			- john romkey
romkey@asylum.uucp	romkey@xx.lcs.mit.edu	romkey@asylum.sf.ca.us
Find the cost of freedom, buried in the ground
Mother Earth will swallow you, lay your body down.