Bug#307585: [Logcheck-devel] Bug#307585: ssh: background noise rules

Anand Kumria wildfire at progsoc.org
Fri Jul 1 23:38:17 UTC 2005


On Wed, May 04, 2005 at 12:55:32PM +0200, maximilian attems wrote:
> tags 307585 wontfix
> stop
> 
> On Wed, 04 May 2005, Anand Kumria wrote:
> 
> > Package: logcheck
> > Version: 1.2.39
> > Severity: wishlist
> > 
> > Hi,
> > 
> > With more and more Internet background radiation, entries like the
> > following:
> > 
> > sshd[26955]: Illegal user patrick from ::ffff:64.227.232.25
> > sshd[26862]: Failed password for illegal user rolo from ::ffff:64.227.232.25 port 3396 ssh2
> > sshd[26869]: error: Could not get shadow information for NOUSER
> > 
> > are fairly common.  It would be good if these log messages were filtered
> > out in the server install (there is another set of messages if the user
> > actually exists).
> 
> well i'm surprised we didn't get a bug report earlier.
> 
> logcheck needs to trade between worthwile messages and not.
> the fact that an dict attack to any box is going on is worthwile to
> be reported.

It's useful to note a dictionary attack is in progress; however the fact
that three messages are being logged by sshd for a non-existant user
isn't as useful.

Ask yourself this? Do either the second or third messages give you any
more information than the first? Certainly I can't see any reason why
I'd want them versus the first.

> one should consider restring acces to ssh to trusted ips either with
> tcpwrappers or iptables. another possiblity would be to use the recent
> module in iptables to reduce the nr. of new connection to the ssh port.

Hmm, higher levels of complexity versus three extra regex rules.

I know what I'll be doing on machines I administer. 

> but i'll leave that open for discussion on logcheck-devel.

"Our priorities are our users and free software"
	-- http://www.debian.org/social_contract

Thanks,
Anand

-- 
 `When any government, or any church for that matter, undertakes to say to
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