Re: Ten least secure programs

[Ansgar Wiechers <bugtraq () planetcobalt net>]

I'm not sure if this discussion will be productive in any way, since you
seem to concentrate too much on the software and ignore layer 8, which
is (IMHO) the major problem. But anyway, here you go:

On 2003-06-28 Chris Berry wrote:
> I'm putting together a list of what seem to be the ten least secure
> computer items in use today with the idea of having a set of things to
> recommend AGAINST people using, probably to be posted on the IT room
> door with a note like "NO, you cannot use the following!!".  Here is
> what I have so far, I'm looking for additions and comments.  The list
> is in order from with the worst offender being number one.  These
> should be products whose inheirent design is flawed, not that are just
> difficult to secure.  I expect vigorous discussion. *putting on flame
> retardent garments*  Oh, and leave Operating systems out of this one.

I'm not sure if this discussion will be productive in any way, since you
seem to concentrate too much on the software and ignore layer 8, which
is (IMHO) the major problem. But anyway, here we go:

> 1) Microsoft Outlook

I beg to differ on this one. Outlook is a groupware client and is
therefore *designed* to be insecure. It's a behaviour I would expect
from a groupware client. Of course one should *not* use Outlook as an
internet mail client (at least not without taking further precautions).
Also I would like to mention that AFAIR all vulnerabilities in Outlook
are vulnerabilities of the Internet Explorer (which I suggest to put on
this list instead).

> 2) Telnet
> 3) Sendmail
> 4) IIS Server
> 5) Wireless networking
> 6) PHP
> 7) ?
> 8) ?
> 9) ?
> 10) ?

You might want to add FTP in general and BIND (at least earlier than
version 9) here.

Regards
Ansgar Wiechers

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