Re: Nmap causes critical error on Novell Netware 6 SP5

[Kurt Grutzmacher <grutz () jingojango net>]

On Feb 5, 2006, at 8:20 AM, Matt Hargett wrote:

> Mike C (check) wrote:
> > IMHO server s/w that falls over when it's port scanned is a bit of a
> > liability nowadays :-)
> >
> > Anybody writing TCP/IP stacks should test there software against a  
> > whole
> > bunch of intrusion tools and techniques.
>
> And check out my presentation on testing protocol stacks from  
> Defcon 8.
> I found so many IPsec and NAT bugs using nmap, but everyone thought I
> was joking and/or stupid.
>
> I wonder what isic would do  to Netware if nmap can crash it? ;>

To be "fair" this is most likely the version scanner causing the  
NetWare problem. Still doesn't excuse them but Nmap's doing quite a  
bit more than just port scanning. Reminds me when OS Detection was  
first introduced and apps started puking all over themselves. Mostly  
its because application authors just haven't learned that you should  
always expect malformed data and treat all input accordingly. Damn  
lazy developers!

I've seen a single TCP SYN packet crash a major vendor's application  
before. Of course after such a thing happens risk management kicks in  
and we find our hands tied because one of our tools caused an outage  
so now we're renegade cowboys running amok within the network! Damn  
you Nmap!

Enough with fair. Screw developers if they can't write code to  
withstand garbage.



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