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Re: FIX for ZoneAlarm & KB951748 issue released


Harry Johnston [MVP] wrote:

> John John (MVP) wrote:

>> You constantly shift the discussion from the value of proper egress 

>> filtering to software firewalls, even though I have said right from 

>> the start that egress filtering at the firewall can be foiled and that 

>> users should consider better methods.  So get it in your thick skull, 

>> egress filtering at a perimeter appliance is a sound security measure, 

>> [...]

> As far as I recall, nobody in this thread has ever said otherwise.  The 

> discussion is about software firewalls, after all!

>   Harry.


Read Kayman's posts, specifically:



John said:


>>There is also a developing and troubling trend in this whole debate, one 

>>> that some people are bent on spreading at all costs, that because 

>>> software firewalls are not immune to exploits by malware attempting to 

>>> send data to outside networks, then by simple deduction any and all 

>>> egress filtering as a security concept is unnecessary.  Egress filtering 

>>> at the perimeter, done by reliable network appliances, is a vital part 

>>> of network security, without proper egress control your network security 

>>> is incomplete, ignore egress traffic at your own perils!



Kayman said:


> Fact:

> Outbound control on an XP platform as a security measure against malware is

> still utter nonsense.

> The windows platform was designed with usability in mind providing all

> kinds of possibilities for e.g. inter-process communication. This

> together with the very high probability that the user is running with

> unrestricted rights makes it impossible to prevent malware allowed to

> run and determined to by-pass any outbound "control" (which, of course

> modern malware is) from doing so. It's simply too unreliable to

> qualify as a security measure. 


Does that not say that "any" outbound control (egress control) is "utter

nonsense that is too unreliable to qualify as a security measure"?  The

comment was made in direct reply to my statement that egress filtering

at the perimeter was a vital part of network security, how else can you

interpret Kayman's reply?


John


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