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List:       adsm-l
Subject:    ADSM security
From:       Chris Krusch <Chris.Krusch () UBC ! CA>
Date:       1994-11-18 17:33:56
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John
 
The same questions were just asked on the list and answered a few weeks
ago. Here's a copy of some of the responses I saved:
 
 
David,
 
ADSM uses an authentication scheme very similar to Kerberos in that a two-way
authentication is done between the client and server.  It should be about
as difficult to spoof and ADSM client as it would to spoof a client using
Kerberos.
 
Chris
 
GPL Client/Server Development
Endicott, NY
(USIB2P9W at IBMMAIL)
(Internet zaremba@gdlvm7.vnet.ibm.com)
 
--------
 
   I don't believe the algorithm is published and
I don't know of any intentions to publish.  I will
say that it involves random private keys, the use of the
password as an encryption key, and mutual exchanges
of data to ensure that each party is who they claim
to be.  If you have a need for more detailed information,
I'd suggest contacting the technical support group;
 
  Data from files is sent as clear text unless it
is compressed on the client side.  The requirement
for optional encryption is known.
 
Barry Fruchtman
ADSM Server Development
 
--------
 
The scheme is a dual authentication message passing scheme for the ADSM
authentication.  It is modeled after Kerberos, and each session generates
a new, unique key for that session.  So replaying a session stream will not
result in a signon to the server.  Session keys are encrypted multiple times
and are not open to spoofing as far as we know, and are only active for that
session while the session is active.  All password updates are encrypted with
the session key so those transactions cannot be captured either.  Admin
streams are also encrypted so user registrations with passwords cannot be
captured as well.
 
Data from a backup is sent over the network in the clear.  We have
requirements for data encryption and are looking into it, but it is not in
the base product today.  We are also looking into 3rd party authentication
systems such as Kerberos.
 
Hope this helps to answer your questions.
 
Paul Bradshaw
 
At  4:47 PM 11/17/94 -0500, Jon C. Austin wrote:
>Greetings everyone,
>
>   We are a shop starting a roll-out on ADSM, and have brought in
>our auditors to help us beat things up. They're pretty happy so
>far, but have posed some questions I'd like to see if anyone has
>gotten an answer for:
>
>
>   Explain the security methods used by ADSM in prompted mode
>to validate the server. Question is whether someone on IP could
>spoof a local ADSM client into thinking it was it's server node.
>
>
>   Does ADSM encrypt data along the wire between client and server?
>
>
>   Is there any security beyond client password to prevent spoofing
>a DSM server and assuming a client's identity?
>
>
>Please respond via e-mail. I would prefer not propagating this
>discussion on the list in case any would-be lurkers are out there.
>
>Thanks again,
>
>Jon Austin, Systems Programmer
>Duke University Computation Center
>Durham, NC
>tssjca@sysa.adm.duke.edu
 
Chris Krusch                             Email: krusch@ucs.ubc.ca
University Computing Services            Phone: (604)822-4215
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