IT Baseline Protection Manual - The Information Warfare Site

Threats Catalogue Deliberate Acts Remarks
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T 4.10 Complexity of access possibilities to
networked IT systems
As opposed to stand-alone systems where the log-in process is essentially
responsible for access control, and which can thus be corrupted only by
inadequately defined or insufficient passwords, network computers have many
complex processes allowing multifarious forms of access. Thus, for instance,
under Unix sendmail allows for the introduction of texts (mails) into the
network computer; FTP allows a log-in, albeit restricted, which in instances
(anonymous FTP) is not even protected by a password; while telnet allows a
complete log-in.
For security reasons server systems such as Windows NT or Novell Netware
avoid the transmission of plain-text passwords. However, this security
mechanism will be deactivated when using services such as FTP or Telnet as
plain-text passwords are used.
Apart from the fact that all these processes can constitute a security flaw on
account of an incorrect or faulty configuration, there is, of course, also a much
greater probability that a security-related programming error could exist in
one of the processes due to its size.
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IT-Baseline Protection Manual: Oktober 2000