From: kev@inel.gov (Kevin Hemsley)
Newsgroups: comp.virus
Subject: Re: NetWare and viruses - some new results (PC)
Date: 24 Aug 92 21:07:45 GMT

Mr. Fred Cohen writes:

>Test 1: Exhaustive test of netware preotection setting on files and
>directories against common viruses.
>
>Result: Only 3 of the 15 bits provide any protection - Execute ONLY?
>NO GOOD!!! Read ONLY? NO GOOD!!!
>
>Result: Novell manuals are completely backwards in their depiction of the
>rights granted through inheritance!!!  If you follow the manual,
>you get wiped out!

I'm not sure what you mean by exhaustive test, but I think that if you
review your test results again, you will find the following:

1. There is a clear distinction between NetWare RIGHTS and ATTRIBUTES.
Attributes are an emulation and an extension of regular DOS file
attributes.  Rights are NetWare's own security implementation.

2. Viruses cannot directly alter _ASSIGNED EFFECTIVE RIGHTS_.  Rights
security controls which directories, subdirectories and files a user
can access and what the user is allowed to do with them.  Rights
Security supersedes attribute security, in that a user must first be
given access to a directory, subdirectory or file before attributes
can be defined for each.

3. The Supervisory right overrides any restrictions placed on
subdirectories or files with an _INHERITED RIGHTS MASK_.  Use of the
Supervisory right will directly contribute to virus propagation when
assigned independently, or in conjunction with any other combination
of rights.

4. A virus which has Read, Write and File Scan rights, can infect
target files.  Therfore careful consideration should be given to use
of the Write right.

5. In addition to the basic attributes of Archive, Read Only, System
and Hidden, NetWare adds several other attributes to extend the
limitations of DOS attributes.  NetWare attributes are less effective
against viral infection because of NetWare's excellent emulation of
DOS.  All DOS attributes can be changed by viruses.  Only one
attribute does not seem to be emulated exactly by NetWare.  This is
the System attribute.  Use of the System attribute prohibits viral
infection.  The only other attribute which stops viral infection, out
of the _18_ NetWare attributes is the Execute Only attribute.

Because of the risk of Supervisor privilege misuse, Network
administrators should not rely 100% on NetWare for protection.
However, IMHO, careful assignment of rights will provide a better
protection against virus propagation than no protection at all.
Careful management of NetWare rights combined with an integrity check
at login time will go a long way to keeping a LAN clean.

I encourage Mr. Cohen to redesign his tests with a better
understanding of Rights and Attributes.  If your basic theory is to
prove that NetWare Attributes are not effective against viruses, you
will essentially be correct, however if your basic theory is that
NetWare Rights are not effective against viruses, then you will, in
general, be incorrect.

I believe that if you reread the red books, you will find that they
are correct their description of inheritance.

 --
 Kevin Hemsley                             | The cute message that used to
 Information & Technical Security          | be here was destroyed by a
 Idaho National Engineering Laboratory     | nasty .sig virus!
 (208) 526-9322                            |
 kev@inel.gov                              | Please control your .sigs.