RE: [cobalt-security] BIG mistake = Big problem = need help pls!

["Eric Frisch" <ericf@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> OK I have made a big f*** up on my cobalt Raq3 using tcp_wrappers - which
> looks like it has left everyone denied access via SSH, telnet and ftp.
>
> I was trying to make the server more secure as ive been having
> failed loggin
> attemps for users therefore I added ALL: ALL to hosts.deny and
> THOUGH i had
> added my host correctly to the hosts.allow file - but it looks
> like I havent
> as I am unable to ssh into the server now.
>
> The people who host the server, cobaltrack, say there is nothing
> they can do
> except reload the OS - which is out of the questions as nothing
> is backup on
> the server.

This is kind of a crock, they can simply connect to the serial port on the
back of the RAQ using in PC and terminal emulator for full console access to
the machine (using a null modem cable of course).  Either the person you
talked to doesn't have a clue about what they are doing or they are trying
to mislead you because they don't want to be bothered doing it.

>
> The only access I have to the server now is via the web based interface,
> which i hardly ever used. Anyways I was thinking the old way around this
> would be to make a PKG file that I could load from the web based interface
> which would replace my hosts.allow and hosts.deny with CLEAN
> copies of them,
> only prob is I have no idea how to make a PKG file to do this.
>
> If anyone could guide me in the right steps, some hits on where to look on
> the net etc about writing PKG files i would be most greatfull

Wow I would only ever go there as a last resort, the other fix will take a
couple minutes.  I keep a notebook and serial cable handy for these sorts of
circumstances.  Maybe you could offer to pay them for 5 minutes of
consulting time to cover their costs . . .

Eric