Thank you for all of your hard work.

I stopped using Windows (XP Professional) altogether in early 2006. I was running Debian GNU/Linux on my production and testing desktops and servers, and had not booted into Windows for over 6 months.

I found that setting up separate, dedicated Linux servers for IDS/IPS, encryption and authentication, and a Web server for my LAN prevented the headaches of trying to run services/daemons and software — such as OpenSSH, Apache, Spamassassin, and a local copy of the W3C’s validation tools for (X)HTML, CSS, and accessibility validation — eliminated the headaches of trying to emulate Linux/UNIX and POSIX functionality on the Windows platform, and eliminated security problems and performance risks of trying to run such services/daemons on a single desktop Windows computer.

For security and performance reasons, one does not install X Server (X.org) or a desktop environment/window manager (GUI) on a Linux or UNIX server. I do not mean this comment as a criticism of people who prefer to run Windows servers or use tools such as Cygwin on a Windows desktop OS.

I started using UNIX seriously and daily in 1989 via a telnet connection and performing all tasks via shell commands. (I did not see X Server or a *NIX GUI until 1994, when I used CDE on a Sun Microsystems terminal, with the default salmon-pink title bar for the active windows. Ick!)

I wish everyone success implementing Cygwin or binary ports/libraries from Cygwin ported as native Windows applications and services. My advice (regardless of the platforms one uses) is to run the services/daemons that are absolutely necessary (and no others) and to have your OS listen to and/or open essential ports only.

Sadly, “script kiddies” can compromise systems, retrieve vital personal and system data, and do serious damage with no absolutely no knowledge of any networking protocols, because they use “cracking” software with full graphical interfaces that require no typing, only selecting buttons and/or icons (which, for script kiddies with no impairments, means a few clicks to install the software and then clicking a mouse in response to prompts). Fortunately, such software is well-known, poorly-written, and generally not a threat if one uses common sense.

Unfortunately, other very real threats (and constantly discovered vulnerabilities in platforms and protocols) threaten unable to connect to another computer or network, lacking any storage devices or ports permitting access by network connections or storage devices such as flash USB drives, and locked away in a secured location…steps that hardly make a computer of any use)!

Regardless of the platform(s) each of us uses, the days of “bashing” other platforms need to end. Instead, we need to cooperate and share tools, source code, best practices, technologies, and — ideally — a common ethic that goes beyond “do no harm” to acknowledge and embrace diversity (technological and cultural) and to share an ethic that involves working as a community with a spirit of cooperation. I support clients, friends, and family members using all major platforms, but I respect freedom of choice and diversity and the only reason I need platform information is to implement security (or forensic) measure appropriate for that platform.

Thank you for your time and patience. Thank you, Mike, for your ongoing contributions. I wish us all success and hope that our common concerns and values outweigh differences that are petty and ultimately waste time that we should be using to improve security and stability, and to share knowledge of benefit to all.

Cordially,

David

I am setting an NMS server which require SSH to be enabled. I’m looking for the solution and found your site from http://www.realvnc.com/pipermail/vnc-list/2004-February/043502.html which suggesting to download the Cygwin + SSH Docs from your site.

Could you send me those related files please?

Thanks in advance & Have a good day then… ;)

Slan,
Madra Beag