[OpenVPN home] [Date Prev] [Date Index] [Date Next]
[OpenVPN mailing lists] [Thread Prev] [Thread Index] [Thread Next]
Google
 
Web openvpn.net

Re: [Openvpn-users] Re: Block vpn clients depending on version?


  • Subject: Re: [Openvpn-users] Re: Block vpn clients depending on version?
  • From: Per-Olov Sjöholm <pos@xxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 2 Mar 2006 16:53:01 +0100

On Thursday 02 March 2006 16.01, Charles Duffy wrote:
> Per-Olov Sjöholm wrote:
> > Is is possible to force a block of VPN clients in the central OpenVPN
> > concentrator that are using old and vulnerable versions of openvpn?
>
> This kind of thing (reporting information voluntarily provided by the
> client's software for servers to use in deciding whether to allow
> connectivity) has historically been avoided because of the potential for
> server administrators to trust the information to be accurate -- but
> their nature, a client can be rebuilt or otherwise modified to "cheat"
> and report a version (or operating system, or hardware serial number, or
> so forth) other than what it's actually running.

I agree on that one. But....
A function like this is not for security, but to force the mass of "stupid" 
and "ignorant" standard users. With such a function the follow up work that 
needs to be done anyway will be less...

>
> Now, I take it here that this is a corner case you don't care much about
> -- you just want to be able to encourage clients to upgrade when a new
> upstream version comes out

true..

> , and since building a modified client is more  work than upgrading

true...

> , and because this is obviously something which isn't 
> going to be used in place of real authentication

also true...

> , it's unlikely that  anyone will attempt to circumvent it in this manner.
>  As such, while new features are James's say, I don't expect that he would
>  object overmuch to adding something along these lines -- except, of course, 
> for his time  being his own.

This I can understand. But it would sure be a helpful add-on.... Maybe I will 
mail Mr Yonan and ask...

>
> Have you considered taking a shot at writing a patch yourself?

No. I haven't actually looked at the code of OpenVPN (yet).

Regards
Per-Olov

>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
> This SF.Net email is sponsored by xPML, a groundbreaking scripting language
> that extends applications into web and mobile media. Attend the live
> webcast and join the prime developer group breaking into this new coding
> territory!
> _______________________________________________
> Openvpn-users mailing list
> Openvpn-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/openvpn-users


-------------------------------------------------------
This SF.Net email is sponsored by xPML, a groundbreaking scripting language
that extends applications into web and mobile media. Attend the live webcast
and join the prime developer group breaking into this new coding territory!
Openvpn-users mailing list
Openvpn-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/openvpn-users


Warning: require_once(../../../archive_common.php) [function.require-once]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/openvpn/domains/openvpn.net/public_html/archive/openvpn-users/2006-03/msg00017.html on line 241

Fatal error: require_once() [function.require]: Failed opening required '../../../archive_common.php' (include_path='/usr/local/lib/php') in /home/openvpn/domains/openvpn.net/public_html/archive/openvpn-users/2006-03/msg00017.html on line 241