Exploiting Software How to Break Code

Chapter 4. Exploiting Server Software

Hacking a computer by sitting down in front of it with a boot disk borders on the trivial. However, a boot disk attack requires sitting in front of a console that may have physical controls (including, say, armed guards and dogs). The only serious skill required to carry out this sort of attack is breaking and entering. For this reason, physical security of the armed guard sort is necessary to secure the most security-critical computers in the world (think National Security Agency). Of course, taken to the extreme, the most secure computer is not connected to a network, remains “off” at all times, has its disk wiped, and is buried under four tons of concrete. The problem with extreme physical security is that ...