Re: Remote Access (Again)

To sum up everything Scott said:

The problem with Telneting across the internet is that login information is
clear text.

So, anyone sniffing packets can grab your as/400 username and password, as
well as other info going across.

Also, they will know the destination port and ip address.

Which means they can now connect to your as/400 with a valid account.

Think of Telnetting over the internet like sending cash in the mail.  All it
takes is someone between you and the letter's address to hold the envelope
up to the light, see money in it, open it up and take it.

Not to mention it allows brute force attacks on your system too.

As far as:
> > I've worked with two iSeries machines that were on the
> > internet for over 5 years with zero troubles.
>
> This is like saying "I went five years without any health insurance or
> other coverage, and I never got sick!"  Or "I drove my motorcycle without
> a helmet for 5 years, and I never got hurt!"
>
> You were lucky.  That doesn't mean it should be recommended.

Thsi is relatively accurate also, except even further saying you were never
sick, when in reality you have terminal cancer.  If someone has effectively
compromised your system and they are pros, you WON'T know you have had a
problem.

How would you knwo if a malicious person logged into your system, and
printed out information that was on your system?

Not all crackers destroy things.

It's not about if the AS/400 can handle being conencted to the Internet.  t
can.  But NOTHING should allow telnet access to it over the internet.

Adam Lang
Systems Engineer
Rutgers Casualty Insurance Company
http://www.rutgersinsurance.com