News Group Posts

vpn pptp ssh access to sco

From: Tony Lawrence 
Subject: Re: VPN for Openserver
Date: Thu, 21 Nov 2002 06:36:42 -0500

Fernando Ronci wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> Are there any VPN server packages that will run on OSR5?

There's Poptop, but I don't know if it has been ported to SCO and I 
wouldn't recommend using it (on SCO)  if it has been.  That's not just because SCO 
is a dying brand who I don't trust to keep up with security patches.

I generally don't like a production server providing this kind of 
function.  I have a number of clients doing anything from ssh to poptop 
to hardware vpns, but I always run that on a separate machine (or 
dedicated vpn appliance) and let them access the sco from there.

It just doesn't make sense to bring important internal machines 
directly onto the internet - even if it is through a VPN - to me, 
that's like leaving your money lying around your living room.

For example, if ssh access is enough, I don't let them come directly to 
sco- they ssh to some other box (usually a Linux system) and then from 
there gain access to sco, either transparently or through another login 
(depending upon how many levels of challenge we feel we need).

Or if it's a VPN with poptop, again I'd run that on a separate Linux box 
both for the additional isolation and because it's just easier to 
obtain, configure, and maintain this sort of thing on Linux.

Even with hardware VPN's (point to point) I've sometimes isolated that 
so the VPN only gives access to part of the network and you need to pass 
more hurdles to go on.

But in no situation do I think you should ever have direct outside 
access to a production server.



Tony Lawrence
Unix/Linux Support Tips, How-To's, Tests and more: http://aplawrence.com
Free Unix/Linux Consultants list: http://aplawrence.com/consultants.html
 

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