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[Fhsst-authors] Notice about FHSST
From: |
Mark Horner |
Subject: |
[Fhsst-authors] Notice about FHSST |
Date: |
Fri, 12 Dec 2003 16:55:53 +0200 (SAST) |
Hi all,
I looked into the reason for the savannah server upgrade and the original
explanation is below. Due to the CVS server problems could people just
write their sections and email them to me. I had a CVS server running on
hlt.phy.uct.ac.za a while back and I'll bring the repository up to date
and teach everyone how to use it soon. In the meantime please try to write
your sections in latex and just send them to me.
Here is that explanation:
On December 1st, 2003, we discovered that the "Savannah" system, which is
maintained by the Free Software Foundation and provides CVS and
development services to the GNU project and other Free Software projects,
was compromised at circa November 2nd, 2003.
The compromise seems to be of the same nature as the recent attacks on
Debian project servers; the attacker seemed to operate identically.
However, this incident was distinctly different from the modus operandi we
found in the attacks on our FTP server in August 2003. We have also
confirmed that an unauthorized party gained root access and installed a
root-kit ("SucKIT") on November 2nd, 2003.
In the interest of continuing cooperation and in helping to improve
security for all essential Free Software infrastructure, and despite
important philosophical differences, we are working closely with Debian
project members to find the perpetrators and to secure essential Free
Software infrastructure for the future. We hope to have future joint
announcements that discuss a unified strategy for addressing these
problems.
For the moment, we are installing replacement hardware for the Savannah
system, and we will begin restoring the Savannah software this week.
Initially, there will be some security related changes which may be
inconvenient for our developers. We will try to ease these as we find
secure ways to do so. We are in particular researching ways to ensure
secured authentication of the source code trees stored on the system.
We will send more detailed announcements about efforts to verify the
authenticity of the source code hosted on Savannah, and how the community
can help in that effort once we've brought the system back online.
We hope to have at least minimal services back up by Friday 5 December
2003.
--
Mark Horner
UCT-CERN Research Centre
Physics Department
University of Cape Town
Rondebosch
7700
South Africa
Phone: +27 21 650 3366 (office)
Phone: +27 83 564 6272 (cellular)
Fax: +27 21 650 3342
AIM: marknewlyn
Homepage:
http://hep.phy.uct.ac.za/~horner
Co-author:
http://www.nongnu.org/fhsst
http://savannah.gnu.org/projects/fhsst
"It went well. There are no problems, and, as a bonus, it showed that I
have a brain!"
- Stormers and Springbok backrower CORNE KRIGE speaking after undergoing a
precautionary brain scan after a clash of heads during a Super 12 match.
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