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RE: Fwd: Re: Fwd: MPLS VPN

  • From: "Jim Guichard" <jguichar@cisco.com>
  • Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2002 15:05:43 -0500
  • Cc: "MPLS-ops Mailing List" <mpls-ops@mplsrc.com>
  • Importance: Normal
  • Resent-Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2002 16:35:42 -0500
  • To: "fraanro" <fraanro@arrakis.es>, "Roger Clark Williams" <rogerw@nordlink.com>

the PE need not be exposed to the CPE at the IP level - if it is exposed
then the correct security procedures have not been enabled at the router. A
simple access-list at the interface level can block unwanted access but
still provide routing protocol support.. Jim

> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: fraanro [mailto:fraanro@arrakis.es]
> >Sent: Tuesday, December 31, 2002 12:44 PM
> >To: Roger Clark Williams
> >Cc: MPLS-ops Mailing List
> >Subject: Re: Fwd: Re: [MPLS-OPS]: Fwd: MPLS VPN
> >
> >
> >That argument is correct, but just based on the fact that the customer
> >traffic is IP and the service the SP is giving is an IP service.
> >Because of that, both have visibility at the same level. How secured is
> >the access to the PE depends on the SP. It may be bullet proof or it
> >may not. But the same way an ATM switch could have some managmenet PVCs
> >opened and it could be possible to do things at the ATM level, and then
> >maybe at the IP level. Almost everything is possible. Again, as it has
> >been said, it depends on how important is the info being transported
> >and how big is the interest (and $$) of someone else to have access to
> >it.
> >IMHO, MPLS VPNs are as secure as a Frame Relay or ATM service. If
> >someone is concerned about the fact that the PE is exposed to the CPE
> >at the IP level, then, use a L2 MPLS VPN, in which the CPE cannot do
> >anything, there is no IP interface anywhere inside the VPN in the SP
> >network.
> >
> >Rgds and Happy New Year.
> >Javier.
> >
> >----- Mensaje Original -----
> >Remitente: Roger Clark Williams <rogerw@nordlink.com>
> >Fecha: Lunes, Diciembre 30, 2002 2:02 pm
> >Asunto: Fwd: Re: [MPLS-OPS]: Fwd: MPLS VPN
> >
> >> Got it, Guber, and it is a good point. I had stayed too
> >> theoretical, you
> >> got to the nuts and bolts. Thank you.
> >>
> >> Roger Williams
> >>
> >>
> >> >X-Originating-IP: [203.106.49.226]
> >> >From: "NOC Ops" <theguber@hotmail.com>
> >> >To: rogerw@nordlink.com
> >> >Subject: Re: [MPLS-OPS]: Fwd: MPLS VPN
> >> >Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2002 04:01:21 +0000
> >> >X-OriginalArrivalTime: 30 Dec 2002 04:01:21.0779 (UTC)
> >> >FILETIME=[1D27DC30:01C2AFB8]
> >> >
> >> >Yes...however....
> >> >
> >> >If you can gain access to a PE then it is rather an easy task to
> >> debug an
> >> >IP or MPLS packet...and that is my point.
> >> >
> >> >To gain access to an ATM or Frame switch you need to be "inside"
> >> the
> >> >network itself...IE: an employee of the Telco or have physical
> >> access to
> >> >the Central Office gear. Customers inherrently "trust" Telco's so
> >> this has
> >> >not neccessarily been an issue. Can be done on virtually any
> >> transmission
> >> >medium, even leased lines.
> >> >
> >> >Even if you could gain access to an ATM switch there are not
> >> exactly many
> >> >freeware applications out there to debug ATM traffic..it takes a
> >> certain
> >> >skill set...
> >> >
> >> >So yes I understand Wulf's point, (IE: That Telcos are to be
> >> "trusted")
> >> >but I would alway advise any enterprise to run encryption when
> >> being
> >> >offered MPLS/VPN's since the PE's are vulnerable and it does not
> >> take a
> >> >Phd to debug the traffic.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >>From: Roger Clark Williams <rogerw@nordlink.com>
> >> >>To: "NOC Ops" <theguber@hotmail.com>
> >> >>Subject: Re: [MPLS-OPS]: Fwd: MPLS VPN
> >> >>Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 21:39:03 -0500
> >> >>
> >> >>Guber, I agree with a point you are raising, that one can often
> >> telnet to
> >> >>unprotected routers, and often more easily and with more
> >> destructive
> >> >>capacity than might be available with switches. Your point is
> >> totally
> >> >>valid, but I think Wulf's point was slightly different. He was
> >> saying
> >> >>that the traffic itself, whether by FR or ATM,  is unprotected
> >> in the
> >> >>sense that it is not encrypted or in some way made invisible or
> >> >>unavailable to someone who has access to the traffic. In the
> >> best of all
> >> >>possible worlds no outsiders could get in anywhere and all SP
> >> employees
> >> >>would be completely, unassailably honest. In this case,
> >> unencrypted
> >> >>traffic would be fine - and private, the "P" in VPN. But these
> >> are not
> >> >>the best of all possible worlds and both your and his point is
> >> that the
> >> >>traffic is potentially accessible by one method or another.
> >> Therefore, if
> >> >>one wants security one has to define that, and then to be aware
> >> both of
> >> >>the level available with the technology being used as well as
> >> the demand
> >> >>or need for security. You have opened yet another reason to be
> >> careful in
> >> >>one's awareness of his/her own network's security as a customer,
> >> and of
> >> >>the SP's network security.
> >> >>
> >> >>Roger Williams
> >> >>
> >> >>At 01:03 AM 12/30/2002, you wrote:
> >> >>>Wulf,
> >> >>>
> >> >>>I do not want to get into a religious argument here but I tend
> >> to
> >> >>>disagree with you on your comparison with ATM and
> >> Frame...Neither of
> >> >>>these type of switches have Telnet, SNMP etc, ports exposed to
> >> client
> >> >>>side access that have to be secured....unlike most router based
> >> MPLS
> >> >>>PE's which do. I have on several occassions demonstrated to
> >> operators
> >> >>>the ability to Telnet into their networks from Client side
> >> connections
> >> >>>due to poor security framework and procedures.
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>>
> >> >>>>From: Wulf Losee <qx49@attbi.com>
> >> >>>>To: MPLS-ops Mailing List <mpls-ops@mplsrc.com>
> >> >>>>Subject: Re: [MPLS-OPS]: Fwd: MPLS VPN
> >> >>>>Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 10:21:02 -0800
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>Aleezah:
> >> >>>>I would like to amplify on what Roger said. Since the LSP is
> >> solely
> >> >>>>within the Service Provider's network, and MPLS VPN is
> >> considered
> >> >>>>"secure". And certainly it is no less secure than a Frame
> >> Relay PVC or
> >> >>>>an ATM PVC. It is considered extremely unlikely that other
> >> corporations
> >> >>>>or entities are snooping the traffic that run across FR or ATM
> >> PVCs.
> >> >>>>Corporations put a huge amount of traffic over Frame Relay and
> >> ATM, and
> >> >>>>very few worry about the security of their traffic -- because
> >> the SP is
> >> >>>>considered to be an secure broker. However, for those
> >> corporations who
> >> >>>>are extra paranoid, there is no reason that they can't run
> >> IPsec VPNs
> >> >>>>between their sites. The MPLS VPN is transparent to them, but
> >> the SP's
> >> >>>>MPLS VPNs would carry the corporation's IPsec VPNs.
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>MPLS VPNs are implemented by Service Providers for the purpose
> >> of TE,
> >> >>>>etc. While they tend to leave IPsec VPNs for their corporate
> >> customers
> >> >>>>to implement...
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>--Wulf
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>
> >> >>>>At 10:32 AM 12/29/02 -0500, Roger Clark Williams wrote:
> >> >>>>>Aleezah, security is relative. To take a simple example, are
> >> you more
> >> >>>>>secure with a 56-bit key or a 128-bit key? It all depends on
> >> the
> >> >>>>>capability of those who 1) have access to the traffic, and 2)
> >> the
> >> >>>>>ability they can muster to crack the encryption. It is relative.
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>With a MPLS VPN the data within the original IP packet is
> >> still in
> >> >>>>>clear-text format, there is no encryption. Granted, the LSP
> >> you
> >> >>>>>mention may be secure, but who has access to that path? Can
> >> all those
> >> >>>>>people be trusted completely? It is all relative.
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>There is no such thing as absolute security, there is only
> >> relatively
> >> >>>>>better and relatively worse security. For better security
> >> over an MPLS
> >> >>>>>VPN, I would use IPsec. Others will certainly argue for
> >> something
> >> >>>>>better, longer keys, whatever. Perhaps stenographically
> >> embedding
> >> >>>>>encrypted data in a file that is then encrypted within a
> >> packet that
> >> >>>>>itself is encrypted...... Again, it is all relative. What is
> >> the value
> >> >>>>>of your traffic?
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>I would bring to your attention the very reasonable and
> >> informative
> >> >>>>>writings of Bruce Schneier, founder of Counterpane, and his
> >> newsletter
> >> >>>>>called Crypto-gram. Available to all at
> >> >>>>>http://www.counterpane.com/crypto-gram.html or send a blank
> >> message to
> >> >>>>>crypto-gram-subscribe@chaparraltree.com
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>Roger Williams
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>
> >> >>>>>>X-Originating-IP: [203.135.5.55]
> >> >>>>>>From: "aleezah khan" <aleezahkhan2k@hotmail.com>
> >> >>>>>>To: rogerw@nordlink.com
> >> >>>>>>Subject: MPLS VPN
> >> >>>>>>Date: Sun, 29 Dec 2002 14:55:22 +0000
> >> >>>>>>X-OriginalArrivalTime: 29 Dec 2002 14:55:22.0298 (UTC)
> >> >>>>>>FILETIME=[4FEA21A0:01C2AF4A]
> >> >>>>>>
> >> >>>>>>
> >> >>>>>>Hi,
> >> >>>>>>merry christmass to u!!
> >> >>>>>>i need some help .i hope u can guide me...
> >> >>>>>>In MPLS VPN with the use of  VPN identifier (RD) and secure
> >> LSP ,is
> >> >>>>>>data security still an issue?
> >> >>>>>>DO you think encrypting the data is the only way to secure
> >> our data
> >> >>>>>>running in BGP MPLS VPN?
> >> >>>>>>If not then what are your recommendations
> >> >>>>>>
> >> >>>>>>
> >> >>>>>>
> >> >>>>>>
> >>
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