[jamesa]

Ok, here's a question I'm wondering someone here can't answer for me.

I have an OS X machine that I have an admin username and password for. There are no services turned on, however; but the firewall isn't turned on either.

I patched it totally up to date with all patches up to the 8/31 Airport update.

I want to get onto the machine.

Unfortunately, I don't have physical access.

Is there a way this can be done?

-- james

[MacGorilla]

If its on you could SSH in. Now, don't go doing anything...umm...

[qyn]

If you didn't turn on any services, then no.

SSH access must be specifically enabled (Prefs->Sharing->Remote Login). The default OS X setup, even without the firewall, is locked down pretty tight.

[jamesa]

Originally posted by qyn:
If you didn't turn on any services, then no.

SSH access must be specifically enabled (Prefs->Sharing->Remote Login). The default OS X setup, even without the firewall, is locked down pretty tight.

so even with the firewall off, there's no way in if services aren't enabled?

-- james

[P]

Originally posted by jamesa:
so even with the firewall off, there's no way in if services aren't enabled?

-- james

If your only connection is via a network - no, there is no way in.

[spiky_dog]

Originally posted by P:
If your only connection is via a network - no, there is no way in.

and that's the beauty of the default os x install. no services by default ==> no remote vulnerabilities by default

[utidjian]

Originally posted by spiky_dog:
and that's the beauty of the default os x install. no services by default ==> no remote vulnerabilities by default

Not quite. While the "root via DHCP" exploit is dead there are still attacks on a system that can be made via a bogus DHCP server or a compromised DNS server. The home user does not have to worry about it but a user in a corporate or academic environment where there is a large network should be careful. While a DHCP/DNS kind of attack is very difficult for the attacker... it is not impossible.

Ah a couple more things... a firewall won't protect you from a DHCP/DNS attack. Windows and Linux are susceptible also.

[P]

Originally posted by utidjian:
Not quite. While the "root via DHCP" exploit is dead there are still attacks on a system that can be made via a bogus DHCP server or a compromised DNS server. The home user does not have to worry about it but a user in a corporate or academic environment where there is a large network should be careful. While a DHCP/DNS kind of attack is very difficult for the attacker... it is not impossible.

Ah a couple more things... a firewall won't protect you from a DHCP/DNS attack. Windows and Linux are susceptible also.

So? We're talking defaults here, and default OS X configuration is DHCP off (unlike Windows, but what else is new). Now, you could argue a bit about this since you actually setup the network during installation, and IIRC there are no defaults to accept at one point, but you still have to consciously enable DHCP.

[utidjian]

Originally posted by P:
So? We're talking defaults here, and default OS X configuration is DHCP off (unlike Windows, but what else is new). Now, you could argue a bit about this since you actually setup the network during installation, and IIRC there are no defaults to accept at one point, but you still have to consciously enable DHCP.

So... the VAST majority of users in coroporate and academic environments MUST use DHCP... default or not, conscious or not. Same as they have to consciously plug in their ethernet cable or turn on their WiFi if they want to use the network. There is nothing magical about DHCP... you plug it in, it just works. DHCP is the default and conscious setup for networking in the corporate and academic environment.

Perhaps you are confusing what the default behavior of the setup for a new Mac is and the default setup required to use networking in corporate or academic environment. In other words, the environmental defaults trumps the computer defaults.