Securing Unsecure Protocols

<h1>Securing Unsecure Protocols</h1>Author: <a title="Paul Bauer" href="http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/paul-bauer/38274.htm">Paul Bauer</a> Do you have an FTP server running? Maybe you still use telnet for something on your network. Perhaps, you are a VNC user. Maybe you host your own web server, or POP3 e-mail server. All of the protocols used to make the services on those server work, are unsecured, and can easily be intercepted and/or monitored by third parties.

I already told you about <a href="http://www.bauer-power.net/2007/04/ftp-attack-thwarted-by-awesome-freeware.html">Filezilla</a> in a previous post, which uses FTPS, a secure file transfer protocol, but what if you are a fan of Microsoft's IIS service for running your FTP, or another unsecured FTP server software that still uses ports 20 and 21 and sends your passwords in plain text. Some people just don't like switching their server software. Sometimes due to laziness, and other times because it is too much of a pain.

There is a solution my friends, and it comes in the form of Open Source. It is called <a href="http://www.stunnel.org/">STUNNEL</a>. STUNNEL provides a secure wrapper for any unsecured protocol you have, and encrypts the data connection using SSL. Take for instance my web server. Behind my firewall it is listening on port 80. My firewall, however is only open to port 443 (The port https uses). When you type <a target="_blank" href="https://pdbauer.com">https://pdbauer.com</a> in your browser your traffic on port 443 gets forwarded through my firewall to my web server where STUNNEL is listening for 443 traffic. STUNNEL then forwards that traffic to port 80 where my web server service is listening. The whole process is encrypted using a self signed SSL Certificate I made using OpenSSL. Of course, you can do the same with a purchased certificate from a certificate authority like Comodo, Verisign, Thawte etc.

You can do the same thing to secure your POP3 e-mail, VNC, and FTP servers. There are so many options available with this, it really is a great tool for the security conscientious.About the Author: Paul Bauer is the author of the mildly successful technology blog <a href="http://www.bauer-power.net">Bauer-Power</a>. Paul has a degree in Computer Networking, as well as several certifications including A+, Network+, Server+, MCP, and WCSE. You can subscribe to <a href="http://www.bauer-power.net">Bauer-Power\'s</a> RSS feed by clicking here:(<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/Bauer-power">RSS</a>)Article Source: <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/">ArticlesBase.com</a> - <a href="http://www.articlesbase.com/security-articles/securing-unsecure-protocols-257410.html" title="Securing Unsecure Protocols">Securing Unsecure Protocols</a>

Do you have an FTP server running? Maybe you still use telnet for something on your network. Perhaps, you are a VNC user. Maybe you host your own web server, or POP3 e-mail server. All of the protocols used to make the services on those server work, are unsecured, and can easily be intercepted and/or monitored by third parties.

I already told you about Filezilla in a previous post, which uses FTPS, a secure file transfer protocol, but what if you are a fan of Microsoft's IIS service for running your FTP, or another unsecured FTP server software that still uses ports 20 and 21 and sends your passwords in plain text. Some people just don't like switching their server software. Sometimes due to laziness, and other times because it is too much of a pain.

There is a solution my friends, and it comes in the form of Open Source. It is called STUNNEL. STUNNEL provides a secure wrapper for any unsecured protocol you have, and encrypts the data connection using SSL. Take for instance my web server. Behind my firewall it is listening on port 80. My firewall, however is only open to port 443 (The port https uses). When you type https://pdbauer.com in your browser your traffic on port 443 gets forwarded through my firewall to my web server where STUNNEL is listening for 443 traffic. STUNNEL then forwards that traffic to port 80 where my web server service is listening. The whole process is encrypted using a self signed SSL Certificate I made using OpenSSL. Of course, you can do the same with a purchased certificate from a certificate authority like Comodo, Verisign, Thawte etc.

You can do the same thing to secure your POP3 e-mail, VNC, and FTP servers. There are so many options available with this, it really is a great tool for the security conscientious.

Paul Bauer is the author of the mildly successful technology blog Bauer-Power. Paul has a degree in Computer Networking, as well as several certifications including A+, Network+, Server+, MCP, and WCSE. You can subscribe to Bauer-Power's RSS feed by clicking here:(RSS)

Rate this Article:

0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s)

Re-Publish

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/security-articles/securing-unsecure-protocols-257410.html

Article Tags: FTP, Secure, Ssl, Protocols, Https, Http, SMTP, Ftps, Iis, Pop3, Stunnel, Tls

Related Videos
Related Articles
Ask / Related Q&A

Play

How to Secure an Apache Server

Play

Free Network Security From Untangle - FrugalTech

Play

Setting up LAN Messenger Server

Play

Configure a XP Pro PC as a VPN server for free

Play

Build a security camera using open source

Latest Security Articles
More from Paul Bauer

10 Points to keep your network secure and safe from hackers and viruses

By: seo ssl | 14/11/2009
This articles is keen to provide information about Secure your online transaction from hackers and viruses. Know about how to protect online portal with SSL certificates from hackers.

Enabling a safer internet

By: MFrizzi | 13/11/2009
The positive approach to web security a safer internet: the positive approach to web security One newly infected webpage is discovered every 4.5 seconds.

Free yourself to do more, while securing your business simply and cost-effectively

By: MFrizzi | 13/11/2009
In tough economic times, with tightened budgets and heightened competition, it’s vital for businesses to secure their systems and data against a growing field of threats. However, implementing and maintaining full-spectrum protection can be a heavy drain on financial and human resources if not done right. A more efficient approach to security means that resources – both human and physical – are freed up to improve and expand other areas. The end result is your business becomes more efficient, f

The enemy within: Stop students from bypassing your defenses

By: MFrizzi | 13/11/2009
Computer literate K-12 students regularly use anonymizing proxies to bypass their school’s web filters to access pornography, social networking, and other blocked websites. This is a major security flaw because most infected networks are first exposed via the web. Moreover, it has serious legal ramifications for schools that are not in compliance with state and federal laws. However, reputation and real-time detection can automatically identify and block anonymizing proxies. This white paper dis

Virus.Win32.Sality—How to Get Virus.Win32.Sality out of Your PC?

By: Emma Qiu | 13/11/2009
With the rapid development of computer technology, more and more computer users become the victims of computer virus. Except replicating itself, virus can also make a computer break down through infecting the entire documents on it. Today we would like to talk about this virus-- Virus.Win32.Sality and the methods for resolving it.

Spyware—How to Get Rid of Spyware Successfully

By: Emma Qiu | 13/11/2009
You may install spyware by yourself! Do you feel strange about this saying? Do you believe that some one will install virus on his own computer? But the fact is when you download free songs, movies or applications, unknown spyware have sneak into your computer and start to collect your private information.

Spyware – How to Remove Spyware from Your Computer

By: Emma Qiu | 13/11/2009
Spyware can sneak into your computer without you knowing and install the “back door” on your PC. If you do not think it is a big question, then your PC probably will be attacked by internet hackers in a short time. We know that spyware can collect or steal our private information and then transfer it to the third party, who may be the spyware maker or the nasty hackers.

How to Protect Your Computer Security －Spyware Cease help you!

By: Emma Qiu | 13/11/2009
Have you ever been plagued with continual error messages while surfing the net? Are you annoyed with constant computer freezing or crashing occasionally? Are you still worrying about the slow running of your PC? Want to figure these problems out, right?

Is There Such a Thing as a Digg Strategy?

By: Paul Bauer | 27/11/2007 | Blogging
I have been using Digg.com for quite a while now, and have only recently begun to understand how it is that Digg really works. So many times I have submitted a blog post, only to get one or two diggs, then have it fall off into oblivion.

Is Google's Gmail Secure?

By: Paul Bauer | 12/11/2007 | Email
If you browse to Google's email interface, you may noticed that it defaults to http://mail.google.com and not to httpS://mail.google.com. What does that mean? You may ask. It means your e-mail is not secured.

Open Source E-mail Encryption

By: Paul Bauer | 11/11/2007 | Security
PGP, or more specifically OpenPGP is a great, and more importantly FREE method of securing your data and your e-mails. You don't want "The Man" reading your e-mails, and neither do I.

Common Issues With Wireless

By: Paul Bauer | 11/11/2007 | Networks
Everybody wants to get on wireless these days. It is sort of "the thing to do." Funny thing though is, nobody seems to know what they are doing when it comes to wireless. They think they crack open the box plug in some cables and away they go. Well, it isn't really quite that simple.