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OpenBSD 4.5 Released
portscan writes "OpenBSD 4.5 has been released. New and extended platforms include sparc64, and added device drivers. OpenSSH 5.2 is included, plus a number of tweaks, bugfixes, and enhancements. See the announcement page for a full list. OpenBSD is a security-oriented UNIX/BSD operating system." As per OpenBSD tradition, of course there's a song.
A musty atmosphere of neglect pervaded the subbasement of University Library and the books on the shelves were covered in a fine layering of dust. There were dim lights over the small study cubicles at the end of each aisle between the towering shelves which produced only enough illumination for the top of the desks, leaving the surrounding stacks and central walkway shrouded in a perpetual twilight.
I had finally found the copy of the heavy API guide I needed for my work connecting my SQL database to the graphical front end I had been slaving over all weekend. However, the intricacy of the cover of the neighboring book drew my attention and I brought it along to the desk for better inspection under the light. The cover looked a lot newer than the heavily thumbed volumes beside it. Emblazoned across the front was the title "Linux - Unleash the Power of your PC" together with a picture of a fat cartoonish looking penguin. As I opened the book I felt a strange buzzing in my head that quickly passed. I shrugged it off as my attention was drawn to a CD which dropped out and landed on the desk in front of me. It bore the same title as the book, together with something about 'Ubuntu' which was a word I did not recognise.
I had heard of Linux though. The University ran Unix on some of their servers, although I rarely chose to interact with those systems. Perhaps I should broaden my horizons though. I liked to think I knew just about everything there was to know about using Windows, but you could never have too many strings to your bow. Almost without thinking I slipped the CD into my pocket and returned my attention to my work.
A date with my girlfriend Paige followed the work in the library. I was one of the few students on my CS course to actually have a partner since, although computers interested me and would one day be my means of making a living, I was careful not to get drawn into the weird geek subculture that seemed to pervade the department. Some of the guys with their nerdish glasses and unwashed t-shirts grunted at me strangely when I declined to join in their games of Counterstrike or attend Dungeons & Dragons sessions, but I reminded myself that while they were shut up in a grimy lab scoffing Cheetos I was getting laid on a regular basis.
That night in my dorm room while I was getting ready for bed, I remembered the CD in my pocket and fired up my laptop to take a look However I couldn't make out what the strange messages flowing across the screen meant. Perhaps if I sounded them out their meaning would become clear. I tried to phonetically pronounce the words but they disappeared too quickly to be replaced with a blank screen. I gave up, turned off the light and climbed into bed.
The erotic dream started with Paige slowly caressing my back and buttocks. The caressing transitioned into an incredibly gentle massage starting at my neck and shoulders and running down my back. My butt cheeks were being massaged apart and I spread my legs and raised my rear as her hand reached underneath me from behind to stroke my erection. Her hand was very warm and felt wonderful as I started to slowly thrust into her hand as she started jerking me off. A huge long warm and moist tongue started playing over my testicles and anus. It felt fantastic. No one had ever licked me there before. I never knew how sensual it felt.
As her hot hand was expertly running up and down my rigid penis something started probing my anus. It snaked its way into my anal opening and it started slowly expanding. Suddenly I had the urge to move my bowels, but I didn't care, as my attention was totally focused on my imminent orgasm. My penis was released as Paige suddenly grabbed my sides and jammed her hips against my butt.
I woke up to find myself with my rear in the air. Someone was grabbing my sides and hitting my butt. I jolted fully awake as I felt something expanding in my rectum and realized I was being fucked. The cock in my butt was still expanding and was becoming painfully large. I thought I could
Oh BSD for server farms,
For blinking rows of lights.
For late night coke and deli runs
In those bitter winter nights!
NetBSD! FreeBSD!
Dick shakes his fists at thee
And hates much more the fact that you're
As dead as dead can be!
Security is something we should get on top of the other features, not with the cost of other features. I am talking about usability and features here.
Sure, the core OpenBSD software is probably the most secure in the world, but what can you really accomplish with it without getting gray hair. Good for routers and other network appliances, but once you start moving towards application servers and (*gasp*) desktop oriented usage it becomes obvious that OpenBSD is not really fit for the duty. In many areas it is practically where most of the Linux distributions were in the 90s.
Heck, you can't even select my native keyboard layout without actually creating the mappings manually. Hah!
What's the difference? If they're immune to Conficker and Ghost-RAT programs; count me as a convert. Otherwise, shutup! Unix is nearly dead. Or is it?
Title says it all: http://www.sun.com/software/solaris/get.jsp
#include <sig.h>
NetBSD 5 yesterday, OpenBSD 4.5 today and a three day weekend ahead.
*fap*
Stop Computers/Cars Analogies on S
The one area where OpenBSD is let down on the security front is the packages/ports - basically the applications you might want to use. Those are not kept updated over the lifetime of a release. The only way to get the patches and security fixes is to run -Current, which may not be the best for most people.
Given the frequent updates needed for some apps, especially on the security front (looking at you Firefox!) - it seems a bit odd for a security focused project to expect it's users to run the same old static version for circa 6 months till the next version arrives.
Excuse me, but this sounds like a bad track record, given that they are talking about a quite useless "default install" with only ssh enabled. Why don't you just turn ethernet off in the default install and you'll have 0 remote holes in +infty years? This hole thing is a little bit ridiculous as are the songs and don't make me want to try OpenBSD at all. They really should work on the marketing angle. Arrogance is not the way to go, especially if it doesn't seem to be warranted at all.
The 80's called - they want their cock-rock back!
Is this to the tune of 'O Caaaanada'?
Another thing where they fail miserably is their so-called full-disclosure. What a joke.
I do believe in the security of OpenBSD, but I find it intimidating that the community is unable or unwilling to maintain proper information channels for security-related maintenance.
Another thing is that when anything comes from the Infosec community -- the community who actually write exploits for living -- it gets almost always downplayed by the OpenBSD community. A very different attitude than the one found in other BSDs (and Linux).
The third part where they fail security-wise is the six month release cycle. The whole idea that you have to update operating systems every six months (or every year) is ridiculous in any context where security really matters.
Cheers, keep up the good work anyways.
A version of KDE that no longer gets any love from upstream; old Firefox, old Thunderbird. Hopefully there are security updates for the latter two and that someone is giving some TLC to the former.
Is this to the tune of 'O Caaaanada'?
Reminds me of "O Andy Tannenbaum".
"I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
A version of KDE that no longer gets any love from upstream; old Firefox, old Thunderbird. Hopefully there are security updates for the latter two and that someone is giving some TLC to the former.
OpenBSD is on a 6-month development release, and remember the auditing and code-screening that goes into each release. Patches for these "optional" packages (OBSD default install primary use is a stripped down server environment) can be updated immediately. Just like any other installer, there WILL be updates available, even on day 1.
Is the lack of RBAC and MAC, or any decent non discretionary access controls.
Solaris has RBAC, Linux has RSBAC and SELinux. OpenBSD staunchly refuses to add anything similar, and no, a system call interceptor does not count.
It's all well and good to have quality code and aim to get rid of vulnerabilities at the core, but a really secure system would be able to protect from attack, in the event it did happen.
As it stands, a system with SELinux or RSBAC is far, far more secure than OpenBSD, because of this fact.
If you ignore ACs because they are anonymous - you're an idiot.
Is this to the tune of 'O Caaaanada'?
I was thinking "Jingle Bells".
There is no "I disagree" mod for a reason. Flamebait, Troll, and Overrated are not substitutes.
if yOu move a 7able available to
"I find it intimidating that the community is unable or unwilling to maintain proper information channels for security-related maintenance"
You could try looking over on the Bug Tracking System or the openbsd-bugs mailing list
davecb5620@gmail.com
Do, or indeed what to t4e transm(ission practical purposes, Stand anymore,
"The one area where OpenBSD is let down on the security front is the packages/ports"
"The ports & packages collection does NOT go through the thorough security audit that the OpenBSD base system does. Although we strive to keep the quality of the packages collection high, we just do not have enough human resources to ensure the same level of robustness and security"
davecb5620@gmail.com
For some strange reason I was thinking Camptown Races (the song)...
These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
It also works for "The Yellow Rose of Texas".
-=Steve=-
Space game using normal deck of cards: http://BattleCards.org
Seems like an interesting rorschach test.
Do you even lift?
These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.
Jingle Bells, don't you mean Oh Christmas Tree
Nono, to the tune of this!
Watch this +10 Flamebait:
Men use BSD - boys use Linux.
Period. Next to trusted OS's(TrustedBSD, TrustedSolaris, etc.) OpenBSD is the only thing out there I would put on the public internet with confidential data. Not only that, OpenBSD is the _only_ thing I would trust to protect my internal networks.
Most security appliances have some Linux baked in - no thanks.
Website Hosting
Except that - as someone pointed out in an earlier comment - the optional packages like Firefox and KDE don't get the auditing and code screening. Hell, allegedly they don't even get prompt security updates when upstream fixes something.
I've got a UltraSparc IIe laptop and the only OSes that will run on it are Solaris and OpenBSD. Newer versions of Solaris give an awful user experience no matter what you do; the machine does only have a 650Mhz processor. It had gotten so bad it was looking like I might actually have to buy a new laptop, instead of waiting like I want to for relatively inexpensive mobile quad core.
The OpenBSD guys, for whatever reason, decided that supporting this oddball laptop was something they wanted to do. No idea what prompted this, but it has been a godsend for me. I did have to do some hand X configuration stuff, but it was easy enough. Initially, I ran XFCE, but now use awesome (because it is awesome, obviously) and I really like the set up.
Aside from a web browser, a PDF reader (epdfview), freecell and ummm, nothing else I guess; I don't really use that many GUI apps on my laptop. While I'd prefer to use Midori (the laptop is slow), firefox performance is still in the acceptable range.
I'm using the shell a lot more, obviously, than I do on my Ubuntu desktop and I'm liking it well enough.
The OpenBSD team decided to actively support my Tadpole Sparcle 650SX and they have my gratitude for this.
There's an unofficial .iso torrent up on The Pirate Bay, for those finding the mirrors slow. Not a lot of people using it at the moment, but we can change that.
Some of the MD5s are different; I haven't investigated why yet.
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suwain_2