[cobalt-users] Cobalt Care PaQ

[Malcolm McLeary <mmcleary@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Guys,

Seen this addition to the Cobalt site ...

> Cobalt Care PaQ 
> 
> Cobalt Networks is pleased to offer an inexpensive 12-point preventive
> maintenance kit. The Cobalt Care PaQ is comprised of semi-annual check-ups of
> your cobalt appliance server. Performed by Cobalt engineers to ensure optimal
> performance with all the latest updated software and patches, the Care PaQ
> includes diagnostics to identify potential system degradation and provide
> recommendations. 
> 
> Package Details 
> The 12-point check-up includes:
> 
> *    Confirm installation of all supported OS updates.
> *    Verify the administrative web server is active.
> *    Email is sending and receiving properly.
> *    FTP uploading and downloading properly.
> *    DNS responding properly.
> *    UI database is synchronizing.
> *    Check for inactive data and users.
> *    Security - Confirm installation of all supported security updates,
>      check for users without passwords.
> *    File system - Check disk usage on all partitions,
>      check for erroneous files and disk quota compliance.
> *    CPU and memory utilization.
> *    Inspect log file reporting.
> *    Restart machine to verify integrity.
> 
> Cobalt Care PaQ - Preventative Maintenance Kit     $69.95 
> 
> January Special! Cobalt Care PaQ for only $39.95. To receive this special
> discount price, please call customer support at +1.800.266.4378.

This of course will mean that they will need your admin password ...

on 9/2/01 6:42 AM, Brandon Wheaton at brandonw@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> I think it is EXTREMELY important to note here that you should
> not give out your login information to someone calling and
> claiming to be a Cobalt technician who wants to get in and
> check out your system for any reason. If you initiate the
> call to Cobalt and they request your password, you should
> change your password, give them the new one and change it
> again after they are finished. If the techs are as careless
> with people's admin passwords as they are with QA we could
> have huge problem on our hands.
> 
> I have had a couple of people mention that "Cobalt" had
> made unsolicited calls them to say that they wanted their
> admin password so they could get in and make sure they were
> not vulnerable to the latest BIND hack. These people are not
> so gullible and basically told the person on the other end
> of the phone to have sex with themselves (in not so many
> words) and called Cobalt to verify that their techs did
> not actually call.
> 
> Be aware and do not fall victim to "social engineering" ;^)

Brandon was responding to a discussion on hacking victims, but "Cobalt Care
PaQ" could easily be mentioned by a would be hacker trying to get access to
your servers.

Perhaps "Cobalt Care PaQ" is an on-site service under the clients
supervision ... thats how I got DEC to do my VAX "health checks".

Cheers,  Malcolm

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                       Information Alchemy Pty Ltd
                             ACN 089 239 305
                           Canberra, Australia

Malcolm McLeary                                Mobile:     0412 636 086
Managing Director                              Email:  mmcleary@xxxxxxx

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