Contents:

1) Windows XP beta and Cisco Catalyst 5000 family Issues
2) VPN Evaluation Status
3) Funding Plan for UIUCnet
4) UIArchive - Try it again for the first time!
5) Microsoft Operating Systems entering Non-Supported phase
6) Microsoft Windows Security Flaw Exposed
7) Beware the Hackers!

1. Windows XP beta and Cisco Catalyst 5000 family Issues

Windows XP leaves 802.1p/802.1q tagging enabled by default. This is an issue because CatOS software prior to 6.2.1 for the Catalyst 5000/5500 will forward 802.1x frames on all ports including spanning tree blocking ports, resulting in a layer 2 multicast storm. The result of this is that a user can bring down an entire switched network by just connecting a Windows XP workstation to their network, if a 5000 series Lan switch is in place. The issue does not arise in any other Cisco Lan switches (including Catalyst 2900XL, 3500XL, 2948G, 4000 or 6000 switches) because these devices will drop the frame when it arrives at a blocked port. Cisco announced that they are working on a patch to workaround this problem, but as of 3/29/01 this patch was not available. Detailed information regarding this problem can be viewed at:
1. http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/lan/cat5000/c5krn/sw_rns/78_6583.htm#70886
2. http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/4/18239.html

2. VPN Evaluation Status

The Network Design Office is currently waiting on evaluation equipment VPN equipment from a major hardware manufacturer. The manufacturer has Windows, Linux and Mac VPN clients. This prospect seems to be quite promising not only because it provides multi-platform support, but also because of the claimed scalability of the server. CCSO will test the equipment thoroughly before making any decisions about whether or not to purchase the equipment.

3. Funding Plan for UIUCnet

The office of the Chief Information Officer has proposed a plan to provide ongoing support for a highly-reliable basic enterprise network at the University. While reading the plans, it is important to keep in mind that this is just a proposal. Feedback should be directed to The CIO office at cio@uiuc.edu. This proposal can be viewed at http://www.cio.uiuc.edu/presentations/UIUCNet.htm

4. UIArchive - Try it again for the first time!

UIArchve is a web and ftp file server that gets its files from other sites. It has 170Gb of RAID (Redundant Array of Independent [or Inexpensive] Disks) storage. A good overview of the kinds of software and resouces on UIArchive can be found by skimming the sitemap: http://uiarchive.uiuc.edu/sitemap.html. Some areas contain dozens of subdirectories with hundreds of software packages each. UIArchive is good for our campus network as well as its users, since our connection to the commodity Internet is a bit of a bottleneck (unlike our higher capacity connections to other universities and research networks).

For example, if you want to burn a few CD-ROMs with Linux install files you could download the .iso images from: http://uiarchive.uiuc.edu/content/Linux/Distributions/mandrake/ in a few minutes on a UIUC 100Mb connection, whereas it could take hours or days to transfer the same files from a heavily loaded server far away on the internet.

5. Microsoft Operating Systems entering Non-Supported phase

Starting 12/31/2001, the Microsoft DOS x.xx, Windows 3.xx, and Windows 95 operating systems will enter the non-supported phase. On 06/30/2002 Windows 98/98 SE, and Windows NT 4.xx versions will enter the Extended support phase. The Windows Product Lifecycle Guidelines can be read at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/lifecycleconsumer.asp

6. Microsoft Windows Security Flaw Exposed

BugNet recently (4/23/01) exposed a bug originating in Microsoft's Component Object Model (COM) that is built into all Windows systems since Windows 95. COM objects rely on CLSID to uniquely identify a COM object and instruct the operating system how to execute it. Using the CLSID, dangerous executables and scripts can be disguised as innocuous .TXT files. Double-clicking on an obfuscated file will execute, not as a text file, but in whatever way the original program was written. The details can be viewed at both http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/010423/0279.html, and http://www.bugnet.com/lab/ba010419.html.

7. Beware the Hackers!

VMyths.com's "What's New" Newsletter just announced that Chinese hackers declared cyberwar on the U.S. in retaliation for the recent international incident, warning they'll bite America's cyber-throat on 1 May, and they think it'll take only a week to destroy the western hemisphere...!
This may be used as an excuse to apply system security updates and review configurations on all platforms. For example as highlighted in previous Nuggets Superglue makes patches easy for Solaris 2.6, 7, and 8.