PfSense GUI Login banner

Derelict · Sep 3, 2019, 11:04 PM

https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/9293

jimp · Sep 4, 2019, 2:10 PM

There is an old urban legend/myth that a hacker was acquitted at a trial for cracking a server because there was a welcome message printed on the terminal inviting them in.

"Scary" banners always seemed like a panicked overreaction to the myth from someone in a legal department that had no idea how technology works.

Gertjan · Sep 4, 2019, 2:53 PM

@dragoangel said in PfSense GUI Login banner:

WebConfigurator is most sensetive and potentially insecure part of pfSense

If needed, even LAN access can be forbidden.
If needed, the WebConfigurator's webserver (nginx) can be bound to an interface at choice when booting like 192.168.1.1, and not to 'any' as it does right now. This needs some scripting, and I guess this will get implemented in the future.

Or this one : block WebConfigurator access on all interfaces (except localhost ?) and get in, if needed , using the console access or USB keyboad + screen.

Anyway, nothing coming in on WAN can access the WebConfigurator - the firewall works.

pfSense can be as secure as needed and even better, but the guy that sets it up has a word to say.

At work, I reserve the LAN NIC for admin purposes, everybody else is on other LAN's

dragoangel · Sep 4, 2019, 3:03 PM

@Gertjan that is too paranoid, setting it to management vlan with all others networking admin panels, servers bmc etc is more than enough.

KOM · Sep 4, 2019, 3:05 PM

@jimp I know, the whole thing is stupid but if adding a text banner can check a compliance box and enable Netgate to make more sales, then add the banner. Every single customer that I connect to for support reasons has those access banners on login to their Windows servers.

dragoangel · Sep 4, 2019, 3:07 PM

@KOM in thread already you can find link to task...

bmeeks · Sep 5, 2019, 12:41 PM

@KOM said in PfSense GUI Login banner:

@jimp I know, the whole thing is stupid but if adding a text banner can check a compliance box and enable Netgate to make more sales, then add the banner. Every single customer that I connect to for support reasons has those access banners on login to their Windows servers.

I agree it would be a worthwhile addition in terms of checking "compliance boxes" to have a configurable login banner for the GUI and SSH. The login banner message is required by all of the popular cyber standards I am aware of (NIST 800 and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Cyber Rules). Technically you can get an "out" if the device does not support a banner, but that is usually reserved for more dumb products like industrial control components and maybe IoT type devices. The auditors really like to see the banners configured on managed switches, firewalls, servers and employee workstations.

I understand that at the techie level, the banner does nothing. If I want to break into your system, a stupid banner certainly does not deter me. However, when dealing with non-techie bureaucrat types grilling you over a cyber audit checklist, it's nice to be able to just check that box and get an easy "A" on that point at least ... .

johnpoz · Sep 5, 2019, 12:48 PM

I agree its prob best to add the feature, since prob not a battle worth fighting over.. But in the bigger picture tech types need to stand up to this sort of bureaucrat nonsense..

Wouldn't it be better the standard actually do something like, insure that admin interfaces are only accessible via admin IPs and or networks. With restrictions in place to even access said network where the interfaces are available..

I could put the interface open to the internet - and with said banner I can check off some box? Makes zero sense!

bmeeks · Sep 5, 2019, 1:11 PM

@johnpoz said in PfSense GUI Login banner:

I agree its prob best to add the feature, since prob not a battle worth fighting over.. But in the bigger picture tech types need to stand up to this sort of bureaucrat nonsense..

Wouldn't it be better the standard actually do something like, insure that admin interfaces are only accessible via admin IPs and or networks. With restrictions in place to even access said network where the interfaces are available..

I could put the interface open to the internet - and with said banner I can check off some box? Makes zero sense!

True, but most of the regulations also usually want the admin interfaces isolated. In my nuclear world, that was a requirement for firewalls and managed switches and you would fail without that configuration. However, they still wanted to see the stupid banner as well ... .

And when executive management is looking at a black mark on a cyber audit and comparing that to the cost of changing firewall vendors (or swapping out the firewall admin for a new guy willing to say "yes"), they will choose one of the latter two options every single time ... .

jimp · Sep 5, 2019, 1:09 PM

Worth of banners notwithstanding, I can see the belt-and-suspenders approach being required by some regulations. Yes, the admin interface should be isolated, but on the off chance a user stumbles upon the interface anyway, they should still see the warning. Because happens, despite the best of intentions.

NogBadTheBad · Sep 5, 2019, 1:42 PM

Maybe implement something in the style of Cisco banners:-

banner login - warning messages pre auth
banner exec - warning post auth
banner motd - not sure if this would be needed due to /etc/motd

cmdrguacamole · Aug 6, 2024, 3:15 AM

Has this issue (the need for a logon banner) been resolved yet?

stephenw10 · Aug 6, 2024, 12:18 AM

@NogBadTheBad said in PfSense GUI Login banner:

https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/9293

The feature request is still open. However, given we now have displayed banners both pre and post auth I don't imagine it would be that difficult.

Add your requirements to that bug if needed.

skogs · Aug 6, 2024, 3:15 AM

Got a pot stirrer today. The first on a 2FA originally raised in 2018 and resolved, and now about a simple login warning option from 2019.

SSH pre login warning banner has existed since at least 2016. https://forum.netgate.com/post/619041

Webpage may still be outstanding and believe me I get the requirement, but I can count on one hand the number of people that actually read login banners...compared to a pretty good number of people that could probably manage to tweak the login page to add a single organizationally required blurb about unauthorized access. Honestly might be a fun hack to make an installable package or software patch that just adds a gui editable blurb that can be loaded into the initial.

This is two extreme necro posts in a single day by a user that has never been active before. Now where is that necro award pin?

cmdrguacamole · Aug 7, 2024, 3:49 PM

LOL! :)

My apologizes regarding the 2FA thing.

I just reread my response in that 2FA thread, and looking at it now, it comes across as extremely snarky to me. Ach! Sorry about that! I shouldn't have worded it like that. My bad!

FYI, I first attempted to find something about how to enable 2FA in the PFSense documentation, but when I didn't immediately find anything, I stumbled upon that old thread instead. That old thread appeared to have a recent post to it about a month ago, and still appeared to be listed as "Open", so I incorrectly assumed that it must still be an unresolved problem. The final response to my unfounded chastisement from you guys, was better than I deserved. Thank you for being gentle.

Regarding the webpage warning banner, thank you for looking at this feature request again. Your proposed solution of potentially adding a "gui editable blurb" for it sounds like a winner to me! I'll Google some more to see if I can find some instructions on how to enable it, and edit the existing banner page that's apparently already there.

All that having been said, now I MUST have that necro award pin! I NEED IT! :)

Many thanks!

stephenw10 · Aug 7, 2024, 4:36 PM

No worries. I don't think anyone would argue that pfSense would benefit from built-in MFA. Unfortunately developer time is limited.