[UPHPU] svn over wan - security through obscurity

[Kenneth Burgener]

On 9/22/2009 2:25 PM, Lonnie Olson wrote:
> Also, I want to mention a pet peeve of mine.  Changing the default ports.
> Changing the default port add *zero* additional real security.  Only
> fake security through obscurity.
>   

Probably not the right thread to be contending this point, but I believe 
security through obscurity can be one layer for security.  It should 
defiantly not be your only means of security.  Security is all about 
layers of *deterrents*.  Notice I emphasize the word deterrent.  There 
is no such think as absolute security.  But, the more deterrents you 
have the less likely you are to become a victim.  A determined 
hacker/thief will always find away.

Compare it to your house.  No trespassing signs, closing your blinds and 
locking your doors are all good deterrents, but a determined thief will 
walk around the sign, break the window and knock down the door.  A 
really determined thief could ram a truck into your wall, bypassing all 
other entrances.

As far as the changing the default port, this is not a high deterrent, 
but it does help reduce the number of attempts by mass login scanners, 
and I for one, really appreciate having less random attempts, and less 
security logs to comb through.


Ken