Security gain from NAT (was: Re: Cool IPv6 Stuff)

Mon Jun 4 21:12:05 UTC 2007

JS> Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 12:20:38 -0700
JS> From: Jim Shankland

JS> If what you meant to say is that NAT provides no security benefits
JS> that can't also be provided by other means, then I completely

What Owen said is that "[t]here's no security gain from not having real
IPs on machines".  That is a true statement.

Moreover...

Provider: "We're seeing WormOfTheDay.W32 from 90.80.70.60."

Downstream: "That's our firewall."

Provider: "Chances are you have one or more compromised hosts behind
your firewall."

Downstream: "But we have 150 workstations.  How do we find which 
one(s)?"

Bonus points for finding downstreams who understand "NIDS", "monitor 
port", "state mapping tables", et cetera. :-)

In the big picture, I submit that NAT *worsens* the security situation.  
Of course, the cost falls to "other people" -- a topic that inevitably 
launches a protracted thread.

Eddy
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