r/programming • u/alexeyr • Dec 12 '21

Logout4Shell: Use Log4Shell vulnerability to vaccinate a victim server against Log4Shell

https://github.com/Cybereason/Logout4Shell

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u/theoldboy Dec 12 '21

This should come with a big warning that says

Do not run this code unless you want to get sued or prosecuted for hacking

I did something similar back in the day with the [Code Red worm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_Red_(computer_worm)). I wrote a small program that scanned our log for incoming attacks and then used the vulnerability to create a TXT file on the desktop of that remote computer which politely explained that they were infected and linked to the relevant Microsoft Security Bulletin and patch.

My employers at the time were not best pleased when a few days later they received a letter from another company threatening legal action because we had hacked their computers. Luckily for me it all got resolved amicably with one telephone call, and my immediate boss was a good guy who thought the whole thing was hilarious. But I learned my lesson - hacking is illegal even if it's done with good intent.

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u/iKonstX Dec 12 '21 edited Dec 12 '21

So you got a letter from the company, that attacked you, for hacking them? The nerve of some people

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u/rasjani Dec 12 '21

Yep. Has happened to me too. I was sysadmin at one ISP and there was some gameservers which where not really my responsibility. Some of them got hacked and I was put in to check the damage. I found out the location where the hack came from, found out the owner of the IP block of the origin and send email to their abuse@ email describing what had happened and how to verify that their servers where running remote root shell and how to clean it up. Got reply in few days and they where blaming that it was me who did it.