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Ghost 2003 (or earlier) Security Issue

Hello,

We're running Ghost 2003 right now for wide-deployment and backup of workstations. We are having a concern with regard to the Ghost files used in the Virtual Partition setup.

We understand that Ghost changes boot process to where the PC boots from Ghost's Virtual Partition. This means that it sets that "partition" as active. (As noted in the Recovery process from Symantec's website). However when the ghost client service powers down the machine, when does it change the system setup for the partitions and active settings? Does it happen before Power-down, affecting BOOT.INI, does it change the MBR or something? It apparently causes the machine to treat the VD folder as a partition in some way.

We understand that it is the Ghost Service Account that can add a machine to the domain, and it appears that the symantec ghost client uses the SYSTEM account to manipulate the machine's boot process. Is this correct? What level of security on Win2000 and WinXP does this service account NEED to have in order to work?

Thanks to all. This might take some clarification!

Cyber-Dude

Apperently, the BOOT.INI file is not affected at all but it creats a unique boot process which is located on a unique file Symantec created:
"When you start the cloning operation from within Windows, Ghost automatically restarts your computer into a DOS environment, performs the cloning operation, and then restarts the computer into Windows. Ghost uses a Ghost Virtual Partition to create the DOS environment. The Ghost Virtual Partition is a file stored on the hard disk. When Ghost restarts the computer, the computer uses the information from that file to load DOS and other required files, and to run Ghost.exe."
See link:
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/docid/2002030415014425?Open&src=&docid=2000012811284125&nsf=ghost.nsf&view=docid&dtype=&prod=&ver=&osv=&osv_lvl=

As for the addition of the machine to the domain; I guess it reads information from the SID registry settings allowing it to be part of the domain along with all permissions and forth...

Need more than that? just call...

Cyber

jennifer_borman

ASKER

I appreciate the information, but the particular item that I am looking for is the point of change in the booting process, whether or not the change occurrs before Windows shuts down or after reboot. Also, what kind of permissons the account needs (if it is either the SYSTEM or GHOST account). If the MBR, etc. is modified we need to understand when these changes are made. I know that a USER account can shut down the system but I don't think that it can modify system properties of that proportion. Any thoughts ?

Thanks!
-Jen

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Cyber-Dude

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jennifer_borman

ASKER

I'll check it out - sorry it's late at night. I'll try it tomorrow and see what happens. No problem with the late answer either, you know how it is with some Q's. sometimes people seem to disappear after their 2 bits are put in.

Moderator: Please do not close this question yet

jennifer_borman

ASKER

I think that's a good option. Definitely appreciated!

-Jen