"authenticated tftp"

[Lowell Gilbert]

Maxim Konovalov <maxim at macomnet.ru> writes:

> On Fri, 25 Jul 2003, 13:22-0400, Robert Watson wrote:
> 
> >
> > Yeah, seems like an oxy-moron, but this is a legitimate question, I
> > promise.  My linksys wireless router requires me to disable the admin
> > password on it to tftp a firmware update to it--however, the Windows tftp
> > client that Linksys ships appear to support some form of "Oh yeah, and
> > here's a password".  It probably really doesn't make a difference
> > security-wise, but it would be a lot more convenient to update wireless
> > routers if our tftp client spoke whatever extension they use to carry the
> > password.  Does anyone know anything about that protocol extension, or if
> > there are existing tweaks to add it to our tftp?  (I saw nothing in the
> > man page).  If there's a pointer to the on-the-write bits, I can always
> > stick it in myself, but I have yet to find one.
> 
> There are several tftp extension that NetBSD folk integrated to their
> tftpd/tftp recently.  IIRC they were
> 
> 2347 TFTP Option Extension. G. Malkin, A. Harkin. May 1998. (Format:
> 2348 TFTP Blocksize Option. G. Malkin, A. Harkin. May 1998. (Format:
> 2349 TFTP Timeout Interval and Transfer Size Options. G. Malkin, A.
> 
> I know nothing about auth extension yet but the protocol is quite
> simple (trivial :-)) and if you get a dump of udp session between the
> router and windows tftp client it would be easy incorporate this one.

Just to explain further what Maxim is pointing out here:  the
authentication option, whatever it is, is *not* a standard, unlike the
ones he listed.