Can you get into a windows network with linux?

Here is the story. I was working at a school today (guest teacher (aka sub))
and they had an old computer in the class. They gave me a username and
password so that I could use it if needed. They had some filter that would
not let me get to my web-email site. During my free period I put in a Linux
live CD (a Debian clone called Kanotix) to see it it would boot and if I
could access the network and web. Booted fine. Of course I could not get on
the net.... because I had no idea on where to put the password and username
to get on the network.

I did find that they use DHCP because I could see that eth0 was up and was
assigned an IP. Would it have been possible for me to log in? I assume they
were using Windows Authentication. Can one handle that in Linux? What file
would I have edited to enter the user/pass?

Assuming I could have gotten on, would Linux have bypassed their web filter
(I'm sure it is used to keep people out of porn sites.... why I could not
access the logon site to my email I don't understand)

Thanks,

al

On Tue, 07 Feb 2006 06:31:42 +0000, anc wrote:

> Here is the story. I was working at a school today (guest teacher (aka sub))
> and they had an old computer in the class. They gave me a username and
> password so that I could use it if needed. They had some filter that would
> not let me get to my web-email site. During my free period I put in a Linux
> live CD (a Debian clone called Kanotix) to see it it would boot and if I
> could access the network and web. Booted fine. Of course I could not get on
> the net.... because I had no idea on where to put the password and username
> to get on the network.
>
> I did find that they use DHCP because I could see that eth0 was up and was
> assigned an IP. Would it have been possible for me to log in? I assume they
> were using Windows Authentication. Can one handle that in Linux? What file
> would I have edited to enter the user/pass?
>
> Assuming I could have gotten on, would Linux have bypassed their web filter
> (I'm sure it is used to keep people out of porn sites.... why I could not
> access the logon site to my email I don't understand)
>
> Thanks,
>
> al

You can log onto a Windows network using Samba (the configuration file is
in /etc/samba.conf, I believe). As for the web filtering, the school most
likely uses a proxy server to look for and filter out specific content, so
you may or may not be able to get around that, depending on how the server
is set up. If you need help with the particular settings of Samba, "man
samba.conf" has a wealth of information. You can also use one of the many
available gui interfaces to configure it.

anc <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
news:i9XFf.18496$_(E-Mail Removed). com:

> Here is the story. I was working at a school today (guest teacher (aka
> sub)) and they had an old computer in the class. They gave me a username
> and password so that I could use it if needed. They had some filter that
> would not let me get to my web-email site. During my free period I put
> in a Linux live CD (a Debian clone called Kanotix) to see it it would
> boot and if I could access the network and web. Booted fine. Of course I
> could not get on the net.... because I had no idea on where to put the
> password and username to get on the network.
>
> I did find that they use DHCP because I could see that eth0 was up and
> was assigned an IP. Would it have been possible for me to log in? I
> assume they were using Windows Authentication. Can one handle that in
> Linux? What file would I have edited to enter the user/pass?

Samba can be used to allow machines running Linux to participate in Windows
workgroup or domain file and print sharing. This has nothing to do with
internet access.

>
> Assuming I could have gotten on, would Linux have bypassed their web
> filter (I'm sure it is used to keep people out of porn sites.... why I
> could not access the logon site to my email I don't understand)

Did you have any internet access at all? If not you probably need to
configure your web browser with the correct proxy server settings. To see
what the settings should be - have a look at one of the Windows PC's to see
what proxy server settings are configured in Internet Exploder or whatever
browser they are using.

Klazmon






>
> Thanks,
>
> al
>

On Tue, 07 Feb 2006 06:31:42 +0000, anc wrote:

> Here is the story. I was working at a school today (guest teacher (aka sub))
> and they had an old computer in the class. They gave me a username and
> password so that I could use it if needed. They had some filter that would
> not let me get to my web-email site. During my free period I put in a Linux
> live CD (a Debian clone called Kanotix) to see it it would boot and if I
> could access the network and web. Booted fine. Of course I could not get on
> the net.... because I had no idea on where to put the password and username
> to get on the network.

So rather than ask your employer about it, you decide to boot your own cd
on their equipment, connected to their network and try to bypass the
restrictions...Probably not the best idea.

>
> I did find that they use DHCP because I could see that eth0 was up and
> was assigned an IP. Would it have been possible for me to log in? I
> assume they were using Windows Authentication. Can one handle that in
> Linux? What file would I have edited to enter the user/pass?

Again, rather than asking your employer, you now look here for advice on
how to connect your own OS to their network, apparently without their
knowledge or consent.
This is probably the exact reason Internet access is restricted...To keep
people from using their hardware/network for unauthorized activity.
Sounds perfectly reasonable to me, considering what students ( and
apparently substitute teachers ) will try to get away with.

>
> Assuming I could have gotten on, would Linux have bypassed their web
> filter (I'm sure it is used to keep people out of porn sites.... why I
> could not access the logon site to my email I don't understand)

Now, after you've connected, you want advice on how to bypass your
employer's security. Is that in the teachings of Bhakti Yoga ? Coming
from someone who preaches so much about the evils of the world, isn't that
a little hypocritical ?

Assuming they have their network properly configured, you probably won't
have access to the Internet, other than going through a proxy, no matter
what OS you're running.

As far as why there are restrictions, why not ask them ? If they are
reasonable, and there is a legitimate reason why you need access to your
personal email from their hardware/network, and they don't mind you trying
to get around their restrictions on your own, maybe they'll allow it.

Or, you could start scanning their network, looking for ways out.
Considering what you've already done, that's the next logical step. If
you find anything, I'm sure they'll be glad when you bring it to their
attention...That would be the right thing to do, rather than simply
enjoying the free Internet access and feeling proud of yourself for doing
it, all while getting paid.

--
- Matt -

On Wed, 08 Feb 2006 01:00:01 +0000, Matt Payton wrote:

>> Assuming I could have gotten on, would Linux have bypassed their web
>> filter (I'm sure it is used to keep people out of porn sites.... why I
>> could not access the logon site to my email I don't understand)

> Now, after you've connected, you want advice on how to bypass your
> employer's security. Is that in the teachings of Bhakti Yoga ? Coming
> from someone who preaches so much about the evils of the world, isn't that
> a little hypocritical ?

LOL, so you know Al C. from somewhere else too, huh? The hypocrisy is not
unusual, at least over in a.o.l.s.

--
If you're not on the edge, you're taking up too much space.
Linux Registered User #327951

Llanzlan Klazmon wrote:
> anc <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
> news:i9XFf.18496$_(E-Mail Removed). com:
>
> > boot and if I could access the network and web. Booted fine. Of course I
> > could not get on the net.... because I had no idea on where to put the
> > password and username to get on the network.
> > was assigned an IP. Would it have been possible for me to log in? I
> > assume they were using Windows Authentication. Can one handle that in
> > Linux? What file would I have edited to enter the user/pass?
>
> Samba can be used to allow machines running Linux to participate in Windows
> workgroup or domain file and print sharing. This has nothing to do with
> internet access.

When I saw the extraxted sections above, I thought he was asking two
different questions: "How can I log into the school's Windows
network?," and "Is it possible for me to get around the school's proxy
server."