HilbiX - Linux Rescue Boot via Network

From the README teaser:

HilbiX creates a Linux based networked rescue system, a minimalistic boot floppy for a system which can access the Internet via LAN. It provides an "initrd on steroids" which allows remote administration access. Missing modules can be loaded via Internet. To fix problems on a remote machine, HilbiX can be used to intercept the boot process before /sbin/init starts. If properly configured only the reboot of the remote system is needed to get remote rescue access.

Today I managed to create the first floppy image which automatically spawns a shell window to a remote computer. I really don't know if this works for others too.

This is the very first proof of concept release. Thus please don't expect too much. It's one 1.44 MB rescue floppy which automatically opens a TCP connection with a shell behind. The idea is, that somebody without any computer knowlede inserts this disk into the floppy drive an switches on the computer. That's all needed to give the adminstrator full access.

There are no precompiled binaries for now, as this is not easy to do for a modularized kernel. If you manage to compile Linux and BusyBox correctly you can create the HilbiX image yourself.

I had to add a new Applet in BusyBox called "accept" to create a socket-socket connection. This way HilbiX opens a "reverse Telnet" connection to another computer. So telnetd tries to connect to a telnet, not the opposit round like usual. With accept you can transform an outgoing connection into an incoming connection as shown in following picture:

+--------------+          +-------------------------------------+
!    HilbiX    !          ! Administrator                       !
!      V       !          ! Workstation                         !
!      V       !          ! 1.2.4.8                             !
!    Inetd     !          !                                     !
!      V       !          !                                     !
!      V       !          !                                     !
!   Telnetd    !          ! Telnet 127.0.0.1 5432               !
!      V       !          !      V                              !
!      V       !          !      V                              !
! /dev/telnetd !          !      V                              !
!      ^       !          !      V                              !
!      ^       ! connect  !      V                              !
!  BB accept ---------------> accept '<localhost:5432' '<:9876' !
!              ! $SHELL   !                                     !
+--------------+          +-------------------------------------+

If properly configured everything in HilbiX is automatically started without any manual intervention. After the System is booted with HilbiX the Administrator will see one connect request per second from the HilbiX machine to the Administrator's Workstation.

All what's missing is to run Accept on the machine to accept the connect request and wait for a connect request of telnet to the localhost port.

For RMC (Remote Management Cards) of type ERIC (see Peppercon), there is a perl script to upload the image as a virtual floppy. Just run this and press the reset button via web browser in another session to the RMC.

-Tino