Security
by timwalsh
This all has to do with the window of opportunity for the potential hacker. If you use a broadband connection (cable/DSL), and you always leave your computer on, you are connected to the Internet 24/7. If you have no firewall (hardware or software) between your computer and the Internet, then the hackers window of opportunity to hack you computer, steal your files, steal your personal data, use your computer for whatever evil he has planned, etc. is 24/7. This is like living in a house with no locks, in the most crime-ridden area of (your choice of large cities) and wondering if you are safe. It's not a matter of IF you will be attacked, it's just a matter of When. Get a firewall (I would recommend a hardware firewall - there are numerous on the market for the home user from vendors such as Linksys). Check out the vendor's websites. You can usually find white papers about the need for a firewall.
Check out this website for some basics:
http://grc.com/su-firewalls.htm
(remove any embedded spaces from the URL)
by timwalsh
If you are new to the Internet and networking, you might want to start elsewhere on the website I recommended. Try starting here instead:
by thechas
The myth part is that ANY other subscriber can peer into your computer.
The 'reality' is that the other subscribers on your BRANCH of the cable system CAN view the content that you are sending or receiving over the cable connection.
The data stream is not open for public view like the cable TV signal.
However, it is fairly simple to capture and view another users data stream.
Chas
by tomsal
..because they stole my thunder...LOL...but they are right.
But as far as I'm concerned, a firewall (hardware is preferred, but they make some decent software solutions these days as well) is standard equipment with ANY networking solution -- unless you are just talking a contained LAN with no external (WAN/Internet) connection at all.
Would you drive your car without your seat belt? (And for those of you that don't care about yourself --- Would you allow your KIDS to ride in a car without a seatbelt/child seat?)....well don't connect to the Internet without a firewall.
At home I have a router configured with NAT, I use restricted ports - only services I deem as trustyworthy are allowed to pass my router. Then I have my firwall aswell.
I use a cable modem.
Been safe so far. :) (Of course I know some tricks to get back at people who successfully hack me as well...muhahahaha) ;)
by ghstinshll
Hey Tom, Black Ice is no longer considered a "trick"... (-:{
Just kidding...
J
by lordinfidel
And I bring this up because Tom mentioned it.
Is if you are using DSL/Cable. Go out and buy yourself a external DSL router. I'm not talking about the modem.
The reason is, if you have absolutely NO idea how to install or set-up even a basic firewall to route your traffic thru. By using a external device to make the connection, that device now takes on the public IP.
It will then hand out a pvt address to your machine. This is one of the "good" points about NAT. It has built in natural protection.
If your machine has a public address assigned to it, it then becomes visible to anyone on the net.
If your machine has a pvt address and then connects to a dsl router, which in turn connects to your dsl/cable modem. You at least have some sort of natural protection.
I'm not advocating NO firewall, (most of you know me better then that). I'm just saying at the bare min., this is what you want to do.
by lordinfidel
And I don't care who know's, your not getting in even if you tried.
I reverted back to my cisco1600 as my router w/acl's. And my handy dandy trusty "new" linux firewall. (IPtables on RH8, 2.4.18-27.7 kernel)
I say new, because I used to run FreeBSD and then tried out BBIAgent (fwl on a floppy), then just switched to RH8 when it came out.
And I know tricks to bypass simple packet-filtering firewalls.
Although last week when I was doing "penetration" testing and connected directly to the hostile nasty net from my machine. I accidently left it connected for a couple of hours. By time I get back, I had a plethera of root kits and trojans.
I got some new stuff out of it though, before I killed the connection and cleaned my machine. Script-Kiddies are stupid.
by admin
and most peoples boxes are boring but a trend I have noticed on cable is that if someone seeks access to different "branches" beyond theirs one of your 200 or so cable "neighbors" may have been so kind as to attach an open wap to your branch.
~
by mallardtooxx
I like the ghost in the shell refrence in your name too =) Almost M.D. Gheist class. Just remember Black Ice is okay but never eat yellow snow =)
-duck
by ferosspublic
If you have a spare junk computer you can try one of the many *nix firewall distributions. I would suggest smoothwall.org for beginners but it does not do masquerading or NAT just proxy. I'm currently working on getting an OpenBSD firewall done.
If you don't like *nix or don't care to learn, try 602 LAN Suite. You can do firewall and proxy. Great free program too. 602software.com.
If you don't have a spare computer, try outpost firewall. It works great while I get the OBSD up. http://www.agnitum.com/download/outpostfree.html
Just to be on the safe side, also turn off file and printer sharing. If you are not doing any windows networking, take it out of the network properites of the connection. You don't need it. All you need is TCP/IP. If you have Windows Networking on, computers that have cable in the same node that you are on will be able to connect to your computer if they get it's name.
Have Fun, hope this helps
by lordinfidel
Even though I am a advocate of writing firewalls by hand. I really love my checkpoint style interface.
So one day as I was surfing the net, I found this site called fwbuilder.org
yes you need the gui to run it, (at least it is a linux based program).
You can create your ruleset, as custom as you want and with as many rules as you want. It will also do nat with pre/post routing.
Basically anything that the firewall you are trying to build supports.
Then, here is the beautiful part, you choose your platform/kernel (2.2 2.4) and what flavor of firewall (ipchains, iptables)
Compile it, mark it for execution, move it to init.d, create a sym link in rc3 (just like you would a normal fireawall script) and execute it.
I always change the start up of it to right after iptables loads up. On redhat it is usually S08 so I make it S09.
But You can save your rulesets as an xml file, so you can pull it back up and work on it later. And if you support multiple firewalls, each one can be it's own xml file.
Oh yeah, it's free.
by tomsal
by ghstinshll
by ghstinshll
It's nice to know that someone still knows what that abbreviated name means. I've been thinking about changing my SN to something more industry-related, but after having the "ghost" name for over 7 years it's going to be hard to let go. Next to ghost, I'd say that Ninja Scroll was my 2nd fav...
J
by vegatecgroup
by ghstinshll
by areets
Cable modems with DOCSIS 1.1 specification had vulnerabilities which was removed in version 2.0. If your cable internet access provider is of quality, then you are completely safe from attacks unless you run client-server applications that are permitable and hackers find a backdoor via that application service. So if that is the case use a firewall. DSL home users should always use a firewall since the PC initiates the connection link. If you have a router, maybe filtering might do the job, otherwise, rule of thumb, once you are on the internet protect your self.
regards
by rsanchezp
by ghstinshll
by ghstinshll
by mallardtooxx
Comcast-
They are a little more regulated than mediacom and as for security I have heard they are far better. Only drawback, they are slower =(
I have great connection speed with my mediacom but I have to make sure my firewall is set right, sometimes they just change things with no notice.
-duck
by admin
Dude! That's an awesome anime and core to how a lot of technical folk think!
It's no accident that 1\3 of the tech anime on the shelves claims:" somehow something on this project had somthing to do with GITS"!
I think it's awesome and that it should be kept.
Now we just need some Armitage's and Lain's..... :)
Kudos to all that have replied with advice but one thing you should also look into is ad-ware and spy-ware detection/prevention.
Ad-Aware is by my opinion the best at finding and removing data miners, key loggers and such. It is available from Lavasoft at http://www.lavasoft.de
You may also want to look into getting a pop-up stopper since viruses and spy-ware are now being transmitted via pop-up ads. Panicware (www.panicware.com) offers a free pop-up stopper.
Happy surfing.
by mrafrohead
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