Having followed another discussion relating to Windows, I decided to run some security checks on my home network and used a site http://www.auditmypc.com – a site I have not used previously.
It was with some dismay, that this site punched straight through my Hardware (BSD based) firewall and Zone Alarm on my Windows machine to reveal my internal IP address.
How was it done? Via a Java program the site tells me!
So experimenting with Firefox’s settings, turning off BOTH Java and Java Script had the desired results and auditmypc could no longer “see” my address. However, that meant that I could no longer use secure sites such as my on-line bank; a frustrating backward step that was unacceptable to me. Reinstating Java Script solved that problem, (Java still turned off) but I understand from a security point of view, this is not ideal either.
It now makes me wonder, if there is any such thing as a secure environment. auditmypc at its first attempt gained the information without my knowledge. I was totally unaware of that information being collected. WHAT ELSE is being collected without our knowledge or consent?
Oh, and for anyone that thinks they are safe behind a Linux machine, my Xandros/Firefox combination produced identical results!
