How Often Does Someone Attempt To Hack Your Comp? What Do You Have To Stop It.

[Digger196]

Originally posted by ShadowA2J
I also have a wireless router, but that hasn't stopped anyone from trying to get into my computer. I have Norton Internet Security Professional, and have never had a problem.

ours has a internal firewall as well so that keeps them out. BUT if they do get past that i have one on my computer as well as the others.

 

[Alec]

What do you think of these routers?
Dead Link Removed

Office Depot is the best place to get computer stuff in my small town. All those have NAT and Vsomething. The 2 port is only $20!

 

[Msupertek]

My Program!

I have Norton Anti Virus in case an infection occurs and I bought Nitrous Anti Spies after my comp was hacked to prevent it from happening again. I recommend this program due to the fact it is the only one I know of which actually has a counter attack that floods thier comp with bs files to shut em down so it takes a while for them to strike again. You don't have to counter attack, the program automatically detects when they attempt to access your comp or install virus in it. It then has a pop up screen with the persons IP address who is attempting the hack, and the type of virus, trojan or worm that they are attempting to use. You can let the program hault them or counter attack if they are annoying you enough. I am no wiz at comps either, I found out about this program from a friend who works with programming, he recommended it. I paid about $70 for it online and recieve free updates. When I posted this I was just wondering how many other X owners where having the same problems, because mine never starteed until I got cable internet access. Then bam! A virus pops out of nowhere and I hadn't even opened any unfamiliar emails or went to any odd websites, so I called my buddy and he explained to me I was probably being hacked. If it weren't for him I would have thought a virus program was enough.

 

[dejello]

Well, I've got a virus scanner, firewall, and a router... So I take it I'm generally good? Every test like the one above I've done says everything is in stealth mode...

The scanner catches a virus every once in a while in a download, and the firewall (always set in the most defensive mode) has allowed me to stop connections.. Some may be normal, some not... Either way I didn't feel like letting them through...

yay!

 

[Harry5150]

Originally posted by Alec
What do you think of these routers?
Dead Link Removed

Office Depot is the best place to get computer stuff in my small town. All those have NAT and Vsomething. The 2 port is only $20!

I've used an older version of the dlink and it work very well for me. The web interface is also makes it a lot easier to setup.

I now have a wireless version of the dlink in your link. Very happy with it.

One thing to make sure is that the dsl/cable gateway (router) you get is a switch and not a hub. Hubs are slower w/ multiple computers on it.



I don't run a software firewall, only antivirus. I feel that the the software having to look at all incoming and outgoing packets slows things down resource and hard drive wise. More things running in the system tray, the slower the 'puter runs.

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by Alec
What do you think of these routers?
Dead Link Removed

Office Depot is the best place to get computer stuff in my small town. All those have NAT and Vsomething. The 2 port is only $20!

One issue that you want to check out is how well they support the Mac OS if you get a router.

Most of the routers use a web-browser based configuation screen, so you are okay there but some of them will only let you upgrade the firmware from Windows OS. I had this problem with my SMC router when I needed to upgrade the firmware. I had to use Virtual PC to send the files.

 

[Alec]

I figured that much. I'm not gonna order one from the web, I'll go to the Office Depot store.

 

[ahhjaws]

I got McAfee firewall on my computer and it shows about 6 times per day another computers tries to connect, although most of them are just harmless pings.

 

[dogfriend]

Re: Re: Re: standby switch

Originally posted by SteveVB
The router then works in concert with my existing software(norton) for protection, or replaces it?

What would I look for in a router do they have different types of firewalls? One better than another? Ive been thinking of getting another comp for my kids and sharing the connection -A single 4 port router will allow both to use the cable net, and print from a single printer?

Sorry getting a little off the topic.

It doesn't seem off the topic to me

The router helps protect you by shielding your local IP address from the internet. The router usually has a built in firewall which works in combination with the software as an added layer of protection.

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/router.htm

My SMC router has a built in firewall and print server. It has 4 ethernet ports with a switch. I only have two computers connected to it right now. The router allows the two computers to share the cable connection (don't tell the cable co )

There are some newer routers which have an improved firewall with Stateful Packet Inspection. These routers are usually >$100 though where as the ones with NAT are about $50 now.

 

[Maniak]

We were using a D-link router here.. If you want to use the web interface, just remember that is is a Web Server.. .Make sure the Web Interface doesn't allow (or you can turn off) remote configuration.

I've seen it where people chose easy passwords on their routers and had remote config turned on. This way people on the outside world could log into the router and change the config.


As for running software routers/firewalls.... Normally, when you run a software router/firewall it is not on the workstation. It is normally on a dedicated server machine (the only machine that is really on the 'net)... If you get the right ones, they dont' slow anything down.. A hardware router is still a computer, just very limited as to what it can do...

I have found most personal firewalls do get very slow and will take lots of CPU time if they are inundated(sp?) with traffic.. Like you get with a DOS (denial of service) attack. This is the reason we use WinRoute Pro (firewall/router).. This so far is the best firewall/router we have found (software) that doesnt' cost an arm or a leg to get ($159 for a 5 user Router version)..

I have actually run a DOS attack against the machine (when we were testing our servers) and found the CPU hardly moved when the attack was happening. Most other Firewalls we were trying (including a few personal firewalls) would just to over 50%cpu usage which was unacceptable.

In general though, a hardware router/firewall combo is the easiest to setup/use, but it wont' work in all situations.. (like on our wireless links we use)

~Mark

 

[Campo]

I use the DLink 704-P which is a 4 port router with firewall and printserver, which is flash upgradeable, I've been running it for over a year and have no problems, the only time I was hacked (if you wanna call it that) was my fault, I set up an ftp server to transfer files between home and school and left it as anonymous login (I know, I know, lazy me), lucky for me I was there when the person was uploading, com scanner files and virii files. I politley ping'd him 200 times, his traffic stopped and I reconfigured my ftp server. but other than that I've had no problems.

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by Campo
I politley ping'd him 200 times, his traffic stopped and I reconfigured my ftp server. but other than that I've had no problems.

I wouldn't have been as polite. I say ping him 10000 times

 

[Maniak]

Your too polite..... I have a virus (ok.. trojan horse that kills itself).. that I named CustCreditCardHistory

I've seen it get downloaded a few times.. and I know it blows up their machine..

I used to just use those old XLS virus files, but Excel has most of those security holes fixed.

~Mark

 

[Campo]

I wouldn't have been as polite. I say ping him 10000 times

Lol.. I see your point, but why send 1000 32byte(default) pings when you can send 200 65500byte(max) pings .

most "hackers" keep track of return information, so if you let them know you know, they usually freak out and get offline. but the good ones, you'd never know they were there

 

[Campo]

Originally posted by Maniak
Your too polite.....

Well, It was my fault, I know better than to run any server unsecured, I was just lazy that day, but it's all good now.

 

[Commtech]

Steve,
I have a 4 port router and have 3 comps on it. I set up my network so my wife and I can see into my daughters hard drive (shared), and print to any of the 3 printers hooked up to the 3 computers. Printing to another printer is a matter of selecting desired printer you want to use. My daughter can only print to the 3 printers, but cannot get into either of our hard drives. This way we can keep an eye on what daughters comp is getting into without going to her room to look on her comp.
Realy shocked her when i first got network set up, sent her a message to printer telling her time for dinner. She said she nearly jumped out of her skin when printer went off by itself...


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Originally posted by SteveVB
The router then works in concert with my existing software(norton) for protection, or replaces it?

What would I look for in a router do they have different types of firewalls? One better than another? Ive been thinking of getting another comp for my kids and sharing the connection -A single 4 port router will allow both to use the cable net, and print from a single printer?

Sorry getting a little off the topic.
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[jasonb]

that shields up website gave me this:

"All attempts to get any information from your computer have FAILED. (This is very uncommon for a Windows networking-based PC.)"
they said i was VERY SECURE

woohoo!

 

[lonestar]

Me too, until I turned on my FTP server, Then it said my FTP port was open, thats it. I only have the server open if a friend wants to download some files. I was actually thinking about starting a FTP site so I could start a ratio and have people upload me stuff (mp3), but I'm not sure, I need to do some more research and get a better firewall and virus protection.

I want a firewall that will stop all the popups also, only show what I click on. I heard there were a few. Does anyone know what they are?

 

[jasonb]

running an ftp site isn't that dangerous if you set it up correctly. i used to run one and never had any problems. you just have to be careful and not have any anon stuff and watch you permissions. make sure you have ip masks set up...

 

[Campo]

Originally posted by jasonb
running an ftp site isn't that dangerous if you set it up correctly. i used to run one and never had any problems. you just have to be careful and not have any anon stuff and watch you permissions. make sure you have ip masks set up...

Exactly... Dont set one up and allow anon access and write priv.