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

[Msupertek]

Well I got my first virus the other day on my comp? Norton Anti-virus caught it. The funny thing is the computer was left on half a day yesterday by accident but no one was using it. So I wondered how did I get it. A friend of mine who is in to making programs, told me I probably got hacked and someone forced it into my comp. He also told me what kind of software to look for to prevent this from happening again, the one I bought allows you to counter attack and boot them out of your system (serves as a firewall to protect and allows you to shut em down temporarily). I had it up and running today and was hit 12 times while in another room, I come back got hit again and then counter attacked. Haven't been hit since I prompted a counter attack. So I am just curious does anyone else have a program like this and how often do people tend to attack your computer??? By the way the program also found some spy where on my comp that I didn't install, the program erased it for me.

 

[dogfriend]

I have both a hardware router and a software firewall on my cable connection. As far as I can tell no one has tried to hack into my system. It also helps that I use a Mac, no one seems to be interested in writing viruses and worms to attack the Mac OS.

At work we have had attacks on our routers and we got the SirCam virus on some PCs when it was going around. I also use a Mac at work for my personal computer, but we use PCs to run test equipment so those computers were hit. We block certain types of files from our email now to avoid this in the future.

I personally try to avoid using Microsoft products as much as possible partially because they have security issues (macro viruses, email scripts)

 

[Alec]

dogfriend,
I have cable and thus am always connected. I'm currently running OS 9.2.2 (not full OS X yet). Can you recommend any inexpensive or free security programs? I use Virex for virus protection.

 

[kontinu1]

Msupertek, what is the name of the program you have?
I have cable which is always connected, and a lynksys router as a firewall. I get viruses and even had a worm from going onto Kazaa and downloading. I would like to learn how to hack, not to do it myself but better understand how they are doing it and protect myself. I don't want anyone stealing all my off-road pictures

 

[yob_yeknom]

Heh, my firewall has so many attempted attacks logged it's not even funny. Scans for open ports happen all the freakin' time.

I wish I knew about hacking too, so I could get the *******s back!

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by Alec
dogfriend,
I have cable and thus am always connected. I'm currently running OS 9.2.2 (not full OS X yet). Can you recommend any inexpensive or free security programs? I use Virex for virus protection.

I'm running 10.2 at home and work now and it has a firewall built in. I also have Virex because it is free with .mac.

I have a book on internet security on the Mac. I will look at that and see what they recommend.

OS 9 and previous Mac OS are pretty hard to hack into because all file sharing, etc are usually shut off by default. You would want to make sure Program Linking is off too unless you need it for some reason.

 

[Commtech]

Before I got cable I was getting hit quite a bit. My wife even had her comp hacked into and a credit card number stolen. She ahd a tendancy to dial in on the second line and forget she was connected, many times online for over 6-8 hours unprotected.
I tried Zone Alarm on our comps and found a bunch of hits every time we logged in. It seemed to stop the attacks though. When we went to cable I hooked up a DLink Router that has built in firewall software so I could network all the comps in my house. I kept running Zone Alarm after that (now online 24/7), and the only hits i got were from the other comps on my network that were querying each other. For several months the only time I am vulnerable is when I play online games and have to activate the DMZ (De-Militarized Zone) in the router to allow game to work online. For me the router has been the silver bullet, but I am sure there are easy ways around that too for anyone who really wants to get in.
For Alec I would suggest a router (CHEAP now, can get one for under $50), simple to set up and it worked for me.

 

[Alec]

So I should just get a router even though I only have one computer, just for the firewall?

I haven't noticed any funny business, except that for when my computer is asleep the cable modem still flashes often and not in a pattern (data streaming).

 

[Commtech]

I had an instructor that ATT shipped in for a tech class tell me that it is one of the best ways to protect your comp. He was one of the guys that monitors the Internet (also one of the guys that hacks into computers for the FBI to find the stuff you shouldn't have on your comp). He said that all the programs for firewalls have keys and ways to get in (Law requires developers to disclose to govt).
The main way a router protects you is that you have a IP address for your connection with provider. The router assumes that address then gives your computer a new address in your LAN...... You have the whole spectrum to use and can number it to practically anything. Whoever gets to the router then needs to guess what your IP address is for the comp itself.... Pretty neat....

 

[Digger196]

we got a wireless router. works great!!!! never had anyone on my computer or any on the computers in the house.

 

[yob_yeknom]

Originally posted by Alec
I haven't noticed any funny business, except that for when my computer is asleep the cable modem still flashes often and not in a pattern (data streaming).

Mine does that too. Even with the computer turned off. My old computer didn't do that though. Go figure?

 

[ShadowA2J]

Originally posted by Digger196
we got a wireless router. works great!!!! never had anyone on my computer or any on the computers in the house.

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.

 

[Harry5150]

Go for a router. If you can afford it, pay a little more incase you upgrade later.

Make sure you close all the uncessary ports & if you go wireless ... turn on wep and turn off ssid broadcasting so no one see your wireless ap.

Try this link. It will scan your ports to tell you what you're vulnerable too. Lots of info on the site too.

https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2


My cable modem & router's data lights flash as well. One good thing about that is that I've had the same ip address for 2 years now. My cable isp's dhcp settings are supposed to release/renew the ip addy every 3 days but since the router is always communicating w/ the cable modem, it thinks that the "computer" has been on continuosly on for 2 years. Only good if you have an ftp or web server off your cable modem.

 

[Maniak]

On our corporate network we use smoothwall - firewall and a router with NAT which works really well... (10bmit wireless connection)

On our Lab network We use a Router with all inbound blocked (DSL connection)

On our DMZ machines we use WinRoutePro as the firewall and Mcafee Netshield.... (co-lo)

When I check the logs I see close to 30 seperate attempts (not a single person doing multiple attempts)

We also use WinRoutePro as a router (for NAT) when we need to put multiple machines though a single IP.. Its relitivly inexpensive and doesn't use much CPU when a DOS attack hits it... (unlike all the other firewalls we tried)..

~Mark

 

[yob_yeknom]

Originally posted by Harry5150
Try this link. It will scan your ports to tell you what you're vulnerable too. Lots of info on the site too.

https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

Cool. My firewall stopped all of that.

 

[Alec]

That webpage's scan said that all of my ports, etc are either closed or stealth. Of course, who knows how good that page is, or if that's just a scam to let them scan you

I'll still look into an inexpensive router. This will help my connectivity also. I do have cable, but since I live over an hour from the nearest central cable hub it's not as good as cable I've had before. A router should let me keep a good IP address instead of always switching.

 

[SteveVB]

standby switch

Im no puter guy, and I just got a cable modem. I was told that one simple way to prevent stuff from coming in was to put the modem on standby if you arent online and the computer is on. Its not hard, I just punch the button and pull up my browser, when Im done close the browser and punch the button again. To those who know am I doing any harm? Any Good?

 

[dogfriend]

Re: standby switch

Originally posted by SteveVB
Im no puter guy, and I just got a cable modem. I was told that one simple way to prevent stuff from coming in was to put the modem on standby if you arent online and the computer is on. Its not hard, I just punch the button and pull up my browser, when Im done close the browser and punch the button again. To those who know am I doing any harm? Any Good?

My cable modem works like this also. It doesn't hurt anything, because it just cuts the connection between the modem and computer; your modem is still talking to the cable system, it just isn't passing it to your computer.

The router approach is better for security, because it protects you all the time, even when you are online.

 

[SteveVB]

Re: Re: standby switch

Originally posted by dogfriend

The router approach is better for security, because it protects you all the time, even when you are online.

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.

 

[Commtech]

I just ran the scan from the earlier post.... I was in Stealh on all but the IDENT and that was closed. Looks good to me according to how they described my system. And I only have the router for protection form the outside, not running a firewall....