Know who's using your cable modem?

The Boston Globe ^ | 2/23/2004 | Hiawatha Bray

[Radix]

Peiter Mudge Zatko is giving up. Zatko is the legendary computer cracker who cofounded Lopht Heavy Industries, a Boston hacker collective that proudly shattered computer security systems and then announced their achievements to the world.

Long ago, Zatko went straight, using his skills to build digital moats and barricades around corporate and government computer systems. The work is interesting, and the pay is good. And yet Zatko's efforts have achieved little: No matter how good the defenses he erects, the bad guys find a way in.

[Radix]

It wouldn't be so bad if home users took network security seriously. Then again, we should all change our oil more often, too, but who has time? Besides, changing oil is trivial, compared to configuring firewalls and installing patches.

[taxcontrol]

This is old hat. Security professionals have been doing this for years - at least anyone worth their salt.

[xrp]

This means that all of the standard firewalls and intrusion detection methods are worthless.

The author needs a little education. FWs and IDS aren't all of a sudden worthless, they just have to be put at the point of VPN termination. In addition, there is FW/IDS available for the desktop which will prevent attacks (hint: firewalling isn't enough) and provide controlled access (verified by the FW/IDS) through the VPN tunnel.

[Publius6961]

BUMP

[Naspino]

ICM's are the only proven mechanism to stopping intruders.

[xrp]

Intelligent Contact Management Servers? Riiiiiiiiiiiight.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Say, if I go to Symantec's homepage, http://www.symantec.com/ but then cannot pull up most of their links, such as:

http://www.symantec.com/ssr_home.html
http://www.symantec.com/dl_home.html
http://www.symantec.com/servsupp_home.html
http://www.symantec.com/prod_home.html
http://www.symantec.com/purch_home.html
http://www.symantec.com/hc_home.html
http://www.symantec.com/about_home.html

but instead get a white blank page with the statement 'Done' on the bottom bar, does that mean my computer is infected with something?

Happens with or without the firewall, just noticed it. Anyone else get a blank page on those links?

[general_re]

They all work fine for me...

[xrp]

Happens with or without the firewall, just noticed it. Anyone else get a blank page on those links?

No, but the URLs redirect to a different Symantec website. They obviously have changed URLs and your web browser isn't accepting the forwarding.

[balrog666]

Nope. It's just you.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Thanks. Looks like I've got a problem on my hands.

[Uncle Miltie]

"There are thousands of new ways to attack every week," said cofounder Justin Bingham. "It's like an arms race. You really can't keep up."

Aw, come on. The Linux folks have assured us they are impenetrable.

[ChinaThreat]

The "Honeypot" method is useful and relatively cheap in trapping your average hacker/cracker. The method works as such, you create an opening in your security that matches the motus operandi of those whom you deem to be potential infiltrators.

You then create a false repository of data, known as the "honeypot". You make this somewhat (not too easy to find) easy for the hacker to locate and manipulate. This diversionary technique allows you to observe the hacker without allowing the idiot to do any real damage to your network or data and gives you more time and opportunity to track his identity or whereabouts at least.

The whole time this 16 year old Russian kid is laughing and bragging to his friends. Meanwhile, you are deciphering his hops, morphs and masking techniques. Woolah!!!!Busted!!!

[Diddle E. Squat]

Thanks for the info. I've noticed lately that my computer doesn't ever forward to new URL's. Whenever I get a 'If you browser does not automatically redirect you in x seconds, click here', I always have to click it, it never shifts on its own. Only began doing this recently. Is there a control that prevents that, say in 'Tools' 'Internet Options'?

[Chewbacca]

ICBM's work good at stopping intruders too!

[general_re]

Check your hosts file.

[ChinaThreat]

Sun Tzu applies to all walks of life. If you can't go to the enemy, let him come to you!!!

[IYAS9YAS]

So, what would be a good tool when getting broadband? I've been a little out of it for a while. I'm interested in getting broadband but don't know what all is out there to protect it. Also, do I have to use MSN or Explorer or can I use a browser of my own choosing with broadband?

[IYAS9YAS]

I like your style.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

This is old hat. Security professionals have been doing this for years - at least anyone worth their salt.

Agreed. Aside from a liberal media bias there is also a systemic bias on the part of the media to report on things as if they are happening for the first time. Just like "Dog bites man" doesn't sell papers, neither does "Man bites dog for the 1000th time". It has to be "New Human-Canine interaction discovered" or "Huge increase in Dogs being bitten recorded". This is rampant throughout all of media - there has to be an excited, breathlessness about everything they report - even if it's been going on forever.