I've Just Been Port Probed! (HELP!)

SElf | 50sDad

[50sDad]

My nifty new MacAfee firewall says I was just "port probed" and traces it back to IP address 64.29.223.109 at datareturn.com, with Kai Schlichting 342 E. Jericho Tpke. 187, Mineola NY 11501, kai-datareturn.net-trap@conti.nu. I have reported it to abuse@dataretun.com, but that seems to be the company that did the probe. Is there any government (gak) agency I can report the attempted break in to?

[Jeff Chandler]

Okay, don't panic. First, step away from the computer. Now, IMMEDIATELY run to the building's switchbox and turn the main power OFF. Then move to another state far away and change your identity.

If the CFR tries to contact you, deny ever having posted on Freerepublic.

[PatriotGames]

In MOST cases port probes are conducted on a regular basis by commercial companies just trying to snoop around about potential customers.

As long as you know your firewall is working, and of course, you know it is then don't worry about it. You are stopping the intrusions. That's what firewalls are for.

I once was able to trace the exact computer within a remote network that attempted access to my machine.

I sent a VERY nasty email to the person only to find out that the company had been attacked and that computer was only being used by some external hacker. Boy, was I ever embarrassed.

[Flyer]

My bet is that he was at the Radio Shack site and they pinged to see if he was still around.

[Spangler]

The most interesting firewall I have seen used is a 486. It is the gate to the outside of this guy's network. If you break-in, you are knocking around in an old machine with a bunch of stuff put there to baffle and confuse the cyber burgular. Any system can be hacked, but his I feel is much safer then mine that is protected by Zone Alarm pro.

If you use a software firewall, be suspicious. Many break-ins are done by emulating the name of something that is routinely granted access.

[blackbart.223]

"Yeah, yeah, the usual vulgar references to aliens and such...what, no anal probe jokes yet?"

Read post #9 and read between the lines.

[Nick Danger]

OK, a serious answer:

Get over it. Now that you have a firewall, you're going to find out that you get "port probed" all the time... several times a day at least. Everybody does.

That's because (a) there are kids out there running scripts that port-probe all IP addresses in sequence, looking for fools who have unprotected machines with vulnerabilities, and (b) there are self-replicating worms out there trying IP addresses at random, hoping to find a new machine to infect.

Yeah, right now you'll feel a need to "report" these to somebody. Wait'll you've had your firewall for a month. Unless you're ready to quit your day job and become a full-time port-probe reporter, you'll eventually just give up on it.

Port probes are the Internet's "cosmic background radiation." They're always there, bombarding you with moron particles. That's because the world is full of morons who think that hosing up other people's machines -- people they don't even know -- is "fun."

[PFKEY]

I've got Norton too but had a problem. After I installed it I couldn't get anywhere on the net. I'm sure if I had rtfm I would have been ok but I figured it was a bit more intuitive that it was.

[Billthedrill]

I used to use ZA and decided to go hardware when I got the cable modem. I won't go back! One thing about it, it's absolutely, totally unhackable and I'll never again have to wor

BZZZZZZT!

Greetings, earthlings. This is Zorple from the planet Joob...

[blackbart.223]

"I've got Norton too but had a problem. After I installed it I couldn't get anywhere on the net."

I have had no problems with Norton. It is a pain in the a** to configure but in my case it works quite well.

[jlogajan]

Umm, you'll get probed several times per day, if not per hour. You can try tracking them down, but after a while (a day or two) you will find you have better things to do with your time. Just let your firewall block them and forget about it.

[glorgau]

Did it feel good? :-) Or did you get squeemish?

[Free ThinkerNY]

I suggest making an appointment with a proctologist as soon as possible.

[Redcloak]

What do you think of this one...

It's ~$30.

[Political Junkie Too]

I bet that this post is the reason that McAfee Guard Dog is warning me that Radio Shack is trying to put a cookie on my computer just because I opened this thread.

-PJ

[aomagrat]

Your shame is no match for our port probes.
You are doomed!!!!!!!!