Re: Internet security (a bit to feed your security paranoia ...)

[Vitaly Larichev <vitaly@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Glen,

Thanks! I'll check out the sites you gave. To be honest, so far I've been
procrastinating on a really good virus-Tojan-worm-... (what else?) protection.
For weekly checks I use Trend Micro HouseCall, i.e. doing it through the Web
(it's on http://housecall.antivirus.com  if somebody interested). It caught a
couple weeks ago a dormant Trojan on my HD. So,  no round-the-clock sentinel
yet. Not sure about a firewall, since mine is a single machine, File/Printer
Sharing is off , how much more protection does one need then? O, certainly,
it's not to doubt sense of a firewall, but the question reflects rather my 
inner struggle I know I am losing trying to escape an obvious need to do
something more on this virus-shmirus stuff <g>.

Cheers, Vitaly


Glen Wallace wrote:

> Vitaly:
>
> I'm not one to say "We told you so," but ....
>
> You probably identified and eliminated one of the Windows "exploits," but
> incidentally the NetBIOS ports (including 139) are some of the favorite
> ports for hackers and script-kiddies.  You should probably do a virus scan
> (I use Norton AntiVirus) and a trojan scan (I like The Cleaner from
> www.moosoft.com ) to ensure you have no lingering, malicious applications.
>
> You can (and should periodically) use the DOS command 'netstat -an' from an
> MS-DOS window to see what ports are listening for a connection.  For more
> information on this, see http://www.commodon.com/threat/frame.htm
>
> Also, consider a firewall (yes, Ken and Walter, I am climbing onto my
> soapbox again) for a higher level of protection.  As a temporary measure,
> check out a freeware application named NukeNabber to at least monitor the
> more vulnerable ports. Download it from a reliable site like www.tucows.com
> because there are hacked versions out there.
>
> Some other free security scanning sites:
> http://www.hackerwhacker.com/
> http://www.e-softinc.com/
> http://www.secure-me.net/
>
> Regards.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Vitaly Larichev <vitaly@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <metastock@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: November 24, 1999 14:03
> Subject: Internet security (a bit to feed your security paranoia ...)
>
> > Hello,
> >
> > In the current (Dec.) issue of PC World there is a column titled "Stop
> Hackers Before They Attack"
> > (p.51) . It mentions a recently launched site that checks your PC
> "shields" and scans ports (go to
> > http://grc.com/default.htm and click on "Shields Up" banner) regarding
> their vulnerability. Port
> > #139 on my machine turned out  wide open to something horrible; my
> ignorance on the subject
> > doesn't allow me be more specific describing the horror <g>). Anyhow, I
> used a free utility from
> > the site to close that bloody port #139.
> > The site provides also quite a bit to learn about these things I've never
> wanted to know of,
> > frankly.
> >
> > Surf safe. Happy Thanksgiving.
> >
> > Vitaly