SpaceCadet Posted September 7, 2002 Share Posted September 7, 2002 Hi All, I have recently installed a personal firewall on my PC and have been absolutely shocked by the number of connection attempts that have been made. I was even more shocked at the amount of information my PC was trying to upload to sites like Microsoft every time I connected to the internet(makes you wonder what sort of information they have been stealing from our PC's). The Tiny Personal Firewall software (free for home use) which I have been using, will prompt you to either accept or deny each request ... or to create a rule to deal with these requests in the future. It seems to be doing the business and I just love clicking that Deny button Peace SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddyBoris Posted September 7, 2002 Share Posted September 7, 2002 Hi, Space Cadet, yeah I know exactly what you mean, I have a commercial firewall and was shocked at the amount of programmes that were trying to connect. Deleted them all and started again. Works a treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICaneBud Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 Ah yes but most stuff can be considered normal unthreatening network traffic and the personal firewalls are a disaster for sys admins and helpdesks who spend their whole time answering false alerts and explaining how broadcast packets work. Good article on this at SamSpade which should prevent misplaced concerns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceCadet Posted September 9, 2002 Author Share Posted September 9, 2002 Thanks ICaneBud, you do have a good point there .... but I am a sys admin mate, so the messages make more sense to me than they might to an average user. The firewall has picked up cases of port scanning, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassidy Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 one word of caution though -- been using Zone Alarm (free version), decided it was so good that I'd drop the cash to upgrade to their paid version, which does work even better -- but it comes bundled with Steganos Internet Anonymity -- which is the most vile piece of software crap ever-- for two weeks I couldn't even get on the internet until I finally tracked down and deleted every lurking Steganos file. Firewall good, Steganos bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICaneBud Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Fair enough SpaceCadet, Tiny is definitely my preferred one as well and takes some knowledge to use so I'd guessed you know your onions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jontz Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 I've just ran adAware - it discovered 16 suspect files.. removed em. Now my computer and net go faster.. Not bad for 5mins download and run.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICaneBud Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Good one jontz, ad-aware is nice kit, sorts out all the nasties things like KaZaA dump on your system. BTW did you see "The Lost Boys" t'other night? Classic 80s cheeze that started all the Buffy nonsense. (your sig reminded me) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrichomeUK Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 High there, Interesting I run ZoneAlarm Pro, AVP (Russian) Anti-Virus, ProPort port scanner, SpyBot & Ad-Aware, and various anti-trojan programs. You would be amazed at how vulnerable your computer is, especially when you don't run all of the above at the same time. I thought like you all did, and that I was somehow 'safe', but once I built myself a 'fortress' (haha, I'm sure I'm vulnerable as hell!), I realised my computer was constantly being infested by trojans, some of them quite dangerous, eg. BO, etc. - basically they allow others to use your computer as they please, and even plant trojan-bridges, to facilitate safe passage of said trojans. One reason this happens, and that the hackers have a go, is because I run through a proxy quite a lot of the time, and that I download a lot of the time using a certain type of client (i.e. not http internet-based; using backbone of internet connection). I am learning more all the time about connections, vulnerability, etc., and find it very interesting, and something I will pursue. All the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickle Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Heh trichome do you layer your condoms too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrichomeUK Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 High there, ! (and btw, I don't use condoms - I think all the herbs and hash I smoke lowers my sperm count enough!) All the best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jontz Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 BTW did you see "The Lost Boys" t'other night? Classic 80s cheeze that started all the Buffy nonsense. (your sig reminded me) er.. nope. I made it up....(!) Thinkin about times when I've been sitting there wondering about someone for ages, spoke to 'em and they turn out sound... Trichome: Sounds like you're pretty well protected there bud! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cedarwood Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 I'm lost....Trojan bridges sounds like some kinda Sky One thing!!! Although I gave Dinotopia a go Sunday and I can't stop thinking about the Rainy Basin!!! Anyhow...Just wanted to add... Lost Boys...Top Film!!!! B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spliffy. Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 Re. the above, lost boys, one of my all time top films. And with the Zone Alarm thingy, I read this thread and downloaded it yesterday. F@CK I never realized the vulnerability of my pc. An example, at 1.46pm today, (The time of the attacks) I got a new message saying it had detected an HTTP attempt that was some kind of virus attack, but that my firewall had stopped it and my Anti-Virus would have been able to cope with it. Paranoid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickle Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 The thing is it makes visible a lot of things that would never actually be able to damage you anyway, so while its good it can be slightly paranoia and hysteria inducing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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