dsl/cable sign on ??

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 11 Feb 2006 7:41 am

I have cable service now(yipeee),
When I turn my computer on, and the cable modum is initialised...can my system be infiltrated if the browser is not on? There was a discusion about leaving a new cable modum on all the time for the first few days so it would/could learn, and be more efficiant.It runs at 100 mbps and wireless at 50/75 mbps now. And I do have firewall, and antivirus running.

Thanks Bill[This message was edited by Bill Ford on 11 February 2006 at 07:42 AM.]

Bob Martin · Post by **Bob Martin** » 11 Feb 2006 9:02 am

Hi Bill, the answer is yes it can your browser does not have to be running for a malicious script to get into your computer. You should at the very least have Windows XP firewall enabled and I would go one step further and buy a hardware firewall.

The easiest way to get a good reliable firewall is to get a router they come built into them. Either get a wireless router if you think that someday you might want to go wireless or if you have no thoughts about going wireless just buy a wired router they are even cheaper. I seen one at best buy last week for 19.99.

Then as long as you run your modem thru the router and never open attachments or email from folks that you don't know you will be as safe as you can be without being completely paranoid.

I would also pick up a couple of apps to check for worms/malicious/spyware codes and such. I'll let other folks give advice on what apps to use there are hundreds of those kind of apps and everybody has their favorites. I use 5 seperate apps to clean and check for viruses/worms/spyware and other nusicance ware. so I might confuse you if I started telling you waht I use.

I will tell you that McAfee has just come out with an all in one app that will give you protection in all areas and I've always liked McAfee. It's called McAfee Security Center 2006 I just recently got it but I still use my other apps as well. I hope this will help and not confuse you.

Bob

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 11 Feb 2006 12:02 pm

In answer to Bill's question about being invaded if the browser isn't open...

Your browser is an appliance only. Many online threats arrive over the wires, whether they are POTS (plain old telephone service) or broadband. These are known as TCP borne threats and if you connect any computer to a modem and do not have an active firewall of some sort to block unsolicited incoming TCP traffic, your machine will be owned by somebody else in less than 20 seconds of going online.

It doesn't matter if a browser is open or not to acquire a TCP Virus, Worm, Trojan, Backdoor, or Email relay program. All you need to do is connect to the Internet, by Dialup, or cable or DSL, using a computer that does not have a firewall installed, or a hardware router/firewall between the modem and the computer, and your computer will be owned by joe hacker/spammer. However, if you browse the Internet with an insecure browser, like MSIE, and have not locked it down against all threats, and run Windows Updates until there are no more available, just browsing to a hostile website can get your computer infected as badly as a TCP threat.

Likewise, if you open a hostile email attachment, or download a program that has an embedded trojan, you are going to be owned.

It used to be that being owned was a symbolic problem. Not anymore! Now being owned usually means that a spammer is using your computer to send out hundreds of thousands of spam messages everyday, or a disgruntled hacker has added it to his BotNet, to be used in a DDoS attack against a legitimate website that he is mad at. Either way, if the authorities get involved and track the source of the spams or Denial of Service attacks, they will end up at your door.

Online Security Rule #1:
Never, never connect an un-firewalled computer to the Internet, whether by dialup, DSL, Cable, T1, etc.

Rule #2: See rule #1

You can read about firewalls on my website if you wish, on my FAQs page. Look for the topics about Firewalls and related matters. The answers will open in an iframe, lower on the same page, but I am in the process of changing them to being full page content (Rome wansn't built in one day!).

------------------
Bob "Wiz" Feinberg
Moderator of the SGF Computers Forum
Visit my Wiztunes Steel Guitar website at: http://www.wiztunes.com/
or my computer troubleshooting website: Wizcrafts Computer Services,
or my Webmaster Services webpage[This message was edited by Wiz Feinberg on 11 February 2006 at 12:04 PM.]

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 11 Feb 2006 1:20 pm

How would I know if my PC is "owned" by a hacker? Will my Grisoft AVG anti-virus program tell me?

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 11 Feb 2006 5:40 pm

Motorola sb5120 cable modum, D-Link Xtreme wireless router #D1-624, EZ antivirus, Zone Alarm, all up and running. I have looked for Windows firewall, but it is not listed on the connection page as it was on dialup.Is it necessary as with dialup, if so where is it and how do I activate it?Also running a laptop with the wireless router.

Bob, Saw the $19.95 hub, but decided to go wireless for a few $$ more.Cable at 100mbps and no strings on your laptop, how much better can it get.

Thanks so much to all for your help..Bill[This message was edited by Bill Ford on 11 February 2006 at 05:45 PM.]

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 12 Feb 2006 9:25 am

If you have ZoneAlarm, that is a Firewall and you don't need the Windows Firewall. In fact two firewalls running can conflict and cause problems.

Are you sure you have 100 Mbs service? or is that just the 10/100 Ethernet connection. I don't know of any Cable systems that are providing 100 Mb/sec service. I have RoadRunner and currently my (maximum potential speed) is 5 Mb/sec downlink and 256Mb Uplink. I can go higher for more $$ but nothing near the rull Ethernet 100 Mb Speed.

Bob Knight · Post by **Bob Knight** » 13 Feb 2006 4:59 am

Is anyone using Microsoft's new beta "One Care" program? It seems to be a complete all in one firewall, virus, maintainence program for Windows. It is a little erratic at times(beta), but I haven't had any undetected attacks, that I can verify.

Bob

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 13 Feb 2006 8:37 am

Jack,
On the network magic page it shows connection speed @ 100 mbps, ip address, subnet mask os, etc. This is what I'm going by. My laptop shows 50 mbps at the wireless icon. Download on both screams,I can watch video streams, and get audio without lockup of course I'm used to dialup.

edited to say..Now I'm really cornfused, I just went to a site, and tested my speed, 4048kbps download/695 upload. I am extremely happy, if it were any better I couldn't stand it.

Again, thanks to all for the help...Bill[This message was edited by Bill Ford on 13 February 2006 at 01:38 PM.]