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By: sooz
Date: 2/22/00 12:12:56 PM
# Replies: 16
So, there's this big hooptie-doo about how "dangerous" DSL connections are. So the entire article about potential hackers and your credit cards being stolen and all manner of media hype. It turns out that the only reason "they" think these connections are more dangerous than the boring ol' modem connections is simply because people with DSL modems spend more time online, thus allowing more room for error.
It's kinda like a study that says "DANGER! You're more likely to be attacked by a dog if you live in the south!", based on the fact that people in the south have more dogs than them in the north.
Whatever.
Response #1
By: Ralf
Date: 2/22/00 5:43:14 PM
Ah, it's the same dang deal with cablemodems.
The concern is that because the connection is up 24 hours a day, hackers can sneak in and delete all your porn while you're away.
Response #2
By: Da Sissop
Date: 2/22/00 11:32:02 PM
Well, there is a *little* more danger. You're probably more likely to have gaping security holes than, say, most *business* sites that are connected 24 hours a day.
Response #3
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/23/00 12:02:32 AM
Well, time to change my root password from 'password' I guess.
Response #4
By: Ralf
Date: 2/23/00 7:08:16 AM
If you're really that worried about it, go here for a checkup. Click on "Shields Up" for a comprehensive, free probe of your ports.
Response #5
By: rorschach
Date: 2/23/00 11:52:32 AM
yea, a guy i do work for got a cable modem, i pointed him at shields up a couple of weeks ago and he shit hisself.... this IS a business mind you not a home computer so there is a little more at stake than your average web surfer. the bottom line is that the techniques shield up uses are fairly well documented in the hacker community and anybody that knows how can get that same info out of your machine.
Response #6
By: Roxanne
Date: 2/23/00 5:28:22 PM
I felt a little weird clicking on the box that said "Probe my ports!"
Afterward, I wanted a cigarette...
Response #7
By: Ralf
Date: 2/24/00 8:15:00 AM
BTW, Steve Gibson (author of that Shields Up thingie) is a certified, weird-ass genius. He writes really incredibly cool, tight software and then gives it away for free.
His TIP ("Trouble In Paradise") application is tiny -- like 50K -- and deep-scans a zip-disk for failure. It reports not only the life exptencancy of the media, but reports problems with the hardware, even heading off the "click of death" some zip-drives develop. And it's free.
Response #8
By: The Sorcerer
Date: 2/24/00 8:36:52 PM
Thanks for the link Ralf, pretty cool.
WooHoo! My machines are invisble to the shield and portscan test!
But I'm running Linux so I guess I'm cheating. :)
Sorc'(Rev)
Response #9
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/24/00 9:54:49 PM
I ran in to the same situation, Sorc, tho for different reasons.
Hey! What do you wintel geeks think: Is $100 too much to pay for a Dell p133 32M/1G?
Response #10
By: Da Sissop
Date: 2/25/00 12:02:46 AM
Nope, assuming it works.
Response #11
By: Ralf
Date: 2/25/00 8:09:58 AM
Excellent deal! Should make a perfect net-surfing/word-processing box.
Response #12
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/25/00 1:48:59 PM
Then I guess I'll have to venture into the dark side.
Response #13
By: Ralf
Date: 2/26/00 8:54:00 AM
Once you get your Wintel box up, go here and download your Macintosh emulator for Windows.
Response #14
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/27/00 2:57:33 PM
Hey, neeto.
Of course, I already have 4 Macs for real-time multitasking without emulation. :-)
Response #15
By: Ralf
Date: 2/27/00 8:43:41 PM
There IS a Windows shell replacement that has the look/feel of System 8.0, but I lost the link. I figured you'd actually get some use outta that.
It even goes so far as to disable all but one of the mouse buttons.
:-)
I'll see if I can dig it up again...
Response #16
By: Homer The Brave
Date: 2/28/00 2:30:51 PM
I've read about that.
I think I'll be able to manage without it. :-)