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#1 2005-01-15 3:48 am

allan
Member
Registered: 2000-09-19
Posts: 1084

How secure is your Internet connection?

Okay, I know this is not new and it's by no means a complete test, but, how does your setup fare?

Go here:

Shields UP!

Click "Proceed"

Next, click on the Common Ports button and wait a few seconds.

Did your setup pass or fail the TruStealth analysis?

I got this:

http://image.grc.com/passed.gif up

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#2 2005-01-15 3:55 am

resedit
Chicken Little
Royal Wombat
From: /dev/null
Registered: 1999-11-01
Posts: 50397
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

I failed.

Port 22 is open - but I know about that, it's open on purpose.
Port 80 is closed but not stealth - I know about that too, I occasionally start up apache so that w3c can validate my pages before I upload them to web server.

All other ports are stealthed.


Unfortunately, the SSH services and their security add-on packages have a long history of many widely exploited buffer overflow vulnerabilities.

FUD

Yes, there have been remote ssh exploits - but not a "long history" as they imply.

In her right hand Jenny held the Bible of her mother
Jenny had a pistol in the other
-- Steve Taylor

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#3 2005-01-15 4:14 am

allan
Member
Registered: 2000-09-19
Posts: 1084

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Thanks for playing, res! smile

I was nervous about posting that link. I was afraid people would say, "I ain't clicking on that link!"

Anyway, for those who don't want to venture into the Sheilds UP! website, here's a security test from Symantec:

http://www.symantec.com/cgi-bin/securitycheck.cgi

I got a http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedContent/common/images/alert_green_20.gif ("Safe") rating for both Hacker Exposure Check and Trojan Horse Check... up

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#4 2005-01-15 4:23 am

allan
Member
Registered: 2000-09-19
Posts: 1084

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Okay, I just removed my router (ie., hardware firewall) and redid the above tests with just Mac OS X's built-in software firewall.

This is what I got for the first test:

http://image.grc.com/failed.gif

And for the second, I got a http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedContent/common/images/alert_red_20.gif ("At Risk") rating for the Hacker Exposure Check... whaa

Oh well... I guess this means it's good to have a hardware-based firewall in addition to a software-based one. Fairly obvious, but what the heck, I'm bored... wink

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#5 2005-01-15 4:28 am

resedit
Chicken Little
Royal Wombat
From: /dev/null
Registered: 1999-11-01
Posts: 50397
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Don't worry about the failed too much - it just means some ports were not stealthed and/or that it could ping your box.

If gobs of ports are open you didn't know about - then you need to close them down (assuming you don't have a hardware firewall)

In her right hand Jenny held the Bible of her mother
Jenny had a pistol in the other
-- Steve Taylor

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#6 2005-01-15 5:25 am

oatmeal
the clueless ones
Royal Wombat
Registered: 2002-08-07
Posts: 609
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Is this a trusted site?  I mean, how do we know that this isn't logging whose computers are safe and not? 

It seems that that kinda info would be useful for people later on, they could probably sell that to anyone who wants to know about some unsecure computers.

Or am I being completely paranoid? http://homepage.mac.com/oatmeal/MAF/maxes/tinfoil.gif

Smile Different. (Lots more Max smilies.)

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#7 2005-01-15 5:41 am

resedit
Chicken Little
Royal Wombat
From: /dev/null
Registered: 1999-11-01
Posts: 50397
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Is this a trusted site?  I mean, how do we know that this isn't logging whose computers are safe and not? 

It seems that that kinda info would be useful for people later on, they could probably sell that to anyone who wants to know about some unsecure computers.

Or am I being completely paranoid? http://homepage.mac.com/oatmeal/MAF/maxes/tinfoil.gif

Paranoid.
It's much easier/faster to just scan random IP addresses when looking for potential machine to hack. No one buys that info.

In her right hand Jenny held the Bible of her mother
Jenny had a pistol in the other
-- Steve Taylor

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#8 2005-01-15 7:25 am

matt
a very bad matt
Registered: 1999-09-16
Posts: 16688
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

A quick restart afterward would probably get you a new address if you're bugged.

Being loud: The next best thing to being right.

Do not click here.

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#9 2005-01-15 9:56 am

yelowpunk
thinks of kittens
From: Usajii's house
Registered: 2002-08-22
Posts: 5330
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

I failed across the whole map.

Of course, this is because any connection coming into my IP address (64.81.204.98) is redirected to my DMZ (realistically, my G3 server) which listens on a couple ports for FTP, SSH, HTTP, AFP, SMTP, IMAP, POP3 etc connections...

I guess I should be running a webserver with port 80 in stealth, or blocked. nod

shrug

-Tim

Workstation: PPC970 @ 1.8Ghz G5 Tower.
Warstation: AMD64 3000+ @2.4Ghz / ASUS K8N-SLI [RIP]

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#10 2005-01-15 10:23 am

MattElmore
Member
From: Tuscaloosa, AL
Registered: 2003-02-28
Posts: 1778
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

The software firewall is enough. As a matter of fact, it isn't all that necessary anyway.

I made a thread about this but it was deleted in the last "data loss" debacle wink.

--;

Come visit my forum for a good time!

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#11 2005-01-15 12:33 pm

hucker
Member
From: ONTARIO.
Registered: 2004-11-26
Posts: 166

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

passed both with flying colours

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#12 2005-01-15 12:40 pm

Twisted Guy
President of the Galactic Confederacy
Registered: 1999-03-28
Posts: 15984
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

It said I "failed" but the report says all the ports it tested are stealthed or closed, so I don't understand.  If my ports are all stealthed or closed and it can't establish a connection, how can I receive a failing grade?

Stupid thing.

All hail Xenu!
http://imagegen.last.fm/EtherealForest/artists/5/TwistedGuy.gif

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#13 2005-01-15 12:53 pm

otter
Member
From: over there
Registered: 2000-12-23
Posts: 681

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Because their test pings port 0, which isn't a real port for any actual use, but your computer still responds to the ping.  So, since they get a response, you fail.  Now they know there is a computer there.

Further proof that cats are smarter than dogs:
You can't get eight cats to pull a sled through snow.

In related news, Microsoft Windows users are now covered  under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

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#14 2005-01-15 2:05 pm

Mainwar
Yankee
From: Chipping Sodbury, UK.
Registered: 2003-09-23
Posts: 679
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Woo-Hoo! Safe all round big_smile

When in doubt, ask yourself, WWJD - What Would Jehannum Do?

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#15 2005-01-15 3:17 pm

Kirk
Spill the Wine, Take That Girl
Royal Wombat
From: Southern California
Registered: 1999-02-27
Posts: 20201
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Its been a while since anybody posted a link to GRC's site.  Yes, Steve Gibson is almost certainly a legitimate good guy.  He's been around for a few years.  His site was the first I ever used to check my security.  MacOS 9 is bullet proof.  X isn't as safe, though certainly much much better than default Windoze.

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#16 2005-01-15 3:17 pm

Jasoco
Your own personal Jesus
From: Doylestown, PA, USA, Earth
Registered: 2000-08-26
Posts: 8849
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

I failed I guess.

Out of 1056 ports, only one is closed and the other 1055 are all "stealth" whatever the hell that means. This is through the router. I'd disconnect and reconnect, but I'm paranoid I won't be able to get it back, besides, other people are using the intarweb right now too.

Should I be like scared or something?

Solicited TCP Packets: RECEIVED (FAILED)

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#17 2005-01-15 3:40 pm

MTM84
You had me at zugzug
From: P Town, California
Registered: 2000-11-26
Posts: 3393
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

normally a closed port will tell the scaning computer that the port is closed.  A stealth port doesnt respond to any requests at all, and therefore the other computer doesnt know that the ports are even there.  Realisticly, of course the ports are there but the other computer cant do anything with them.

I am neither the Alpha or the Omega, I am the instrument of your destruction.
[MA]MTM84
><}}}@>

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#18 2005-01-15 3:50 pm

F041
Member
Registered: 2004-03-13
Posts: 3294

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

http://www.grc.com/port_113.htm

Port 113 was closed. What might my computer be using it for? How can I make it stealth, and is it wise to do so?

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#19 2005-01-15 3:51 pm

Jasoco
Your own personal Jesus
From: Doylestown, PA, USA, Earth
Registered: 2000-08-26
Posts: 8849
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

normally a closed port will tell the scaning computer that the port is closed.  A stealth port doesnt respond to any requests at all, and therefore the other computer doesnt know that the ports are even there.  Realisticly, of course the ports are there but the other computer cant do anything with them.

So, is that good or bad?

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#20 2005-01-15 3:59 pm

MTM84
You had me at zugzug
From: P Town, California
Registered: 2000-11-26
Posts: 3393
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

stealth ports are very good smile

I am neither the Alpha or the Omega, I am the instrument of your destruction.
[MA]MTM84
><}}}@>

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#21 2005-01-15 4:01 pm

Jasoco
Your own personal Jesus
From: Doylestown, PA, USA, Earth
Registered: 2000-08-26
Posts: 8849
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

http://www.grc.com/port_113.htm

Port 113 was closed. What might my computer be using it for? How can I make it stealth, and is it wise to do so?

That's the same one I have closed. I too would like to know what it is needed for. And would there be any reason to have it opened?

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#22 2005-01-15 4:11 pm

arkayn
Addicted to TIVO
From: Golden Valley
Registered: 2000-03-02
Posts: 5472
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

It said I failed, but I only have one port open and that is port 80 since I run my backup web site on it.

iMac C2D, 2.0 GHz, OS X 10.6.2, 2.5 GB Ram.

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#23 2005-01-15 5:10 pm

ABigSmall
Member
Registered: 2004-03-13
Posts: 4245

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

I failed.  All were on stealth.  My computer replied to some ping thing.

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#24 2005-01-15 5:39 pm

Thunderstruck
Goatee
From: West Melbourne, Vic
Registered: 2002-11-19
Posts: 2662
Website

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Heh.. symantec security says i need to run IE or Safari. No thanks. tongue

iBook G4 | 12" | 40GB | 1.33GHz | 512MB | Combo | 10.4.3
iMac G4 | 15" | 40GB | 700MHz | 512MB | Combo | 10.4.2
Camino, official nightlies, G4 optimized nightlies & themes, CamiTools

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#25 2005-01-15 6:45 pm

Blandford Fly
Member
From: Malformed People Factory
Registered: 2003-04-04
Posts: 2142

Re: How secure is your Internet connection?

Failed.   Everything's closed down or stealthed, but since I don't know balls about this stuff it can't hurt me, right?

Actually, I have a Cube sitting idle, how can I make a hardware firewall?   That's even saying my Cube is what I need to do it.

MacBook 2Ghz, 4GB RAM, OS X 10.6.1
12" G4 1Ghz PowerBook, 768mb RAM, OS X 10.4.11

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