Steve Bass explains why he's paranoid about hackers
and tells you how you can safely share your PC and Net
connection with others.
Steve Bass
issue of PC World magazine
Listen carefully: If you use a cable modem or DSL
to connect to the Net, someone could be snooping around
your hard drive right now. This jerk could get on
to your PC, delete files, or reformat your disk--and
you won't know you've been hacked until it's too late.
Think it can't happen? Well, I've done it. (Don't
worry, no PCs were harmed in the writing of this column.)
What scares the dickens out of me is how easy it is
to hack someone else's system.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to safely
share your PC and Internet connection with others
on your home network. I'll explain how to batten down
your PC's hatches to make it an uninviting target.
Diary of a Mad Hacker
If you have cable modem or DSL service, chances are
good that you have a static IP address. Because you
use the same IP address every time you log on, you're
more vulnerable to attack. Security rule numero uno:
No matter how paranoid you are, you aren't paranoid
enough.
Using readily available tools, I was able to invisibly
log on to a dozen PCs on the Net. I could examine
their hard disks, futz with files, even format any
drive. No footprint, no detection, no kidding.
Of course, I did it with the other users' permission;
real hackers won't bother to ask. So before you do
anything else, log on to Ports Scan, Steve Gibson's
Internet security site. What you see there may scare
you bitless.
The site examines the protocol that connects your
PC to the Net. If file and printer sharing is enabled,
your system's wide open. To secure your PC under Windows
9x, you'll need to change your network file and printer
sharing settings. Gibson's site has a handy tutorial
on how to do it.
But wait, you're not done yet. Every PC has thousands
of ports--virtual openings that let you send e-mail,
browse the Web, download files, and so on--that hackers
can use to gain access to your system. To find out
if anyone is snooping around your ports, grab a free
copy of Port Detective.
Spreading the Speed
Believe me, you don't want to share your PC with strangers.
But you can still split a fast Net connection among
all your systems--and keep hackers at bay.
Then spend $40 on HotBrick's
Personal Firewall, the best firewall
I've found at that price. The program body-blocks
intruders by protocol, IP address, and port. It even
skips all the file and printer sharing rigamarole--you
can configure this on the fly.
For a higher level of security, you'll need hardware.
I tried HotBrick's LB-2VPN,
a $349 hub that lets four users share a high-speed
connection over a LAN. (Up to 256 users can be added,
but not in my office, thanks.) The firewall is fail-safe,
and installation took just 10 minutes--no lie. A cheaper,
version called 401VPN
is also available.
For more details on how to share a Net connection
safely, check out Tim Higgins's terrific site. Just
don't tell them I sent you.
