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Strange Firewall Activity

Discussion in 'Security and Privacy' started by James Martin, 2006/05/07.

  1. 2006/05/07
    James Martin

    James Martin Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Hi all,

    Here of late, my firewall is alerting me to attacks coming out of China. This type of activity has been going on for more than 2 or 3 weeks now, and it happens 2 or 3 times after I go online (dialup).

    Have any of you noticed anything like this on your system?
     
    James Martin,
    #1
  2. 2006/05/08
    Geri Lifetime Subscription

    Geri Inactive Alumni

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    Hi James
    Nothing out of China on mine. Almost all from within the US.
    We sure are a nosie bunch here:cool: :p
     
    Geri,
    #2


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  4. 2006/05/08
    sparrow

    sparrow Inactive

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    That may mean your firewall needs checking. Ideal firewall makes your computer invisible to others on the web. Go to grc.com, page down and click on "shields up" and "proceed ". Then click its options one at a time.
     
    sparrow,
    #3
  5. 2006/05/08
    James Martin

    James Martin Geek Member Thread Starter

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    Thanks for the link sparrow. :)

    My firewall passed with flying colors according to the web site. (That is...File Sharing, Common Ports, and All Servicable Ports.)

    I don't have MS Messenger installed, and I didn't quite understand what to do with Browser Headers.
     
    James Martin,
    #4
  6. 2006/05/09
    sparrow

    sparrow Inactive

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    Go back and read the page after you click an item. It displays the information your browser sent over the web and you can see any personal info that was sent. There's lots of info on the page.

    Since your firewall passed, the messages you got are information only; it's telling you it is working for you and that the web is a dangerous place.
     
    sparrow,
    #5
  7. 2006/05/10
    TonyT

    TonyT SuperGeek Staff

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    I get hit every day w/ port scans originating from Asia somewhere. Bear in mind that these are NOT attacks but merely port scans. No single comp is being targeted with such scans, but thousands at a time are being scanned looking for "interesting" open ports.

    Software firewalls all tend to give warning messages that use the word "attack" or similar terms. They do this so as to give the user a feeling of "danger" and that danger was handled by the firewall. The simple truth of it is that all the firewall is doing is informing you that your ip address has been scanned and that it protected you.

    A port scan in itself is not an attack and it is not dangerous. Even if the firewall allowed the scan the probing person would still have one heck of a hard time doing anything else to you computer.

    The majority of time you can trace these Asian ip addresses to domains in schools and universities.
     
    TonyT,
    #6
  8. 2006/05/12
    James Martin

    James Martin Geek Member Thread Starter

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    I was wondering about something like that. Even my own ISP has triggered a firewall alert in the past before.

    In response to the scans/ alerts coming out of China, I had set my firewall to capture packets of information. But after I visited Shield's Up, the site informed me that my FW was not operating in stealth mode, so I stopped the capture packets process. Ever since I did that, the firewall alerts have pretty much stopped for now...and a visit back to Sheild's Up said that I was operating in complete stealth.

    All seems to be normal now. :)
     
    James Martin,
    #7

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