Scan Test

[Fish]

Anyone ever try the scan at http://www.hackerwhacker.com ? I just tried the free first test and it said I have about every frickin port open! Is this a reliable site? It has a lot of great links they give you to learn more about safety and firewalls and such. I have ZA and on every other site I've been to, they say my PC is "Stealth" Even Steve Gibsons. So do they at Hacker Whacker just tell you that to try to scare you into subscribing? What's your opinion?

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Pretend you see an evil wizard here, this scares you. It is wicked-
This is my avatar. And now I'm happy because I have one.

[mjc]

It has been a while since I've used them, but I think that they are one of the ones that kind of has confusing terminology, they say "open" meaning that the port is open and available to be used not that it is sitting open and "leaking" info all over the 'net. I have found that ZA can handle just about anything thrown at it. There is a site, I can't quite remember it right now that uses actual hack attempts (programs that run automatically trying to hack into your computer -- they are the real thing) and I had a trashed install and thought what the heck, well ZA stood up to it and passed with flying colors.

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/highrise/11/index.htm)

Does Bill Gates use WindowsME?

[Randy_tx]

Any site that requires my email before sending me to some unknown site is suspicious to me http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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"As hard as a rock & dumb as a brick"...Windows CEMeNT

[Ghost_Hacker]

A port is open only if a SYN/ACK packet is sent back to a scanning computer (TCP SYN scan the most common type). If a RST/ACK is sent back or if no packet is returned (the packet is droped) then the scanner software should report that port as closed (RST/ACK) or filtered (droped packet). Most firewalls will simply drop the packet causing the scanning software to report a filtered (firewalled) host.

If this site is reporting that all ports are opened then they may be using a UDP scan or a type of scan that looks only for RST packets that tell it a port is closed.


Zone Alarm is best at telling you when a program tries to open a port. ( trojans, ad programs that call home.) It's secondary function (at least to me) is when it tells me when some one tries to connect to my computer.

In a Windows 9x computer the only port that should be open (listening for a connection) by default is port 139. If file sharing is turned off then this port will be closed and a 9x computer should be safe as long as no other services (FTP,ICQ, PCAnywhere,Trojans) are listening.

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Comment heard from a Klingon programmer.

"Debugging? Klingons do not debug. Our software does not coddle the weak"




[This message has been edited by Ghost_Hacker (edited 03-27-2001).]

[jpm]

As a control test (I hope) I tested my computer at work, which is in a univeristy. No ports were open so I don't think they tell you to scare you as after reading the problems with hackers I was scared. Computer at home may not give the same answer. I was wandering what the best virus scanner/ firewall etc would be good for a home computer: are the best the most expensive of just try Tucows? Hope this helps.

[Ghost_Hacker]

ZoneAlarm is the best for "home" use IMHO.

As for Virus scanners, everyone has their own favorites. I like Trend's Virus scanners ( these guys are always on top of the latest viruses) and Norton's ( I like their easy interface, but they'll wait till a virus is "in the Wild" sometimes before releasing the virus defintion to fight it)

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Comment heard from a Klingon programmer.

"Debugging? Klingons do not debug. Our software does not coddle the weak"

[Fish]

Thanks for the input guys.
jpm, I have InnoculetIt for anti-virus protection. They have almost daily updates. And I go to PCCillen to do my scans. It's all free.

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Pretend you see an evil wizard here, this scares you. It is wicked-
This is my avatar. And now I'm happy because I have one.

[Paleo Pete]

I've used McAffee for 6 years, and always been satisfied with it, but other people have different preferences. Tried Norton, didn't like it too much, and had some trouble with the system until we removed it. That may not have been Norton's fault, I was never really sure. Norton has had a good reputation for a long time, some people like it pretty well.

One I know to stay away from is Panda Antivirus. It's available on the net as a download demo, I've installed it after it was highly recommended by someone else, and it caused major problems. I tried scanreg, twice, after uninstalling it, finally had to format and reinstall Windows to get things back to normal. First thing it did was pop up a BSOD on reboot after installing, never did get the computer to run after that first reboot. The only way I was able to use it at all was by running it after the installation but before rebooting.

Installed it on another machine knowing I was about to format and reinstall anyway, same results. But I wanted to try a couple of different virus programs to be sure the machine didn't have any nasties on it. It had never had a virus scanner installed...both were win98 machines. I strongly advise staying away from Panda.



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