Re: On connecting to the Internet

From: David (davidwnh_at_adelphia.net)
Date: 10/09/03 

Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2003 22:50:39 GMT

Actually I don't think they all do. Some simply use the configured gateway
address and never use the router discovery protocol at all or maybe only use
it to query if the host has trouble using the assigned router.
>
> Thank you. That makes it clearer. So, it is reasonable to say that all
> operating systems with an internet capability would perform the same
> song and dance on connecting, is it not ?
>

The use of firewalls definately brings about these types of questions. The
fact is a firewall does not inherently know what traffic is valid or not.
They may have certain functionality to identify certain types of known
malicious traffic, however for the most part it is up to the end user to
determine what is and isn't allowed. And the tighter a firewall is designed
the more the end user has to know in order to make such decisions correctly.
> Any windows user, or rather users of earlier versions of windows would
> not be concerned or curious about these 'background transactions'
> as they would be invisible, particularly if they run without a
> firewall.
>

There are plenty of things that happen in the background. The best you can
do is learn as you go along. As a home user backup your data frequently and
keep personal information such as financial records on removable media and
you minimize what you need to worry about.
> I wonder what other processes might be taking place 'behind the
> scenes'. Take this for example ..
>

It's all misplaced trust. Trusted Computing as coined by the 1000 lb gorilla
is pure marketing hype. They have always put ease of use issues ahead of
security and as long as they keep doing this you will never be able to trust
them. Ease of use is important;we use computers in the first place to make
things easier, but some companies don't kick around the negative aspects of
things enough because it cuts into their bottom line. And even if they could
get the security aspects of things right you still can't trust them because
of privacy issues.
>
> Its a worry ! Trusted computing or misplaced trust.
>