Re: My Game Needs a Port Listed as Trojan Port

From: NeoSadist (neosad1st_at_charter.net)
Date: 12/18/03 

Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2003 20:26:25 -0700

MC wrote:

> To Group,
>
> My PC-Cillin listed 10048 as a Trojan port, therefore blocked. But one of
> my games uses this port. Without opening this port, I can't play over the
> internet.
>
> Questions:
>
> 1) If I open this port anyway, can a hacker damage my computer during my
> game (when I will have this port open)?

The trojan has to be installed on your machine, and good antivirus will
prevent that. I don't think that the trojan can install itself just
because a port is open.

>
> 2) Is there a way which I can make an exception to my game's server so
> that my virus scan knows that this game is ok to use this port although it
> is listed as a Trojan but still have the virus scan block any traffic from
> another attempts to use this port? I.E. allows this game as an exception?
> I see one can make exception to a port, but not sure if one can make
> exception to a game which uses this port.

Antivirus shouldn't have anything to do with it: but for a firewall it will.
Antivirus cannot block ports, but firewalls can. I say just open the port
and use it for that program. What firewall are you using?

>
> 3) What is the best way to tackle this situation.

I say tell your antivirus to scan ALL files as auto-protect, which it is
probably already made to do. Then open the port for that game. I don't
think you'll have a problem.
Let me explain the trojan though. The trojan, like I said, must be on your
system. Just because the port is open doesn't mean you'll get infected
with a trojan, for a trojan must be downloaded or installed before it can
do anything. If your machine is clean, then no trojans should be on the
system, which means no vulnerabilities.
I think maybe you're being paranoid, although I've worried about stuff like
that before in the past.

>
> Any suggestion/direction appreciated.

Ok, here's my suggestion. Virus scan the entire hard drive and disinfect it
(there probably aren't any viruses/trojans in the first place, since you're
using virus protection). Then open the port and just play your game.
Also, even if the game IS a trojan, the virus scan will pick it up and
disinfect it.
I feel like I'm trying to say something that's too easy to say, and now I'm
confused. 1) A trojan must be on your system for a trojan port to be a
vulnerability, and 2) your virus scanner would've already detected it, so
3) you're probably not infected and 4) you don't have to worry about it.
Just because someone's machine has that port open doesn't mean they're
hackable using the trojan, for it has to be on their system before you can
use it to hack their machine. In theory, a machine could be without a
firewall and not be hackable over a trojan port, because the trojan isn't
installed on their system. However, we use firewalls for more than that.
The job of antivirus software is to disinfect the machine from such things.
The job of the firewall is to control access to the machine. True, a
firewall could prevent a trojan from "dialing home", but it's the job of
the antivirus software to disinfect the machine.
I have no clue why I can't say this in a more concise way. It's like a
catch-22: I have the solution, but I can't say it in a way that will make
you understand.

>
> Thanks in advance,
> Mark 

-- 
Take everything in stride.  Trample anyone who gets in your way.

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