Re: Are firewalls really needed on todays Internet?

From: NeoSadist (neosad1st_at_charter.net)
Date: 02/15/04 

Date: Sun, 15 Feb 2004 11:04:57 -0700

Steve wrote:

> optikl <optikl@invalid.net> wrote in news:tDMXb.312144$I06.3161895
> @attbi_s01:
>
>> Markus Kraus wrote:
>>> On Sat, 14 Feb 2004 19:33:29 -0500, Lisa wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>On 2/14/2004 7:25 PM, Mike Pinetree wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Are firewalls really needed on today's Internet? What is your
>>>>>favorite firewall and why? Thanks in advance.
>>>>
>>>>One word: Blaster.
>>>
>>>
>>> So do you think a Firewall is the only way to make sure Blaster
>>> doesn't hit you?
>>> Blaster uses RPC/DCOM, and I think there is no reason your computer's
>>> port 135 should listen to connections from the internet.
>>>
>>> A properly configured computer is not vulnerable to Blaster attachs.
>>>
>>> Best regards,
>>> Markus (but I'm having firewalls anyway :-)
>>
>> Right Markus, but before the RPC/DCOM exploit was universally
>> acknowledged, a PFW, blocking unsolicited inbound connections, saved a
>> lot of people grief. I think that was Lisa's point.
>
> Sure but so did properly configured PCs. If you are not providing services
> you *should* not need to be behind a firewall.

Yes, but this is windows, not Unix/Linux.

> So whether they are "really
> needed" depends on your interpration. A firewall is not needed to protect
> against blaster just as sensible configuation - which as has been said are
> few.

Virus protection is the job of anti-virus software. That's different. You
can't harden NTFS permissions enough to prevent their spread. 

-- 
TV is chewing gum for the eyes.
                -- Frank Lloyd Wright