Re: Firewall Memory Key
jKILLSPAM.schipper_at_math.uu.nl
Date: 11/26/05
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Date: 26 Nov 2005 13:17:59 GMT
nospam@nospam.com wrote:
>> Erm, I think of something that has a USB connection and a bit of storage
>> stuff inside when I think of a memory key. If that's what you mean,
>> you'll need to find a way to add network connectivity and a processor
>> first...
>>
>> Joachim
>
> Sorry - didn't make this one very clear - can a usbkey be used as a read
> only device for firewall settings in the sense it can be a replacement
> software firewall ie becoming effectively a personal hardware firewall?
Storing the firewall configuration on an USB device is possible, and
there are a couple of devices that can even boot off them.
Either would allow you to, at least, influence the way the firewall is
run from a USB key. If you somehow manage to make the USB device
read-only - some way that cannot be circumvented in software - then you
have a somewhat reliable way of storing your configuration, or even your
entire system.
However, this has little to do with the distinction software-hardware
firewall, which is quite silly anyway (the only real hardware firewalls
I know of involve scissors, pulling plugs and the like). The main
distinction, really, is the place where the filtering software is run.
If it is run on the host that is being protected, this is not ideal, and
sometimes called a software firewall. If it is run on another host, this
is usually called a hardware firewall, especially if the 'other host' is
some sort of specialized device.
The question of storing firewall settings on a USB device is orthogonal
to this, though. Storing (parts of) the system on read-only media has
it's merit, especially in firewalls, but if you plan on plugging the
USB device into a Windows XP machine to make it more secure, that
wouldn't help much.
(And anyway, writable CDs are much cheaper... and many Linux- or
*BSD-based firewalls can run off a floppy. No need to mess around with
expensive devices which need expensive connectors and all that if
getting an old CD drive is pretty easy.)
Joachim
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