Re: Problem w/symantec firewall & SSH Tunnel

Short definition of VPN (BTW you can probably get a better definition at
www.wikipedia.org).

VPN stands for virtual private network. It acts like a secure hardwired
network connection between two computers and creates a virtual (software
based) network adapter on both. All network traffic on that interface is
encrypted and tunneled over another network such as the Internet.
Functionally it really is just like having a hardwire between the two
computers and it's just as secure.

I use OpenVPN even though it's not as simple to set up as the one MS
provides with WinXP because it was more configurable. In other words it
allowed me to choose which TCP port # to tunnel through. The MS one does
not and my company's firewall blocks the port it uses. Either VPN
however is as secure as you're going to get. Nobody is going to see the
data being sent back and forth. Now if someone installs malware on one
of the computers it can access the data just like any other program can.

The MS VPN uses a protocol called IPSEC. OpenVPN uses one called SSL. If
SSL is ever cracked, we have a lot more to worry about then who's going
to snoop the traffic to your little PC though. It's the protocol that's
uses to secure almost all sensitive data on the Internet. In other words
if it ever gets cracked we're all in deep doodoo.

OpenVPN did not have an easy to use wizard to set it up, but the
how-to's on the Internet, and comments in the config files were very
helpful.

SSH tunneling is similar in that it creates a secure channel over
another network such as the Internet. It's different in that it's not a
virtual network adapter. Instead it forwards only the specified TCP
ports to a remote server. It too is considered secure. Secure enough
that the company I work for exchanges sensitive financial data every day
with our trading partners using it.

HTH.

BTW is the service LogMeIn.com? I use that sometimes for remote control
of my home computer. I prefer to use other solutions only because there
is a third party involved and I don't know how much I can trust them.
But if I'm on a public computer and don't have my other VPN or ssh
software installed, I can still access my home computer.
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