Total NAC

[Nate Stuart]

Very common. Even more so if you are on some sort of cable modem. Usually
what these are are folks with too much time on their hands probing IP
ranges. They are searching for computers that they can get access to. Cable
modems are notoriously easy because the cabe companies operate in a specific
IP range, and once a user is assigned an IP it will generally remain the
same. Once access is obtained they usually place a virus/trojan onto your
system and from then on it will do whatever they want really. Some are just
PITA bugs, others are used to mask the offender's identity so he can perform
malicious acts onto others, and make it look like it was being done from
your PC. So, no I don't think you are being paranoid. I fix many PCs a day,
and the most virus and trojan filled computers are usually those with a
cable hookup. We strongly reccomend that people with a real 'net connection
use a firewall software. The store, and myself, use ZoneAlarm
www.zonelabs.com it's free and does a really decent job of blocking unwanted
access. At the store, on the cable connection, it usually gets hit 1-2 times
a day. So beware all and get some good firewall software, or a real OS....
I'm sick of fixin' these things! :-)

Later!
-Nate
'86 4kcsq

> I have an Internet question.  Have any others noticed that their computer
> is probed several times a day by a variety of IP sources?
>
> I get several reports each day from my firewall software telling me of
> attempted but blocked intrusions.  Is this common?
>
> Is it appropriate?
>
> Am I paranoid?
>
> Am I happy to have a functioning firewall package?  (You bet!  Free even.)