[Ham-Computers] Why is DSL/Wideband more "hackable"?

[Jay Eimer]

Broadband is "easier" to hack for certain kinds of attacks, and those
attacks are primarily probes or denial of service type attacks.  And the
reason is that with most systems (unless you get a "permanent IP", which
frequency costs extra) you get a different IP address every time you
connect.

So, the hackers "probe" for an IP address with an unblocked port and a known
exploit using an automated program.  When their log shows an open machine,
they come back to "snoop" and see what they can steal (or break) through the
hole.

If you're on dial-up, odds are when they check the log and "discover" your
hole, you either (1) aren't connected at the moment due to the intermittent
nature of dialup connections or (2) are connected, through pure chance, but
have a different IP address, so while you are online, you aren't really
"there" (not where they think you are) because they're snooping the known
IP, which isn't yours anymore.

On the other hand, on broadband, the odds are that you haven't disconnected
and reconnected since they "found" you, and now they're in.

Note that if you stay online for extended periods of time using dialup, then
the broadband case still exists - it just doesn't happen as often because
few modems will even stay connected more than a few hours.

Jay
 

-----Original Message-----
From: ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:ham-computers-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Philip Atchley
Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 11:11
To: Computers
Subject: [Ham-Computers] Why is DSL/Wideband more "hackable"?

Hi,

Just a quick question here, perhaps the answer is obvious, but not to me.

Why are the wideband services "easier" to penetrate than a simple dial-up?
The reason I ask is,  using the dial-up my virus scanner
(AVAST) was was blocking constant "Port 135 DCOM Exploit attacks" until I
"plugged the hole" (I was running the XP firewall).  Also Zone Alarm
indicates pretty much of a steady stream of "probes", which of course it
blocks.  All this over a Dial-up.

Now, the 20th I'm installing DSL.  I've been told I should definitely have a
hardware router, which I don't have (I thought my 5 port hub was one, but it
isn't). 

Questions:
1.  WHY would my system be more vulnerable with DSL than it already was/is
with dial-up?
2.  Is it simply because the higher speed allows more attacks or probes to
my machine in a certain period of time, or is it more to do with the "always
on" feature of the wideband that allows more "time" for exposure?
3.  Or is it just a natural weakness of the Wideband system itself?

Inquiring minds want to know 8^)

73 de Phil  KO6BB
  
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