Stop Hackers Before They Attack

By Oct 19, 1999 12:00 AM

Listen carefully: If you use a cable modem or DSL to connect to the Net, someone could be snooping around your hard drive right now. This jerk could get on to your PC, delete files, or reformat your disk--and you won't know you've been hacked until it's too late.

Think it can't happen? Well, I've done it. (Don't worry, no PCs were harmed in the writing of this column.) What scares the dickens out of me is how easy it is to hack someone else's system.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to safely share your PC and Internet connection with others on your home network. I'll explain how to batten down your PC's hatches to make it an uninviting target.

Diary of a Mad Hacker

If you have cable modem or DSL service, chances are good that you have a static IP address. Because you use the same IP address every time you log on, you're more vulnerable to attack. Security rule numero uno: No matter how paranoid you are, you aren't paranoid enough.

Using readily available tools, I was able to invisibly log on to a dozen PCs on the Net. I could examine their hard disks, futz with files, even format any drive. No footprint, no detection, no kidding.

Of course, I did it with the other users' permission; real hackers won't bother to ask. So before you do anything else, log on to Shields UP, Steve Gibson's Internet security site. What you see there may scare you bitless.

The site examines the protocol that connects your PC to the Net. If file and printer sharing is enabled, your system's wide open. To secure your PC under Windows 9x, you'll need to change your network file and printer sharing settings. Gibson's site has a handy tutorial on how to do it.

But wait, you're not done yet. Every PC has thousands of ports--virtual openings that let you send e-mail, browse the Web, download files, and so on--that hackers can use to gain access to your system. To find out if anyone is snooping around your ports, grab a free copy of Port Detective.

Spreading the Speed

Believe me, you don't want to share your PC with strangers. But you can still split a fast Net connection among all your systems--and keep hackers at bay.

If you have a home network, WinGate Home lets up to three PCs share one Net connection for only $40. Those allergic to LANs can use StarTech's $40 Internet Splitter to share the Web between two stand-alone PCs.

Then spend $40 on BlackIce Defender, the best firewall I've found at that price. The program body-blocks intruders by protocol, IP address, and port. It even skips all the file and printer sharing rigamarole--you can configure this on the fly.

For a higher level of security, you'll need hardware. I tried BeadleNet's SOHO2000, a $349 hub that lets four users share a high-speed connection over a LAN. (Up to 25 users can be added, but not in my office, thanks.) The firewall is fail-safe, and installation took just 10 minutes--no lie. A cheaper, 16-user version called Home2000 should be available by the time you read this.

For more details on how to share a Net connection safely, check out Tim Higgins's terrific site. And for a glimpse into hacking, check out The Guide to Mostly Harmless Hacking. Just don't tell them I sent you.

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