Re: [PCTECH] Need firewall protection,

[David Gibbs <david@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dan Bale wrote:
> I thought Sasser showed the fallacy that one is safe as long as you behave
> safely.  Sasser showed that one only had to have Windows running and the
> broadband on to be infected.  Rhetorically asking, in my default
> configuration for the router, is the port that Sasser used to enter the
> system open or closed?

Unless you open them, all ports on a NATing router are closed.

A router facilitates outbound communications ... not inbound.  Inbound 
connections are deliberately hard to setup.

Remember ... a NATing router is designed to allow computers on a private 
network to access the public internet.  Your computers are not actually 
on the internet at all.  There is ZERO risk from outside attack when you 
are behind a router.  The only system that is exposed to the public 
internet is the router itself.

FWIW: Even when someone only has a single computer in their house, I 
still recommend they buy a router so they don't have to take extra steps 
to protect their computer.

david