ASK MR. MODEM

Staying Safe at Any Speed

What You Need to Know to Prevent Hack Attacks

By Richard A. Sherman

espite the many benefits of high-speed access, if you use a cable modem, DSL, or some other form of always-on Internet connection, you are potentially at risk for a hack attack. A hacker, for the purposes of this column, is anybody who gains unauthorized access to a computer in order to steal or corrupt data. With millions of people careening around the Web, for the professional hacker and hacker wannabes potential targets abound. Hackers attack for a number of reasons: For some, it's purely recreational: they do it for the challenge, to test their own skills, and for the bragging rights. Others, technically referred to as "crackers," have more sinister motives, such as breaking into your computer to steal your personal information.

            When a hacker steals your credit-card numbers, Social Security number or bank accounts, that information can be used to run up charges in your name, destroy your credit, and effectively ruin your life. To compound matters, your information may be sold several times to other identity thieves. A hacker can even install software on your computer and use it to launch attacks against other computers. And guess who would appear to be responsible? 

Your Best Protection

          If you use a high-speed connection to access the Internet, your best protection against intruders is a firewall—software specifically designed to block unauthorized individuals from accessing your computer. A firewall program runs in the background, protecting your computer, while you're connected to the Internet and going about your normal business online.

            Hiding the presence of your computer on the Internet makes it difficult for hackers to locate you. A properly configured firewall can do exactly that by masking what's known as your IP address. What’s that, you ask? Every computer on the Internet has a unique address called an IP, or Internet Protocol, address. Think of it as a street address for your computer. When you connect to the Internet, your IP address, which is a string of numbers, such as 198.24.68.10, identifies your machine. If you use a slower, dial-up connection, your IP address is usually assigned dynamically, which means it changes every time you log on. There's no particular need for a firewall if you have a dial-up connection, unless you frequently connect to the Internet for many hours at a time. Most high-speed-access IP addresses are fixed or static, however, making it easier for a hacker to locate and repeatedly access computers connected to the Internet.

Firewalls I Have Known and Loved

            If you're using Windows XP, Mr. Gates & Company have thoughtfully included a firewall feature, though it's turned off by default. To turn it on, follow these steps:

1.  Open the Start menu, right-click on My Network Places,

and choose Properties.

2.   Right-click on your Internet connection and select Properties.

3.  Click the Advanced tab, then click again in the box to activate the Windows XP firewall.

            If you're not using Windows XP, or you would like a higher level of protection than afforded by XP's firewall, there are many commercial firewalls available. One program that has received the coveted Mr. Modem "Squeal of Approval" is ZoneAlarm Pro from Zone Labs (www.zonelabs.com). Zone Labs offers a free version, which provides basic protection, though I would recommend ZoneAlarm Pro ($49.95) for the best protection possible. For information about configuring ZoneAlarm, send a blank e-mail to zonealarm@MrModem.net. Other popular firewall programs include BlackIce Defender (www.networkice.com), Norton Internet 2003 (www.symantec.com), and Guard Dog (www.mcafee.com).

            When firewall shopping, look for a firewall that blocks outgoing as well as incoming data. Monitoring outgoing data will thwart any hacker-planted software programs (called "spyware") that may export (send out) data from your system, without your permission.

Want to Know How Vulnerable You Are?

            If you're dithering about the need for a firewall and think that the odds against being hacked are slim, you're correct. Statistically, of the tens of millions of computers connected to the Internet, only a very small percentage are ever accessed by hackers. But taking out an insurance policy in the form of a firewall program is smart, especially if you have an always-on connection to the Internet. Don't make the all-too-common mistake of believing that your anti-virus software will protect you against hackers. It won't. 

            You can check the security of your computer by visiting www.grc.com.  Click the Shields Up! logo, then scroll down to the description of Shields Up! software and try the free Shields Up! check. This Web-based test (you won't have to install any software) will scan your computer and tell you how vulnerable your system is to a hacker. Caution: You may never sleep again!

            Coming next month: We'll explore the growing problem of identity theft, and I'll offer some suggestions for keeping you and your personal information safe. If you have any questions or comments about this month’s column, or would like to suggest a topic for a future column, please address your e-mail to MrModem@MrModem.net.

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Richard A. Sherman, a k a Mr. Modem, is a nationally syndicated columnist, whose “Ask Mr. Modem!” column appears in more than 60 publications throughout the U.S. and in Canada. As publisher of the popular “Ask Mr. Modem” weekly newsletter, he provides easy-to-understand, non-technical, computer- and Internet-related answers to questions received from subscribers worldwide. He is the author of eight books, including “Mr. Modem’s Internet Guide for Seniors” (Sybex) and “Ask Mr. Modem,” a collection of hundreds of frequently asked computer and Internet questions received from readers. Richard is a contributing editor to TechTV and host of the daily "Mr. Modem Minute" television segment produced by FOX-TV. 

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