In this article, you will learn about firewalls and why they are important to have. We will also go over a short course on how others can connect to your computer if you are not secured.

http://www.iceteks.com/articles/parser.php...ticle=netsecure

(originally posted with the old php feedback form)
splatflys
December 19, 2002, 7:15:26 am
Just reading. Yes good article

No problem glad you both liked the article.

I know a whole lot of ways to secure a computer. My computer is a perfect example.

I have both a hardware and software firewall, I made it so nothing can open on my computer without permission, and I have an AV.

Don't run Windows, perhaps?

Yeah that works, but if you don't know lot about linux it's even more unsecure then windows. A system is only as secure as the one using it. The OS has a role as well, but not 100%.

No, it's not.

There are inherent social engineering reasons why Linux is vastly more secure, owing primarily to the use of repositories, vs. downloading an executable installer off of a website. The repositories are moderated, and bad software is regularly weeded out.

Yeah it's more secure in that sense, but in terms of being hacked into. A linux server that someone who knows nothing about linux just finished setting up will get hacked much easilly then one set up by a knowledgeble windows admin. I'm sure if I would decide to put my linux server online, it would get hacked very quick. I'll find out though once I deploy my firewall which will run on linux, though I might just go and use smoothwall instead, not sure yet. The firewall will be in front of the router so if someone does hack into it, oh well, it will be a learning experience.

Why set up a server at all then? Most people have no need to run servers, and most desktop-oriented distributions don't start or even include much in the way of servers.

Let's say for FTP or what not, etc. There's lot of reasons. Mine at home is behind my router so security is not an issue, but as I don't know much about linux yet, if I put it online I'd most likely get hacked into. Actually, I should try it for fun, image it in a VM, delete all the confidential data, and set the VM in the DMZ zone. It might actually be more secure then I think even by default.

It probably would be.