Subject: Re: Always on internet?
From: Ben Stanley (bds02@uow.edu.au)
Date: Tue Mar 19 2002 - 21:52:53 MST
Cal Grandy wrote:
> My G3 is connected to the internet constantly via cable. Only today an
> e-mail worm snaked its way through into my wife's computer. Must I
> worry about protecting my linux installation from hackers, and in that
> event is there a program a newbie could comprehend how to install to
> prevent it?
The best thing may be to set up a separate computer as a firewall with
IPCop on it (Intel only). It looks like a really good package:
It was recently reviewed:
http://online.securityfocus.com/infocus/1556
Even though you may prefer macs, the firewall machine just sits in a
closet - you don't have to actually sit in front of it once you've set
it up. In fact you don't need the screen or keyboard after installation.
The hardware requirements are quite modest, so you should be able to
pick up the necessary bare bones system fairly cheaply. (Note that once
you've set it up, the firewall ceases to be regarded as a computer and
becomes an appliance, except that it occasionally requires updating.)
And it is also possible to set up firewall rules on your ydl mac - see
http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Firewall-HOWTO.html
However, you will have to become at least a partial wizzard at ipchains
to figure out how to set it up properly. The ipcop people have already
done the hard yards for you :-)
However, none of this will protect any of your computers against email
viruses. That requires separate email filtering software. There's a
list of such programs at
http://www.linux-sec.net/Mail/
but I don't personally run any of them. They don't look easy to set up.
It might be easier for you to convince your wife not to open *any*
attachments :-).
Ben.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2a24 : Tue Mar 19 2002 - 22:05:18 MST