Router and firewall software question

[earthdick]

I just purchased a D-Link router thinking that it would give me more peace of mind regarding internet attacks. I use Zone Alarm Pro as a software firewall. However, I also just received the latest copy of PC magazine and I just finished reading an article titled "Is your home LAN secure". Basically the author states that NAT used by routers can be hacked. He suggests that you should keep a software firewall with your router to be safe. What's going on? Can a router be hacked? Do I need to keep ZoneAlarm Pro anyway? Thanks.

[UnseenMenace]

Yes a router can be hacked, If someone with enough knowledge wants to. Then again software based firewalls can be hacked also and as such you should really consider these questions.

* Is any computer system connected to the Internet really secure?
* What do you have on your system that is so valuable?.

The firewall on the router will stop 'script kiddys' however it will not stop the truely skilled and neither will any software based firewall. Its worth remembering that NASA has far greater security than most and has still been hacked. If this is an 'Massive' area of concern for you perhaps the best idea regarding security would be to have a computer which is 'NOT' connected to the Internet

[!-=sky=-!]

if u want articles related the secruity then go look at

http://astalavista.box.sk and tehre should be a link relating to security there

if not then search for security

[touser]

if a computer is connected to the internet it is not secure..no questions about it, now the router will provide some firewall protection but it is not a true firewall..it will just help keep you from being noticed on a scan..now the software firewall like zonealarm is a must i feal, i have a router as well, the software firewall will stop trojans if you should get 1 from calling home..for me that is the greatest advantage of a software firewall..

[UnseenMenace]

Originally posted by touser
..now the software firewall like zonealarm is a must i feal, i have a router as well, the software firewall will stop trojans if you should get 1 from calling home..for me that is the greatest advantage of a software firewall..

This is incorrect imho, a software based firewall does NOT stop trojans. The most a software based firewall including zone alarm can do is display what programs are connecting to the internet.. It does not stop trojans.
Regular scanning of your system and ALL downloaded files with a up to date Anti-Virus scanner and Anti-Trojan scanners will do more to safeguard your system than any software firewall.

How paranoid do we want to get?.. One advantage of routers is that you do not have to mess about with software firewalls which eat up your system resources. If security matters to you that much.. have a PC which is not connected to the internet, which brings me back to my origional point.

* Is any computer system connected to the Internet really secure?
* What do you have on your system that is so valuable?.

[Amedeo602]

A good, updated V scanner picks up most trojans.

A good firewall (I have a DI-804 router with a firewall) will block script kiddies, but nothing can stop someone truely skilled and truely determined to access your machine except unplugging it.

A popular kiddie program, sub7, is easily stopped with zonealarm's LOCK feature and the person's IP shows up in the log and is easily identifable by the odd port number used by sub7.




And sky, I'd have to request you remove the link as it goes to a site featuring warez, crackz, and other naughty, naughty things that oc.com does NOT want to be associated with.

[touser]

Originally posted by UnseenMenace


This is incorrect imho, a software based firewall does NOT stop trojans. The most a software based firewall including zone alarm can do is display what programs are connecting to the internet.. It does not stop trojans.
Regular scanning of your system and ALL downloaded files with a up to date Anti-Virus scanner and Anti-Trojan scanners will do more to safeguard your system than any software firewall.

How paranoid do we want to get?.. One advantage of routers is that you do not have to mess about with software firewalls which eat up your system resources. If security matters to you that much.. have a PC which is not connected to the internet, which brings me back to my origional point.

* Is any computer system connected to the Internet really secure?
* What do you have on your system that is so valuable?.
well from my understanding is that with zonealarm any time a program tries to access the internet for the 1st time whether it be a trojan, or internet explorer it will prompt you to give that program permission to access the internet..if you say no you block the trojan