Hi Steve, On Tue, 9 Oct 2001 06:53:20 -0400 (EDT), Steve <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Consider these points, and see if it doesn't make > you feel more comfortable about the safety of your > information/money. > 1) Even if there was an external connection through a > firewall, the fact that you know the numbering scheme > of the internal machines is analogous to knowing the > apartment number without knowing the street address... > Heh, "Hello, I'd like a mushroom and pepperoni pizza > please. I live in Apt. 2B." > 2) There are plenty of local networks that don't > even have a connection to the outside world... > especially in banks and military installations. > When I was an Information Systems Security Officer at > Naval Aviation Depot, Jacksonville, our LAN had no > external interface at all. Even if you knew the IP of > every terminal on the network, it doesn't do you any > good if there's no copper from the "outside world" to > the network. I'm sure there IS connection to the outside world. In Germany we have a system of terminals where You can get cash using Your "EC" card.There is no matter which bank owns the terminal. You insert Your card, enter the amout of money and a PIN and You get cash. The terminal retrieves Your credit and authentifies the access to Your money. > 3) It's very doubtful that any data is actually kept > on any of those machines. They most likely serve as > "dumb terminals," having the sole function of > transferring data to one of the ultra-locked down and > secure database servers... one of which probably > resides in the secret basement of the vault... ;-) These machines are no dumb terminals, they run OS/2 with a set of programmes which retrieve data about Your credit. I know that sys admins perform remote maintenance if there is any problem with the system. Regards Joerg -- Arachne V1.70, NON-COMMERCIAL copy, http://arachne.cz/
