Michael A. Stone wrote:
> I received this info from another group. Does anyone here have any
> knowledge, comments, concerns regarding this issue.....Thanks
>
> [ snippage ]my comments regarding the message itself are less than complimentary..
short form: it's rubbish.that most emphatically does *not* apply to you, though, for asking
about it. the fact that you saw fit to ask is wonderful.. exactly
the right thing to do if you have a concern and want more info.
kudos, bonus points, gold stars as required. ;-)now: on to the vivisection..
> A new major security hole has been found in Windows 95, 98, & NT.
if it has, this message doesn't say anything about it.
> Internet users should be forewarned that the private information they
> store on their computer�s is not private anymore.
>
> [...]
>
> Hackers print this information for use and distribution.this section is little more than undirected fear-mongering. it lists
potential abuses as facts, but doesn't say anything about how the
abuse is performed. nor do any of the issues raised have anything to
do with a 'new hole' in the Windows series of operating systems.> Whenever you sign online you are given what is called an IP address by
> your Internet Service This is the "address" the hackers use to come up
> into your system. Some ISP's give you a different IP Address each time
> you sign on and others always give you the same IP Address, every
> time.this is a reasonably concise description of dynamic versus static IP
allocation, which are fundamentally necessary for communication on
the internet.'IP' stands for 'Internet Protocol', which is one member of a set of
protocols that make the internet work. each set of protocols lays
out rules for a certain issue which is necessary for communication
between networked computers.IP defines the 'address space' of the internet. in human language,
that means it defines the rules by which "this computer over here" is
distinguished from "that computer over there". there are also pieces
which define the difference between "over here" and "over there", and
how to get between one and the other.when computers exchange information over the internet, it's roughly
like humans sending letters back and forth. the IP address of a
computer is roughly equivalent to the postal address on a letter.> This IP address is revealed every time you visit a web site or send an
> email. There is far less privacy or anonymity on the Internet that
> one would think.the operative term here, i'm afraid, is: "duh".
when you request a web page from a server, your computer basically
sends a self-addressed, stamped envelope. without a return address,
there's no way for the server to know who the page should be sent
back to.it *is* true that if someone knows the IP address your computer is
using, they can connect to it. that statement is roughly equivalent
to the assertion that if someone knows the address of your house, they
can go there. if someone malicious connects to your computer, they
can possibly do damage. that's what computer security programs are
designed to prevent. if someone malicious knows how to find your
house, they can try to break into it. that's what technologies
like 'locks' are for.the warning in the message, therefore, is roughly akin to saying that
people can call directory assistance, get your address, break into
your house, and steal all your stuff while you're at work. perfectly
true.. but not the fault of the telephone company. nor is it
anything to lose sleep over. it's certainly no excuse to go out and
buy a flashy security system you *still* won't hear when you're at
work.mike
(who, every day, and in every way, is getting more and more tempted to
give cars whose alarms go off every ten minutes, and are ignored because
the owner is half a mile away, a good coat of epoxy-based spray paint)mike stone <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 'net geek..
been there, done that, have network, will travel.
