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Michael:
When properly configured a router can completely hide you from
the outside world. However, certain viruses and trojan horses
can act as servers on your machine and MAY also be able to
forward router configuration settings. (This is a long shot.)
The more likely scenario is that some 'free' software will act as
a server, or could tunnel out of your machine whenever you
connect to the outside world. This is the instance when where
Zone Alarm protects you. It nabs such trojan horses.
(Actually, Seagate personal firewall is reputed to be superior to
Zone Alarm Pro in this regard and Seagate is FREE.)
Long shot attacks do happen. Consider:
I have seen a slick programmer build a trojan horse that was part
of a corporate software install. The trojan horse remains
dormant except when you access the internet. At that point it
uses SSL tunneling to send information about you (stolen from
your machine) to some destination established algorithmically.
He covered his tracks with IP address spoofing. Very very
impressive. The company he works for never caught on (an they
are among the 5 largest global advanced technology electronics
makers in the world.)
Bottom line: it is almost impossible to protect against really
sophisticated trojan horses, but you CAN catch your typical
attacks with Zone Alarm / router combination.
Leslie
Michael Harris wrote:
>
> --- Leslie Walko <l.walko@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Daniel:
> >
> > Strictly speaking, your statement that
> > "If you use a dial-up connection, you do not need
> any type of firewall at all. "
>
> Leslie,
>
> Could you clear up something for me? I'm using a
> Linksys router with ZoneAlarm. What additional
> security benefits does Zone Alarm provide versus just
> the router's firewall?
>
> Thanks,
> Mike
--
Regards,
Leslie Walko
610-688-2442
--
"Life is a tragedy for those who feel, a comedy for those who
think"
Horace Walpole, 4th earl of Orford, in a letter dated about 1770
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