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Can your cab connect to the internet?

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bkenobi:

I was about to call BS on that last statement about a cab being vulnerable just by connecting to a router since NAT should keep you safe, but then I read this (a very interesting read, actually):

http://www.grc.com/nat/nat.htm

In essence, if you just connect your cab to a router with a NAT (all routers have this), you will be safe PROVIDED that it is the only system behind that router.  If you connect any other machine that is used to access the internet, it is possible to infect the cab.  If the other machine contracts a virus/worm/etc that uses RDC or file sharing to spread, the NAT will no longer protect your cab.  Also, if you have a WAP on the router that is not locked down, someone could potentially connect to it and intentionally/inadvertently infect at least one system behind the NAT.  At that point, all machines behind the NAT are vulnerable.

In any case, the real answer is that you need to understand networking to know whether you are making yourself vulnerable or not.  If you don't understand how to build a network correctly and you are concerned about data loss, keep your cab off the internet.

SuprSprint:

You are not safe even as the only device if the cabinet connects out to the net.

If you have not turned uPNP support off at the router (which many/most do not do), applications like torrent, IM, skype, etc can poke open holes inbound through your FW.

Even if you deny all inbound explicitly, active content can infect your computer just by using a browser or email client.

bkenobi:

Yes, but I think what we were discussing was connecting a cab to the net without having any interaction at all (no surfing, no IM, no torrent, etc) and still contracting nasties.  A router will not allow an inbound connection through unless it expects it (an outbound connection initiated the inbound) or a port(s) is opened (port forwarding, DMZ, etc).  So, if you just have your cabinet connected without any applications trying to make outside contact and you are behind a router with a NAT and no other computer that interacts with the net is inside the NAT, you should be OK.

That's a lot to ask IMO, so it's probably better to either use protection or not connect at all.

Gray_Area:


--- Quote from: pldoolittle on August 30, 2011, 06:29:52 pm ---You are not safe even as the only device if the cabinet connects out to the net.

If you have not turned uPNP support off at the router (which many/most do not do), applications like torrent, IM, skype, etc can poke open holes inbound through your FW.

--- End quote ---

By definition, those services need 'holes' to work through. Such is the risk of them. You certainly aren't playing games on MAMEHUB if it can't get in.

leapinlew:

The question was whether or not a machine can be infected simply by connecting to the internet with a live IP address (not a NAT'd) address after Scofthe7seas said:


--- Quote from: scofthe7seas on July 06, 2011, 02:42:40 pm ---Well, it's not like the internet is just a cesspool, waiting to rampantly infest PCs upon connection. I mean, sure, if you use your cabinet to browse around you have a chance, but just connecting to the internet without doing anything isn't going to get you a virus.

--- End quote ---
Scofthe7seas conducted a small test and was unable to contract a virus.

It really didn't have anything to do with NAT,  firewalls, virus scanners, etc. His thought was that a user could only get a virus if the user initiated an action. Which I think most of us know to be false.

If the question is "Can my cab connect to the internet" the answer is yes. If the question is "Does my cab connect to the internet" my answer is a hell no.

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