CARRIER-L Archives

From: "Neal F. Carrier" <>
Subject: [CARRIER-L] Computer Security
Date: Sun, 2 Apr 2000 12:16:55 -0400

While I usually don't like to see the list used for non-genealogical purposes, as
the list owner I'm going to give myself permission.

There has been a lot of news stories lately regarding virus's (or is it viri?)
"hacking" and unauthorized entry of evil doers into our computers. Most of us,
myself included, think it doesn't happen to me, but I've found out it does.

There are "firewall" programs you can buy from good companies like Norton and
McAfee that protect your computer from the outside world, but I hate to buy when
I can get for FREE.

As an experiment I downloaded Zone Alarm from www.zonealarm.com to see if I
was being hacked and dammed if I wasn't.

Since I've installed the program a few days ago, I find that someone is trying to
access my computer 2 or 3 times a day. These may be harmless things but I
don't like someone peeking into my private life. Some of these intrusions seem to
be random (the most worrisome kind) but I was reading some history web pages
from a University web site in the U. K. last night and after the page downloaded
the same site tried to get into my system and was blocked.

As I use a dial up modem, the only time I can be hacked is when I'm on line.
BUT if you're on a cable or other kind of "constantly connected" web service you
can be hacked any time your computer is on.

While this may seem to be a little bit paranoid, you've got to protect the
genealogy databases you've spent years building and also if you use a financial
program on your computer, your checkbook is open to the world.

Just food for thought on a rainy Sunday morning.

Neal Carrier

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• [CARRIER-L] Computer Security by "Neal F. Carrier" <>