what dangers in opening ports in firewall.?

ynotdu

Hi,I would like to open ports for two p2p sites.
i do not use the computer for any financial transactions or sensitive data.
My question is other than exploiting holes in firewalls for the above reasons is there other dangers out there i am overlooking.?
i would have to open the ports on eircoms Netopia routers firewall and my computers firewall.

ynotdu

ynotdu wrote: »

Hi,I would like to open ports for two p2p sites.
i do not use the computer for any financial transactions or sensitive data.
My question is other than exploiting holes in firewalls for the above reasons is there other dangers out there i am overlooking.?
i would have to open the ports on eircoms Netopia routers firewall and my computers firewall.

No replys guys???c,mon surely somebody has an answer?

the term p2p may have been wrong, I am talking about Streaming live video sites that have not been declared illegal.

to clarify some more i am wondering if i am leaving the OS in danger of infection,or in the main do people who exploit holes in firewalls bother spreading malware?

My impression was/is that usually they breach firewalls only to get money,and dont bother with *stupid* malware that just destroys the OS for the heck of it????

Martyr

run the p2p service(s) under a user account if possible and make sure the o/s is up to date.

wolfric

Opening ports is like opening a window of your home and letting people talk outside your house to whoever's there. If it's a kid in the window then they're easy to fool... if it's an adult they'll be much harder.... end of metaphor

It can be exploited 2 ways:

1. The p2p software you're using is actually trying to do harm to you... in that case as you're pretty much screwed as soon as you open the ports as you can be remotely controlled and have just about anything done to you. +1 for running under non admin account.
   
2. The p2p software is badly made and may be widly used enough for someone to try hack it and find an exploit. Then someone malicious may connect that isn't the p2p company and use the exploit to do the above by themselves.

The more popular they are the more trustworthy they are. Personally i'd just open the port and be done with it but that's just me.

ynotdu

wolfric wrote: »

Opening ports is like opening a window of your home and letting people talk outside your house to whoever's there. If it's a kid in the window then they're easy to fool... if it's an adult they'll be much harder.... end of metaphor


It can be exploited 2 ways:

1. The p2p software you're using is actually trying to do harm to you... in that case as you're pretty much screwed as soon as you open the ports as you can be remotely controlled and have just about anything done to you. +1 for running under non admin account.
   
2. The p2p software is badly made and may be widly used enough for someone to try hack it and find an exploit. Then someone malicious may connect that isn't the p2p company and use the exploit to do the above by themselves.

The more popular they are the more trustworthy they are. Personally i'd just open the port and be done with it but that's just me.

with you,s so far!
why the recommendation to use a guest account rather than an admins account?
to hide MY identity?or would the admin account give hackers more chances to change or hijack a computer?

wolfric

not a guest account. a limited user account. You can set up the type of user in the control panel and then user accounts. When using a limited account though, programs are prevented from accessing important stuff. So you'll need to log in with an admin account to install new software. If you need to run something as administrator just right click and run as and then use an admin account.

Limited user means limited registery editing, no saving files in program files, windows, documents and settings (other then your own folder) etc. Doesn't protect your identity though