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View Full Version : Should ISPs Be The Little Man's Firewall?


Ackar
09-07-2003, 09:56 PM
Slashdot | Should ISPs Be The Little Man's Firewall? (http://slashdot.org/articles/03/09/07/2343254.shtml?tid=126&tid=172&tid=95)



<blockquote>Quote:<hr>"In a paper (http://www.sans.org/rr/special/isp_blocking.php) published today, the point is made that ISPs should filter some ports (e.g. 135) for good. I guess given what everyone sees hitting their various firewalls these days, this may make sense. But wasn't the Internet supposed to be 'open' at one point? Or are we to the point where Internet=Web (and maybe AIM). The author of the paper is operating DShield (http://www.dshield.org/) and I guess has some insight into this issue. He made the same points before on various mailing lists." <hr></blockquote>



This may help against the majority of customers that don't know enough to protect their own system, but it could be annoying(or worse) to those of us that don't use our machines as just web/mail browsers.



I kind of agree with this response someone posted...

<blockquote>Quote:<hr>Re:At MOST it should be optional



Agreed. I left my old ISP (a small regional one in country queensland, australia) because they kept blocking ports bit by bit, based on traffic. If I started using ssh heavily, they'd block it "in case it was abuse" to try protecting me, and I'd need to call them to get the block removed. Wouldn't matter what the protocol, one by one more and more were closed.



The only ones that weren't regularly blocked like that were web ftp and mail to their servers.



As soon as one of the larger ISPs started operating here I switched over, and the dodgy blocking one had a huge sob story in the local paper about small businesses being forced out by large corporations. More like small businesses who have no clue what users want. <hr></blockquote>


</p>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub147.ezboard.com/bmonklybusiness43508.showUserPublicProfile?gid=ack ar>Ackar</A> at: 9/7/03 8:57 pm

miker985
09-08-2003, 01:22 AM
NO!



lemme repeat that





<span style="font-size:xx-large;"><span style="text-decoration:underline">NO</span></span>



its bad enough we have AOL the browser. if we get AOL the internet than no one will be able to go beyond what the basic user can do



people need to understand the internet, understand why certain things need to be done, and understand the general security concerns.



destroying the advanced properties of the internet to cater to the average moron is NOT the answer. doing so would be like replaceing windows in cars with steel plates because its possible to leave your car with the windows down.


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Sephie
09-08-2003, 04:29 AM
I say no, but I know so very little about the internal goings on of the ISPs that I can't really say much either way and have it mean anything. I'd really like to hear Fatal's views on this though <img src=http://www.ezboard.com/images/emoticons/smile.gif ALT=":)">



-Zkhar Runeclaw




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Estral LC
09-08-2003, 09:24 AM
Not just no, but hell no. My ISP's job is only two-fold... to give me access to the Net and to carry my traffic to & from it.



The first time, and I do mean the very first time, I ever find my ISP has blocked a port without my consent and involvement, that ISP will have one less customer at the end of the day.


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Sephie
09-08-2003, 10:11 AM
Unfortunately, a lot of less computer savvy people do blame their ISP when they themselves forget to set up security, or had no idea any sort of security was needed. And in this day in age, when you have to have warning labels on everything (packaging on a fan belt even says "do not install while engine is running) I can see ISPs getting into trouble because their consumers are fucking idiots.



So if this happens, its a measure made to protect themselves, not their consumers



-Zkhar Runeclaw


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