If your PC is always connected to the Internet through a broadband ADSL or cable connection then you might be a sitting duck. Broadband connections are typically "always-on" permanent connections, meaning that whenever you computer is switched on you are connected to Internet and usually with the same IP address. While on the other hand slower dial-up modem connections are usually not connected to the Internet 24/7 and get assigned a different IP address each time they connect which provides some safety through obscurity.
This brings up several reasons why broadband connections are more vulnerable to attacks over their slower dialup counterparts:
- Speed - the reason why people like broadband connections is one of the same reasons they are attractive to crackers. Hijacking a high-speed broadband connection is a lot more useful for launching a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack like those that have been used to disable such Internet powerhouses as Yahoo, EBay and Microsoft. Not only that, downloading and uploading files onto a broadband connected PC is a lot faster than by modem, therefore if a malicious user attempted to upload a file (possibly a trojan) it could be transferred in seconds without you noticing the difference. Whereas uploading a file in the background of a dial-up connection would cause a noticeable speed decrease and increased modem activity.
- Permanent Connection - Whenever the computer is on it is connected to the Internet, which also includes times when you are not there. This makes it a lot easier for a cracker to snoop around without the chance of being seen or causing a noticeable disturbance.
- Static IP Addresses - Having a static IP address means that if a hacker finds an interesting computer that warrants further investigation, chances are it will be available again the next time using the same IP address. Dial-up modems on the other hand usually are assigned a different IP address each time they connect, meaning it is much harder, if not impossible, to find that computer again.
The easiest way to safeguard yourself against these threats is to install a firewall to monitor all the connections coming into and going out of your computer and blocking any that are unauthorized. A range of solid products are available to defend your system including Norton Personal Firewall, Black Ice Defender and ZoneAlarm Pro
. All are designed to protect you and your computer from the outside world and can also be configured to alert you if someone attempts to gain unauthorized access.
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