Tekblog

Everyday hackers are constantly scanning the internet and seeking vulnerable systems to compromise.  These open ports can be used in attacks against your computer or home network.   

Gibson Research Corporation (GRC) offers a simple test called ShieldsUP! that will check the security of your computer connection to the internet.

This morning I ran the common ports test and received a TruStealth rating.  Not one single packed was released as a result of The Shieldsup! Security Probing Test!

What is your stealth rating?

Port

Service

Status

Security Implications

0

<nil>

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

21

FTP

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

22

SSH

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

23

Telnet

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

25

SMTP

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

79

Finger

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

80

HTTP

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

110

POP3

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

113

IDENT

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

119

NNTP

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

135

RPC

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

139

Net BIOS

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

143

IMAP

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

389

LDAP

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

443

HTTPS

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

445

MSFT DS

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

1002

ms-ils

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

1024

DCOM

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

1025

Host

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

1026

Host

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

1027

Host

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

1028

Host

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

1029

Host

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

1030

Host

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

1720

H.323

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

5000

UPnP

Stealth

There is NO EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that a port (or even any computer) exists at this IP address!

George W. DURMAN from his security page at ancestry.com suggests a number of steps to secure your internet connection at GRC as listed below:

From the main page, scroll down and click on “Shields Up”, then follow the directions.  At each page be sure to continue to the bottom and read all Steve has to say.  There are some valuable tips there.

1. First click on “File Sharing”; many (most?) of you will find that your system is NOT protected; Steve’s “file-sharing” test attempts to contact the Hidden Internet Server within your PC.  It is likely that no one has told you that your own personal computer may now be functioning as an Internet Server with neither your knowledge nor your permission.  And that it may be serving up all or many of your personal files for reading, writing, modification, and even deletion by anyone, anywhere, on the Internet!  If you fail this test, Steve will recommend actions you can take to fix this security problem.

2. Next, click on “Common Ports”.  This Internet Common Ports Probe attempts to establish standard TCP Internet connections with a collection of standard, well-known, and often vulnerable or troublesome Internet ports on your computer.  Since this is being done from the GRC server, successful connections demonstrate which of your ports are “open”, or visible, and soliciting connections from passing Internet port scanners.  If your system is properly protected, the probe should find NO ports vulnerable to Internet hackers or scanners.

3. Next, click on “All Service Ports”.  This probe does the same thing as b) above, but checks an additional 1056 ports.  It should find NO vulnerable ports.

4. Next, click on “Messenger Spam”.  This will test whether your system is protected from unsolicited messages when you are using Microsoft Messenger.  You have to have Messenger running when you do this test.  If you are NOT protected, you will see the unsolicited messages pop up on your screen.

5. Next, click “Browser Headers”.  Read all the instructions and then run the test.