[OT] security issues

For Donald and some others:

I know everyone isn't made of infinite money, but generally I don't 
prefer to run a firewall on the machine I'm using (doubly so if that 
box is a Windoze - read: security hole - machine). Even Linux boxes 
tend to have so much ubiquity that there are quite a few common hacks 
and not everyone knows enough to lock-down the box. And it only takes 
one hole. 

So I was going to suggest people that can afford to think about it at 
least look into some of these separate dedicated firewall/hub 
combinations. Many either are a well locked down linux distro or use 
a proprietary OS so common attacks don't work against them. And 
they're usually not so hard to configure (if any configuration is 
required). 

If you want to run web servers, etc, I'd really advise not doing it 
on your main home machine (IIS that goes times ten for). Get an old 
486 or P-II or something and serve from it. And learn about locking 
down your web server or ask your nearest neighbourhood geek. 

Alternatively, think about a removable HDD to store your personal 
data... then the worst that gets trashed is your applications which 
you can reinstall. 

And (as Donald points out) make sure your drive imaging or backup 
software is up to date and you have frequent backups. 

Setting up your PC in such a way as to leave it exposed to the net 
leaves the script kiddies and the real crackers plenty of time to 
take a shot at it. And most of the kiddies will trash your machine 
just because they can. There are not many 'white hat' crackers out 
there willing to help you by identifying problems on your machine and 
NOT doing anything bad. 

Here's a list of some of the greatest danger areas, ways to identify 
them, ways to fix them, thanks to the FBI and SANS:

http://www.sans.org/top20/

The net is an ugly place. Don't surf unprotected! ;)