|
Look Mac, I'm just gonna tell you once - you have to back up to the web with XDrive Try it free
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Miss your computer while away from home? Cheer up, GoToMyPC lets you access it from anywhere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Review
Created:
February, 2000
NetworkICE's
BlackICE
personal firewall
By Andy Walker, Cyberwalker
Media Syndicate
If you think your computer is safe from hackers and you have a fast Internet connection -- such as a Digital Subscriber Line or a cable modem service -- don't delude yourself. Hackers are out there scanning the Internet for opportunities. If your business or personal information is kept on the machine, it is vulnerable.
Traditional modems aren't connected long enough for a hacker to weasel onto a machine remotely. But the always-connected nature of the new high-speed connections gives a hacker more time to detect your computer and exploit it.
Network ICE's BlackICE is personal firewall software that acts as a buffer between your system and long-fingered hackers in the Internet world. This software is remarkably simple to use. It installs quickly and sits silently in the Windows system tray (which is at the bottom right of every Windows 95/98/NT screen) until it detects suspicious activity.
Hackers target computers by scanning for Internet Protocol addresses across the Internet. Computers connected by dial-up modems are hard targets because they have a new IP address assigned each time they connect. IP addresses for cable modem and some DSL connections don't change -- making them easy for a determined hacker to find.
In the first 48 hours of testing this product on a DSL-connected computer, BlackICE detected five attacks ranging from a simple scan to an attempt to locate a Trojan Horse client.
When a suspicious activity is detected, BlackICE's tray icon flashes red. A click of the mouse pops up a log that identifies the source of the attacker. This could be the address of the hacker's machine or the machine he or she is routing through. The program logs both the attacker and the incident so that you can tell how often an attack comes form a particular source.
The type of attack is displayed on an alternate tab in the program. More information on the type of the attack, its severity and a course of action can be obtained by clicking the "advICE" button. This takes you to a page in a library of Web pages on the Network ICE server, which gives a clear explanation of the event. There's also a link to a page on steps to take on how to deal with the incident.
Unlike with some of BlackICE's competitors, there's no configuration necessary, though there are four settings: Trusting, Cautious, Nervous and Paranoid. The "cautious" setting is set up by default.
The software also offers a series of logging functions to help track intruders as well as other functions that block attacks from sources not trusted but allow access by trusted systems. The Pro version can also auto-report incidents to Network Ice's ICEcap server for later analysis and review by an IT administrator.
Black ICE also has a timeline interface that shows the frequency of attacks and the volume of network traffic between a computer and the outside world. It can be viewed by minute, hour or day.
Of course, the key functionality of this software is not just to detect computer hackers but to defend against them.
Often the attackers are script kiddies -- usually teenagers with hacker tools easily obtained from the Internet. They're just passing the time and seeing what mischief they can get up to.
Hacker tools range from the sophisticated to the simple. What is most frightening is that they allow the scanning of thousands of computers and targeting of the most vulnerable.
BlackICE is nice, because it offers high-tech defence with a simple to understand and easy to use interface.
There are a few chinks in BlackICE's armor. Some of the advice pages are short on details and may leave you with unanswered questions. It may also overwhelm new users with some of the network lingo used, even though it is mostly explained on the supporting Web pages.
Reviewer's rating: 4.75 / 5
Comments: With convicted hacker Kevin Mitnick out of prison and his many admirers at large, BlackICE may be the best techno peace of mind you can buy for the money.
More info: http://www.networkice.com/
System
requirements: Pentium class computer with a minimum of 16 MB RAM and 6.5 MB hard drive space. This includes 2.5 MB allocated for logging trace files. Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4 (SP3, SP4, and SP5).
Price: $39.95 US, $60 Canadian
|
Adding RAM is easy, 