Network Security issue

[DoubleHelix747]

Hi, I am trying to make my computer totally invisible on the net. I went to www.grc.com and ran their Shields UP utility to scan for any undesirable file sharing and open ports. Everything looks good except for the following message:

Ping Reply: RECEIVED (FAILED) ? Your system REPLIED to our Ping (ICMP Echo) requests, making it visible on the Internet. Most personal firewalls can be configured to block, drop, and ignore such ping requests in order to better hide systems from hackers. This is highly recommended since "Ping" is among the oldest and most common methods used to locate systems prior to further exploitation.

I am using Windows XP firewall. How do I disablereply to a Ping request? Any downside to it?

Cheers.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Let ICMP through. There are some good things in there.

 

[mikecel79]

You can let ping through. It's pretty safe.

As for grc.com. That guy is NO security expert as he claims. Anyone remember when he said Windows XP having access to raw TCP/IP sockets would create a DDoS attack on the internet that no one would be able to stop? Still waiting for that one.

Do a search on Steve Gibson on The Register and you'll find lots more information about it.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: mikecel79
You can let ping through. It's pretty safe.

As for grc.com. That guy is NO security expert as he claims. Anyone remember when he said Windows XP having access to raw TCP/IP sockets would create a DDoS attack on the internet that no one would be able to stop? Still waiting for that one.

Do a search on Steve Gibson on The Register and you'll find lots more information about it.

It's still possible. 😉

 

[eigen]

Originally posted by: DoubleHelix747
Hi, I am trying to make my computer totally invisible on the net. I went to www.grc.com and ran their Shields UP utility to scan for any undesirable file sharing and open ports. Everything looks good except for the following message:

Ping Reply: RECEIVED (FAILED) ? Your system REPLIED to our Ping (ICMP Echo) requests, making it visible on the Internet. Most personal firewalls can be configured to block, drop, and ignore such ping requests in order to better hide systems from hackers. This is highly recommended since "Ping" is among the oldest and most common methods used to locate systems prior to further exploitation.

I am using Windows XP firewall. How do I disablereply to a Ping request? Any downside to it?

Cheers.

Better yet why don't you have someon a little more experience nmap your box, tell you the results and explain them, then recommend some software (prolly free) that can help you solve your problems.Perhaps you know some one on this board or another that would be willing to do so.

It is prolly more important as far as security is concerned to understand the protocols behind internet, as it allows you to think through the dangers of allowing certain services.