close ping?

[george]

I went to Steve Gibson's website ( https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0ciyl2 )
checking my internet connection, etc.. It states that:

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.

How do I fix this issue?

Windows XP SP2
Networking 2 pc's
befsr41 Linksys Router
Westell 6100 DSL modem ( Zoomtown )
Zone Alarm 6.5.737.000

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

I went to Steve Gibson's website ( https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0ciyl2 )
checking my internet connection, etc.. It states that:

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.

How do I fix this issue?

Windows XP SP2
Networking 2 pc's
befsr41 Linksys Router
Westell 6100 DSL modem ( Zoomtown )
Zone Alarm 6.5.737.000

Your router is what's visible on the Internet. Go into the router's
web-based setup (probably at an address like http://192.168.1.1) and
disable ICMP Echo.

Your computers are invisible on the Internet, so there's no risk to
them. The router assigns them private, non-routeable IP addresses.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Chuck]

I went to Steve Gibson's website ( https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0ciyl2 )
checking my internet connection, etc.. It states that:

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.

As Steve (Winograd not Gibson) indicates, disabling ICMP Echo will make the
router not respond to a simple "Ping" (ICMP Echo). It won't make your router
invisible. Steve Gibson sells snake oil. Another word for his advice is
Security By Obscurity.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/security-by-obscurity.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/security-by-obscurity.html

A better advice would be for you to take Steve (Gibson not Winograd) with a
grain of salt. Practice Layered Security, and understand the limitations of
Security By Obscurity.
<http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/please-protect-yourself-layer-your.html>
http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/05/please-protect-yourself-layer-your.html

 

[George]

Steve and Chuck,

Thank you for your advice and forewarnings! However, I went through every
section of my BEFSR41 Linksys Router and could NOT find a setting to shutoff
ICMP anywhere.

I did do some research on google.com for this issue and read one site that
said this about my linksys router.
Block WAN Requests

Use these features to enhance your network's security and filter
multicasting.

Block Anonymous Internet Requests. This keeps your network from being
"pinged" or detected and reinforces

your network security by hiding your network ports, so it is more difficult
for intruders to work their way into your

network. Select Enabled to block anonymous Internet requests, or Disabled to
allow anonymous Internet

requests.

I tried this setting but that still showed on Steve Gibson's site that it
was still able to ping me. I will take Chuck's advice and stop worrying
about this! Just wanted to make sure my network was locked down tight.


George