Network Attached storage security on LAN?

[jtsnow]

I have a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device on home LAN behind a Linksys
router (w/firewall) connected full time to WWW. The NAS is a backup server
that controls a USB harddrive and backs-up 4 PCs. The NAS is Linksys NSLU2
controlling a 250mb drive. I suppose this is the same issue with the
Buffalo units and any device that acts as a server on the LAN. The NSLU2 is
a Linux OS which I know nothing of.

How do I protect the disk contects on the NAS from being seen or tampered
with from someone on the WWW? Or is the firewall all I need? I not worried
about anything on the LAN, just access via WWW.

Any opinions are welcome to understand my security risks here.

Thank you!

 

[Rod Speed]

I have a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device on home LAN behind a Linksys
router (w/firewall) connected full time to WWW. The NAS is a backup server
that controls a USB harddrive and backs-up 4 PCs. The NAS is Linksys NSLU2
controlling a 250mb drive. I suppose this is the same issue with the Buffalo
units and any device that acts as a server on the LAN. The NSLU2 is a Linux
OS which I know nothing of.

How do I protect the disk contects on the NAS from being seen or tampered with
from someone on the WWW? Or is the firewall all I need?

Yep. Even a decent NAT router is fine for that too.

 

[Peter]

As long as you do not punch many holes in your Linksys router, NAS would be
fine, because it is passive (does not engage connections to public IPs).
But you should pay a lot of attention to your active PC's, especially those
running the most poular OS in the world. Once any of those get compromised,
your NAS is not secure anymore.

 

[jtsnow]

ok. good point. I keep on top of the other PCs and hopefully have drilled
into the kids heads about being careful. They have firewalls that are
password protected and only I can change. Also virus scan every day and do
Adaware and Spybot frequently too. So far no problems.

good tips thanks!

 

[Peter]

Try this, it is better than Adaware or Spybot:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

 

[jtsnow]

very nice...what do I owe you thanks!

Try this, it is better than Adaware or Spybot:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

 

[Arno Wagner]

I have a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device on home LAN behind a Linksys
router (w/firewall) connected full time to WWW. The NAS is a backup server
that controls a USB harddrive and backs-up 4 PCs. The NAS is Linksys NSLU2
controlling a 250mb drive. I suppose this is the same issue with the
Buffalo units and any device that acts as a server on the LAN. The NSLU2 is
a Linux OS which I know nothing of.

How do I protect the disk contects on the NAS from being seen or tampered
with from someone on the WWW? Or is the firewall all I need? I not worried
about anything on the LAN, just access via WWW.

Any opinions are welcome to understand my security risks here.

Probably the first step is to understand better what you are doing.
There is no WWW you can be connetced to. You likely mean the
Internet, which is something completely different. Some basic insights
into the network technology is needed if you want to understand your
security situation.

Basically a firewall is useless, unless configured matching your needs.
If you configure it correctly, you can easily hide the NAS from the
Internet. However you have to understand what you are doing to be able
to do this.

Arno

 

[Rod Speed]

Probably the first step is to understand better what you are doing.
There is no WWW you can be connetced to. You likely mean the
Internet, which is something completely different. Some basic insights
into the network technology is needed if you want to understand your
security situation.

Basically a firewall is useless, unless configured matching your needs.
If you configure it correctly, you can easily hide the NAS from the
Internet. However you have to understand what you are doing to be able
to do this.

Nope, not with the average hardware router/firewall.