What services run when logged off.

[Guest]

I don't turn my XP Pro machine off at night. I have cable broadband, router
and a 16 port switch. I run a good firewall and AV. Does my machine have a
live internet connection when logged off? Would it be possible for my machine
to be hacked while I am logged off(assuming one could get by the firewall)?
Should I disable my connection before I go to bed or go to work?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I don't turn my XP Pro machine off at night. I have cable broadband, router
and a 16 port switch. I run a good firewall and AV. Does my machine have a
live internet connection when logged off? Would it be possible for my machine
to be hacked while I am logged off(assuming one could get by the firewall)?
Should I disable my connection before I go to bed or go to work?

It is the very nature of services that they run in the
background and are therefore independent of your
foreground logon session. Your risk of getting hacked
is small, depending on the quality of your firewall, and
is proportional to time the machine is connected to the
Internet.

 

[Og]

I don't turn my XP Pro machine off at night. I have cable broadband, router
and a 16 port switch. I run a good firewall and AV. Does my machine have a
live internet connection when logged off? Would it be possible for my
machine
to be hacked while I am logged off(assuming one could get by the
firewall)?
Should I disable my connection before I go to bed or go to work?

Most technically savvy people agree that Paranoia, a.k.a. Safe Hex, is a
very good trait for computer users to possess. You will find, however,
disagreement as to the necessary level of paranoia that one should possess.



"Would it be possible for my machine to be hacked while I am logged off".

Yes. The common wisdom in the world of computer security is: "Given the
appropriate tools, given enough time, and given enough money, a hacker can
break any encryption, any a hacker can gain access to any system."



In the world of computer security, then, the average user has the advantage
of not having a public profile that makes them attractive targets for a
dedicated hacker. Generally, what we have to contend with is the
packet-sniffing hacker looking for open ports to exploit.



Since you have a router that acts as a quasi firewall, and you have added
another firewall behind that to block the ports that packet sniffers are
looking to exploit, I would say that your level of paranoia is adequate.



Steve

 

[Guest]

I'd strongly recommend that you sign out of your broadband service if you can
at night if you can otherwise in case the firewall breaks (small chance!! is
there?) you'll get hackers but then, it is a very small risk...