Like the rest of you, every internet log-on is accompanied by repeated attempts by others to apparently infiltrate my machine. I get hit at some sites, like Lannies 3D Model World, on a regular basis, then some sessions are without incident and in others I get hit every few minutes. Companies from the Orient, Jakarta, and now a recent regular named Chappell Guitars. The last two weeks Ive getting hit by my own ISP! Would one of you experts please tell me what the normal attempted intrusion is really all about? What are they attempting? I read a recent article about these people complaining about the whois type of programs disclosing their identities. Many were getting e-mail flames and were crying about their privacy!! can you believe it! Id really appreciate someone telling me what this is really about. Thanks Pinto

Heya Pinto, I think a lot of the hits are from the "pay" advertising banners. I'm not sure whether it's them trying to get information about you or an attempt to place a cookie which might store the information of the banner and thus speeding loading time the next time that your computer encounters that particular advertisement. I have to admit though having your firewall constantly going of because of these is really really annoying and frustrating to say the least! I'm not surprised some of the companies who these ad's are from recieve some nasty mail. Regards Eshal

What do you mean by "hits"? How are they "hitting" you?

Are you using MSIE? I have been told that it's basically spyware. I use Netscape instead. -JH.

Yes I'm using MSIE, no cookies, but I don't think that's it, everybody with a firewall reports problems. So what actually happens with the attempt to enter a port? Pinto

There's good hits. And bad hits. I assume you're using something like BlackIce to determine when you're getting hit. Go to http://www.grc.com. And use their port probe system to test your machine for any vulnerable ports. Not all ports are usefull for gaining information from your HD. ISP port probes are examples of that type of hit. But some ports are key ports to your system. And should be closed off for your protection. BlackIce and other products do just that. But go test it out. Just to be safe. Also check out "optout" and another free program called "adware". These free programs search your HD for any spyware that gets downloaded when you surf the net. Do all this. And you will be as safe as anyone can be on the internet. ScottA

Netscape is the one that has the whole database on you (and for what reason?)....i stop using Netscape from the time they join AOL....and find out what they doing...you can read more about http://grc.com/downloaders.htm <<<<here. IE we new all along that Micro$oft was doing this...they didn't even hide it..

Well I can tell you for a fact that 3DModelworld isn't trying to hack your computer as its on the same server as my website, when i get an alert from zonealarm (averaging about 6 an hour) and i click the get more info button there web page informs that most hits are caused by servers not realising you have disconnected from there machine and other similar reasons........i wish i could give you the exact wording but as luck would have it when i need an alert none appear LOL......Steve

I just demanded a refund from Eudora today, the paid version put the Aureate spyware on my system everytime I used it. I use ZoneAlarm pro, and I get hit all the time...some I follow up, some (like my isp) I recognize. I think it's just a sign of the times. It's been happening all along and most folks didn't realize it until their firewall let them know. I won't use Netscape because I don't like what happened with them. Look at the history there. They complained about Microsoft, then sold out to AOL, gee, that kind of says something. At any rate, I will stay firewalled to the hilt, I am invisible to any probe (so far) lol...who knows what is out there. 8^) As to what they want, some are ads, some are sites that haven't kicked you loose, and some are people trying to get into your system with a probe. Marque

That's a good example of a Good(harmless) hit Steve. In fact. Most hits are just like that. They are just caused by routine maintenence and the way things are set up with the TC/IP and the servers on the net. You never notice it until you install something like BlackIce. When I switched to Cable. I installed BlackIce. And I see these types of probes all the time. Once in a great while. I do get probed by a hacker. That's when going to www.grc.com and checking my port status pays off. By the way. Simply having BlackIce set to paranoid setting blocks and protects all of your ports quite nicely. So you don't have to worry about good or bad port probes. ScottA

Jarek, Netscape has no database on me, you have the option of turning off the online storage of links and cache. IE is integrated into most Windows OS' after WIN95, there's no escaping it. The best you can do is avoid using it on the net. -JH.

Thanks for the response. And Steve Im not suggesting that there is an attempted hack at 3DWorld, Im just saying that my firewall alerts to an intrusion attempt at that site consistency. And yes, you are right about your site on the same server. I just tried 3D World and I got and attempt from a netblock assigned to Chappell Guitars in Richmond, California, I went to your site and Bingo!, same alert. Im just trying to get an education. So, when Chapppell Guitars probes one of my ports or in this case NetBios, what is it trying to do? Thats my question...If I did not have a firewall what would be happening? I think we could all use an education about this.. Thanks Pinto

Oh! I didn't think that Pinto :o) I understand your just wondering whats going on I was the same first time I installed a FW, basically (and i'm not very up on tech stuff) Chappel guitars is the server that PW ect.is on...... wierd thing is i don't get any alerts going to the same server so i'm not sure whats happening........Steve

Just a note on Blackice...... Its a great program, but every so often it sends a "packet" to themselves from your computer. I learned this by running blackice, ZoneAlarm, and HackerTracer at the same time. ZoneAlarm blocks it from going out, but As of yet I do not know what is in the "packet"

BlackIce is a wolf in sheep's clothing huh? ;-)