Opening Ports in a Firewall

[Dauntless]

Hey, here is a question. If I were to open port 6881 in my firewall/ Linksys Router (for BitTorrent), would there be any sort of security risks?

[PaddyLong]

no more than you having any other port open... not unless of course you have some trojan or other program that let's people connect to your computer for malicious activities through port 6881

[Dauntless]

Actually, hackers can sound out for ports that give access to my computer can't they?

Additionally, does anyone know how to allow outgoing access to the BitTorrent ports (6881) if I'm on a LinkSys router?

[Dan]

heh, well you got to have some ports open to use the net. less ports open = more security but nothing is for shure. if you have all the newest patchs for your opperating system and no virus(trogens) you should be fine to have just it open.

[Homer_simpson]

well... i dunno if true or not... but i read somewhere no one can access yer computer unless they got a software on yer computer or if u let them... so basicaly no one can go thtough some net port on yer computer and access it...

[strife_8]

I think that may be true homer, because i've been hacked once and it was because I accepted a file from somebody in a multiplayer game. I've toyed around with SubSeven (a hack where if the user accepts a file with a customized hack meshed into another innocent program, the hacker [me ] can access the computer).

Ive attempted accessing Dauntless' computer but i screwed up then I tried on one of my networked computers and it worked, you can toy with the wallpaper, IE homepages and a lot of other stuff. Pretty cool if you ask me but it's difficult to get somebody to recieve the file.

[PaddyLong]

k subseven is just a trojan... there's others like backorrifice and shit like that... there's also what I like to call legal trojans... like PCAnywhere and MS's remote assistant...

your comment about getting hacked because you accepted a file doesn't prove anything wrong and just adds to the statement that you need to accept the virus or whatever before they can access your comp... not unless the 'hacker' is actually a real hacker (although this isn't really what a hacker is...) and knows what they are doing

[Dan]

Homer_simpson wrote:

well... i dunno if true or not... but i read somewhere no one can access yer computer unless they got a software on yer computer or if u let them... so basicaly no one can go thtough some net port on yer computer and access it...

that should be true homer, if your os was 100% done right then it whould be. but the windows os has had seriuty isuses from day one, there still are unpached ones and i bet we will see more to come. also keeping thous progames off your computer is not as esay as it sounds every day poleop are coming up with new ways to get them on your comp with out you knowing. i whould realy wach out for vrius soon b/c holadays is allways a good time to realse one if you whont to do maxium distorction. (b/c netwrok admin guys are all at home sleeping )