Are automated scanners doing this ?

[Jon <secure () envisager com>]

I occasionally use a linux box with a random IP address allocated by an ISP and with the majority 
of services not available.  Over the last few months the rate of attempt to access this system has 
gone from none (start of the year) to one attempt to access every two to three minutes of 
on-line time.

Is this normal ? The attempts come from a wide range of international IP addresses but with about 
40% from accounts within the ISP itself.

Rgds

Jon