RE: Cable Vs. DSL

["* KAPIL *" <kapil () kapilville com>]

IMHO, not much of a difference. If you don't protect your network and
your assets with a firewall etc....neither is any better than the other.
In order to compromise any network, the attacker has to have a fair
amount of knowledge and not many people have this sort of knowledge.
Having said that, let me add that cable *might* be a little easier to
break into because of the shared plant architecture (I have personally
not seen any documented incidents)....but again, one has to have
extensive knowledge of such architecture.

DSL and Cable's problems are not technical but social. Most home users
have very little in way of technical knowledge in the Windows point and
click world we all live in. Any dedicated network connection requires
dedicated vigilance to protect the network. Anyone used to an AOL style
dial up connection has a hard time grasping how the internet is full of
things good and bad just like any other "society". Add to that the fact
that cable companies are, well, cable companies and very bad at playing
ISP....most have horrible technical support and very little
understanding of network security....just think how easy it is, the fact
that it's a felony aside, to "steal" cable....just splice the nearest
cable drop. 

DSL might be a little better....your connection in most cases is
dedicated and yours only. (atleast upto the DSLAM, past the aggregation
point IP is IP, whether its cable or DSL or T1) But again, phone
companies are not ISPs...they don't think like ISPs. Our Public Switched
Telephone Network is heavily regulated and the phone companies are
required to adhere to certain uptime standards, security and privacy
standards etc. Because DSL is telecom product, the security of telco
networks kinda' bleeds through.

Tricky question...too many variables....but like I said in the
beginning, the architecture itself of both cable and DSL are alike, in
the context of security anyway. But whether it translates into a secure
network at the user's house is a different matter entirely.

-K

-------------------------
Stand Up For Free Speech
http://www.eff.org

-----Original Message-----
From: Hornat, Charles [mailto:Charles_Hornat () standardandpoors com] 
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2003 10:42 AM
To: security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: Cable Vs. DSL


Which is more secure?
 
 
 
--------------------------------------------------------
The information contained in this message is intended only for the
recipient, and may be a confidential attorney-client communication or
may otherwise be privileged and confidential and protected from
disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient,
or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the
intended recipient, please be aware that any dissemination or copying of
this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this
communication in error, please immediately notify us by replying to the
message and deleting it from your computer.
 
Thank you,
 
Standard & Poor's
 
--------------------------------------------------------

 
 
 

------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Attend Black Hat Briefings & Training Europe, May 12-15 in Amsterdam,
the 
world's premier event for IT and network security experts.  The two-day 
Training features 6 hand-on courses on May 12-13 taught by
professionals.  
The two-day Briefings on May 14-15 features 24 top speakers with no
vendor 
sales pitches.  Deadline for the best rates is April 25.  Register today
to 
ensure your place.
http://www.securityfocus.com/BlackHat-security-basics 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
----


---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attend Black Hat Briefings & Training Europe, May 12-15 in Amsterdam, the 
world's premier event for IT and network security experts.  The two-day 
Training features 6 hand-on courses on May 12-13 taught by professionals.  
The two-day Briefings on May 14-15 features 24 top speakers with no vendor 
sales pitches.  Deadline for the best rates is April 25.  Register today to 
ensure your place.  http://www.securityfocus.com/BlackHat-security-basics 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------