Re: FW: Legal? Road Runner proactive scanning.[Scanned]

["Bryan S. Sampsel" <bsampsel () libertyactivist org>]

Phil Brammer said:
<snip>

> > Nope.  Email performs a handshake, it does not probe an entire system to
> > communicate.  If it receives no response on its connection attempt, it
> > ceases activity.
>
> A gentle port scan on every port it checks also performs a handshake.
> It's TCP for god's sake.  In fact, if you have a firewall blocking access
> to a port (DROP) that is not allowing the RST flag to get sent back to me,
> are you not in violation of your handshake scenario?

Nope.  The portscan is not a standard service connection.  It is a shotgun
approach to inspect my system without my permission.  SMTP, HTTP, FTP,
HTTPS, SSH, TELNET, etc, are all standard methods of initiating specific
forms of communication.  The portscan is not.

The portscan is a tool for troubleshooting, security inspection, and
precursor to attacks...all depending upon somebody's motivation.  When it
isn't me, or someone I've authorized to perform such a scan, the
motivation is an unknown factor.  As such, it is tresspassing, as it was
done without my permission.

bryan

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ethical Hacking at the InfoSec Institute. Mention this ad and get $545 off 
any course! All of our class sizes are guaranteed to be 10 students or less 
to facilitate one-on-one interaction with one of our expert instructors. 
Attend a course taught by an expert instructor with years of in-the-field 
pen testing experience in our state of the art hacking lab. Master the skills 
of an Ethical Hacker to better assess the security of your organization. 
Visit us at: 
http://www.infosecinstitute.com/courses/ethical_hacking_training.html
----------------------------------------------------------------------------