RE: Newspaper Article about Cable Modem security

[sean.kelly () lanston com]

> From: Robert Graham [mailto:robert_david_graham () yahoo com]
>
> For example, @Home (and some other ISPs) block incoming port 
> 139 at their
> routers. Engineers think this is free, because it is trivial 
> configuration in
> their routers. However, tech support people experience the 
> costs as people call
> up complaining that they can't share files with their 
> friends.
...
> It can easily take 15-minutes with a customer just to figure 
> out the problem is
> related to port 139. A typical conversation starts out with 
> "Hello, I'm paying
> $40/month for Internet access from you company but it doesn't 
> work. If I can't
> get it to work today, I want my money back".

If @Home didn't block port 139 then they would be getting calls saying
"someone hacked my computer and it's your fault, I'm going to take legal
action."  Basically, there's no way to win.  I'd rather err on the side of
caution.

Sean