RE: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] network scanning?

["Deterding, Brent D (UMC-Student)" <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

You know, I must admit that I am overly paranoid. But I do no not in the
ohmygodsomeoneisgoingtoattackme mindset, but the "Hey, self, look around you
and be aware of what threats exist and be able to counteract them." So I
don't walk directly to my car door, but walk around and look under the car
and in the backseat. Little stuff like that. If I'm walking somewhere with
my laptop bag on my shoulder what would I do if : someone tackled me
blindly? stuck a gun in my ribs fron in front/behind? stood 2 feet away and
pointed a gun at my head? stood 5 feet away and did the same thing? 25 feet?
These are all situations I am adequately prepared for. What about in my car;
what if someone held a knife to my throat from directly behind me? the
passenger seat? outside the drivers-side window? in front of my car with a
gun? These are also thing I have prepared for. All by just being aware and
spending a little money that I would spend anyway. Example: I carry a small
knife to cut open letters, boxes, banannas, etc. - I can draw it quickly
enough to be an effective weapon. 

I would love to have bulletproof windows in my house. I'm happy with buying
slightly more expensive than regular, awesome thermal windows that can
withstand blows from a crowbar, baseball, a brick, a gold ball, etc. My
company actually makes them; same material that your windshield is made of.
I'm happy buying a big heavy steel front door and good patented locks. I
don't WANT bars on my windows; they're ugly and not needed where I will
live. But windows that won't break if a neighborhood kid tosses a baseball
against it accidentally OR if a buglar tried to break through it serve my
purposes perfectly. Plus they're thermal and keep out bad UV rays.

Now - home defense. If someone intrudes into your house and is not lawfully
allowed to do so you can shoot them dead. Now, it has to be able to hold up
in count. So, if you shoot the pizza delivery guy through the head when he
steps into your entryway you're going to fry or rot in jail. If cops come
busting down your front door screaming police you best not shoot them or
your going to die; unless you sit around in NIJ 3 level armor on a regular
basis. If you wake up and there's a guy with a gun standing 5 feet away then
you can blow his head off and it's all good (except I always figured that
would REALLY mess with my perception of a safe area). 

My biggest complaint is that people aren't trained and just go out a get
guns. I may own a gun shortly that I will keep locked at the shooting range.
I would NEVER bring a gun into my home unless I was proficient hitting a
baseball-sized target 1-7 yards away in under two seconds from holstered to
fired. I would also have a biometric holster (only you can draw the weapon).
I would also realize that it isn't freakin' necessary! 99.999% of burglars
don't WANT to find you; this is why a light switch or a yippy dog can be
excellent home defense weapons. The only reason, IMHO, for a home-defense
projectile weapon is if you feel that you a a target to someone. I know
people that have this situation. People also have to realize if THEY are the
target or if something they own is a target.

If it's something you own evaluate the risk. Most likely you can mitigate a
lot of it if you just keep it elsewhere. If you have a nice house lock your
doors; you're money/status is a target. If you win the lottery; don't keep
it in cash in your basement!

Everything goes back to basic security principles, be it network or
physical. Evaluate the risk and measures to mitigate it. When I'm sitting
here I'm not worried about a round coming through my window. When I walk
with my laptop in public I'm MUCH more conscious and aware; I'm a target.
The trick is not to be a target of opportunity. If it's the difference
between me and someone looking around like they're lost; they're hosed and
I'm fine. 

-- Brent

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael [mailto:EMAIL:PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2001 6:36 PM
To: EMAIL:PROTECTED
Subject: Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] network scanning?


I tend to regard door locks and home security as a joke. I once proved 5
minutes after having an alarm installed that anyone with a cell phone
could keep it from going off since the stupid thing hasta call the
security co to do anything. I just assume nobody would bother with my
stuff and if they do I'll either let them have it and collect my insurance
money and buy new stuff or I'll beat the crap out of them. If I ever build
a house I will use technology to keep people out. It's just that in this
country we have the sick idea that we're safe. As someone who's had cops
camped in his frontyard having a gun battle with the guy across the street
I can tell you this is false. I probably will install bulletproof windows
and design my house in such a way that any intruder -- including cops --
will very likely be dead. *shrugs* Never trust anyone. Be very
paranoid. (Remember that in highschool I thought the govt wanted to kill
me. They are the enemy.)

*^*^*^*
Michael McGlothlin <EMAIL:PROTECTED>
http://www.kavlon.com

On Tue, 3 Apr 2001, Igor Izyumin Jr. wrote:

> This is not exactly true.  I'm sure that you do not change the lock on
your 
> house every two weeks and that you don't have a steel bulletproof 
> fire-retardant door that can stop burglars with flamethrowers.  You
probably 
> don't have big steel bars on your windows, either.  As far as anyone is 
> concerned, your home is probably not secure.  However, you rely on the
police 
> to prevent thieves from entering your home.  The same should be true of 
> computer security.  Crackers should be found, prosecuted, and jailed.  And
I 
> can assure you that the FBI has excellent tracing abilities, no matter how

> well you hide yourself.  There is no excuse for cracking into systems.  It

> should be a felony, period.  Of course, I'm not saying that it should be 
> illegal to ping/scan another system.  Sure, it can lead to an attack 
> (burglars often knock on doors to find out if anyone's home), but it's not

> illegal (there are some legitimate reasons to knock on someone's door).
And 
> rest assured that if the maximum penalty for compromising another computer
is 
> something even close to the penalty for burglary (and the crackers are
found 
> as actively as burglars are), cracking will be rare.

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