Topic: Is GRC.com a gimmick?

[chorleydave]

I have just been doing the security tests on Steve Gibson's GRC website.  My computer passed all the tests.  However, being the world's leading cynic, I decided to exit my firewall (Kerio original version) after first stopping it from starting automatically with Windows.  I then restarted my PC without a firewall and ran the tests again.  

Yes you've guessed correctly.  Even without a firewall my PC achieved a "True Stealth Rating.  No computer appears to exist at this address".

Are these online security test sites a gimmick, or is the original edition of Kerio so good that it stealths the machine even when it isn't running?

[cher45]

My guess would be that you are running XP with all security updates and possibly some safety tweak tips applied,since XP can be made fairly secure,unlike earlier Windows.And big possibility that you are connecting to the internet through an external modem.
How did I do!

[Hiatus]

You're probably right, cher45. BTW  

Windows XP has a "built-in" firewall. If you have SP2 then it's automatically enabled. It's not the greatest, but anything/everything helps. I think the SP2 one is a bit more advanced.

I tested mine out (Windows ME, wireless connection) and it said that it could/would probably be hacked. They found my ISP/host name. Guess I need to get a firewall or something...lol, it's probably also because I have shared files but oh well.  

I don't think there's much on here that ppl would want...

[cher45]

Thanks for the welcome,Hiatus  :waving:

It is surprising that ME is that vulnerable even behind a router.I have a home network with 3 pcs (no firewalls) connecting through a Linksys router to a dsl modem,some wired,some wireless and they all test safe at GRC.'Course they all have XP/SP1,but I have been giving most of the credit to the router.

BTW,my isp is identified,but the pcs are id'd as having private addresses and not accessible from the internet

[Sandra]

Good thinking Cher and

Unfortunately, I dont think that Dave has progressed to XP yet and as far as I know he is still using 98SE  

[chorleydave]

That's correct, Sandra, I am still on 98SE.

Therefore, I will ask again:

Is GRC.com a gimmick?

(By the way cher45)

[cher45]

OK,even though wrong on everything on first guess :-[ I do think Steve's site isn't a gimmick as he is highly regarded among the techies out there and his site is promoted in several tech news email letters I get,as a first stop to test out your security settings.
I do remember on my last 98 machine I tested vulnerable there on first try,but after following some of his posted tips I was able to lock that machine down.
So,you haven't even adjusted any settings to tighten security? If not maybe M$ has improved 98SE with later critical updates.Still wouldn't explain why Hiatus's ME machine is so vulnerable though since he should have same patches available.
Velly,velly odd...
hey, you didn't say how you connect to internet,dialup internal or external modem,broadband internal or external?

[Hiatus]

As far as I know it isn't. I'm behind a router so it's picking up the router's ip address. Looks like all the info is correct about the ISP and everything.

 

Anybody else have any problems with it?

[cher45]

I tested mine out (Windows ME, wireless connection) and it said that it could/would probably be hacked. They found my ISP/host name. Guess I need to get a firewall or something...lol, it's probably also because I have shared files but oh well.  

 :-[ OOps,sorry,I thought from your reply that GRC said you could be hacked.Guess that was a joke?

[chorleydave]

Hi again, cher45.

I am on 56K dial-up.  Tomorrow, when I have a little more time to faff about, I am going to stick a modem in one of the couple of spare part computers I keep in the cupboard and try the tests again.  As these PCs have no security programs at all loaded on them, just Win98SE and WinME and nothing else, they shold fail the GRC tests.  If they pass, it's a gimmick.  If they fail, then Kerio 2.15 must stealth the machine even when it isn't running, although how it does that I don't know.  

[Simon]

Sygate has an option to block all traffic if it's not running, Dave, as a safeguard against anything malicious which might try to disable it, so maybe Kerio has something similar?  It's actually quite a good idea, when you think about it.

[Camstop]

I ran "Shields up" last night on XPPro SP1 with the windows firewall   (yeah i know but it's a long story)  :slightlymad: and i had one port wide open   and a few that wern't stealthed ...


Today i put on SP2 with it's firewall and i'm fully stealthed now  



Ohh and   cher45  

[Adept]

Did you restart your browser in-bteween tests Dave? If you simply refresh the results page, I don't think grc.com re-performs the tests.

I don't know anything about Kerio, but it's safe to assume that Simon's suggestion is correct and that it has a failsafe mode.

I have never had any problems with grc.com, but I always make sure I test with www.pcflank.com as well. Just in case

[chorleydave]

Hi, Adept.

Yes, I disabled Kerio from loading at startup, and then rebooted and ran the tests again.

Today, I tried the tests on the computer I have been talking about in another thread, after I had formatted it and loaded 98SE and nothing else.  As this computer failed the tests, it looks as if Simon's theory is correct, and that Kerio will stealth the machine even when it isn't running.  As I am no great lover of firewalls (I find them intrusive with their constant popup warnings etc) I have spent years hoping that someone will come up with some software that puts the machine into stealth mode and keeps it there without having to have it running, similarly to the way Spywareblaster stops spyware from being loaded even when it isn't running.  Ironically, it looks as if I have had such software all the time.  

[chorleydave]

Sorry, I forgot to add that I am going to do it every night for a week, disable Kerio, reboot, and then run the tests.

If it remains stealthed, I will be one happy chappy.