Anthony Flatt This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Untitled Document

   www.ccstech.com/Broadband/cont - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/18/2002   Last Visited: 7/18/2002

   Anthony Flatt
   
   aflatt@ccstech.com
   
   770-935-3720

2. 2. Yahoo! Groups : netsavers-newsletter Messages :Message 183 of 263

   beta.groups.yahoo.com/group/ne - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/1/2000   Last Visited: 3/31/2001

   Anthony Flatt , director of broadband technology for CCS Technologies in Norcross , said the growth of small-business and home computer networks has increased the vulnerability exponentially.
   
   Recently , he visited a home to inspect a home network and illustrate some of the security holes in other computers connected to Charter Communications' cable modem network.
   
   He plugged his laptop into the network and in 15 minutes was able to download and install a program capable of scanning other computers connected to Charter's network.
   
   Flatt said cable modem and digital subscriber line users are particularly vulnerable to such probes because they often use an Internet number , or IP address , that never changes. In addition , hackers can narrow their search because the addresses are made up of a string of four numbers , separated by periods , that are in a relatively close range.
   
   After five minutes of searching potential IP addresses , the program found 97 cable company customers' computers.
   
   Of those , about 20 commercial and residential computers were running software that permitted some level of anonymous access to strangers.
   
   ...
   Flatt doesn't believe sophisticated hackers are that interested attacking small businesses or home users -- they are too busy breaking into large corporate systems.
   
   Such threats , he said , come from novice hackers , often teens , who are vaguely familiar with computer networking and can download , as he did , a few network administrative tools from the Internet.
   
   Some invasions , however , may also come from the least sophisticated computer users.
   
   Flatt said some cable modem customers are able to browse the hard drives of other computers connected to their system by clicking on the Neighborhood Network icon on their PC's Windows desktop.
   
   Usually , it's harmless because the computer's hard drives are not accessible.
   
   But most users don't know how to set up a network correctly , he said. These are direct connections to the Internet , with all the disadvantages and advantages of a direct connection. And if you don't set it up correctly , you leave yourself wide open to anyone. They can virtually take control of you entire machine..
   
   The mistake is to allow a hard drive to be shared across the network. Sometimes , Flatt said , new computers are delivered with that feature turned on.
   
   The problem is compounded when residential users install small networks in their home , allowing families with more than one computer to share each other's files and printers as well as one high-speed Internet connection , Flatt said.
   
   If that network is incorrectly configured , or is not password- protected , other cable modem customers could have complete access to the family's network.
   
   In fact , if a person knew the IP address of the home network's primary computer , he or she could even browse that hard drive from the Internet.