ET phoning home!

[allenz]

Hello
This is my first time here so I don't know if this is the right forum to post this in or not.

I have 2 computers networked together as I don't want my video editing computer on the internet anymore, after re-installing everything again.

Now I notice my hub is showing activity from my editing computer. There's none on my little computer when I'm not on the internet.

Those blinking indicator lights I think would tell me something is sending information from my computer without my knowledge or permission.

Does anyone know how I can track down this culprit and get rid of it? Or is there another forum somewhere that deals with generalities like this?

I have the same icons in my system tray on that computer that I have on my internet computer. But I shut down everything in the system tray, but I still see the indicatory lights flashing quite regurally.

Thanks for any help.
Allen

[Galcoolest]

If you use Zone ALarm and have it updated to the newest build, check here....

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=58662

[CrazyM]

Hi allenz

... and welcome to Wilders :)

A firewall would help determine what network connections are being established.

You could use something like Ethereal (http://www.ethereal.com/) to see what network traffic is occurring on the system in question.

A port mapper is an alternative as well, will show processes, but may be limited to what traffic it can monitor:
Vision (http://www.foundstone.com/knowledge/proddesc/vision.html)
Active Ports (http://www.protect-me.com/freeware.html)
Port Explorer (http://www.diamondcs.com.au/portexplorer/)

Regards,

CrazyM

[allenz]

HI and thanks to boh of you. First I used to have Zone Alarm Pro but now with my DSL line I have a hardware firewall. Don't know much about it except how to get to the page that controlls it.

I really liked Zone Alarm but I think I was told I had to get it out before instaling the hardware firewall. Maybe I should contact Zone Labs and ask them?

How would I use the Hardware firewall to determine what network connections are being established then?

Thanks
Allen

[CrazyM]

-{ Quote: "First I used to have Zone Alarm Pro but now with my DSL line I have a hardware firewall. Don't know much about it except how to get to the page that controlls it.

I really liked Zone Alarm but I think I was told I had to get it out before instaling the hardware firewall. Maybe I should contact Zone Labs and ask them?" }-
Puting a hardware device in place should not have required removing ZA. You can always reinstall your software firewall.

-{ Quote: "How would I use the Hardware firewall to determine what network connections are being established then?" }-
Does it support logging?
Keep in mind there could be normal network traffic on the LAN side you may be seeing that is not going out to the WAN side (Internet). That is where something like Ethereal would help.

Regards,

CrazyM

[allenz]

Thank you very much. I really liked Zone Alarm especially because it also monitored outgoing traffic. I also talked to AZ today and also got an email on how to configure ZA to work with the hardware Firewall.

I will download the Pro trial version which is good for 15 days just to see. If I have any problems I will post them here.

Thanks again and Merry Christmas.
Allen