IT Professionals

Die ICS, Die!

Posted by on Oct 30, 2006 | One Comment

After reading about this latest issue that potentially could allow for an attack on Windows XP firewall, I don’t think I would be too worried about it. Why you ask? Because you would need to be running Windows ICS.

OK, unless I was trying to share a single dial-up connection, why in the heck would I be using ICS? If I was not on a slow connection and still felt that a typical store-bought router was not going to cut it, I would like to think that I would have sense enough to be using something like SmoothWall.

Oh sure, one might argue that most people facing this ICS exploit are not in a position of skill to make use of a firewall option such as SmoothWall. By the same token however, those same people who feel that that the an external firewall option is beyond them are not likely to turn down the one way protection of a good router w/firewall support. It may only offer inbound protection, but it’s sure a lot better than nothing. And besides, ICS? Give me a break!

  • Wayne

    Matt, Loved your comments about ICS. Not because I hate ICS or Microsoft, but because its so rare to read what technical writers really think. I am working in a shop where I am the only technical guru. The work is fun and challenging, but at times I go for weeks without talking to another geek. I read several technical newsletters on the Internet, and the writers seem good and competent, but rarely do they write beyond what they are paid for. Because of newsletter economics they cannot risk offending any big potential customers. The big sw vendors turn out some good stuff, but by the same token they have hyped some notoriously bad stuff as well (think Windows Me). As a one man band with a small budget and little time to waste on junk sw, your column is a great help. Keep up the good work. the Geek