Tech Help: port attacks

Maybe a bit of artex.

try the starboard side

I'm surprised at this, how are you connected to the internet? A direct modem or a router?

If a modem you might get incoming traffic but a router would normally (but not always) need configured to allow incoming things to see your machine. I.e. Anyone on the internet only sees your router IP, not the machines behind it, there might be 1, there might be 10,000.

If you've a router you could lock it down more. If a direct connection (like a SIM stick) .. well that is much more risky.

What port does it say, that's the question.

Thanks, Just

I'm on Sky fibre using a router

it says ports 56194,56195,56199,56203,56202

That sounds very odd ports .. TBH it sounds safe and your firewall (that I've never heard of!) is a bit off?

There is a well known internet site that you can go to that looks at your internet address and scans the ports it can see and tells you if dangerous ones look open, shields up!
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

When you say freezes betfair are you using just the website or some app?
There is a way (games use it) that compatible routers can be told to open up ports and allow the internet to see ports on your computer but sounds strange.

OK Thanks, Just, I'll check it out and get my router settings checked too.

I've had Bullguard for years now and it's been good

I am just using the website, no app

it says ports 56194,56195,56199,56203,56202

These ports are typical of an FTP connection response.

When initiating a request for a file on another computer, The initial handshake starts on the
reserved FTP port ( I can't remember what it is )  and moves to a port at the top of the range.

If this is the reason, then your computer is requesting a file from Betfair and either your firewall is
refusing the connection from Betfair, or the is some other FTP configuration ( again I can't remember )
which is required to enable this FTP port swap protocol ( it has some techy name I can't remember ).

HTH

To add to that: normally (but not always) ports in the lower ranges are the ones you worry about, they are the ones things connect *TO*. So for example if you had your windows network share port open to the internet, you're asking for a total kicking from every nasty bot on the internet. The port scanner link I sent you earlier scans the dangerous ports (simple mode) or more if you need.

To be honest if your behind a sky router you're probably ok, for incoming things (doesn't protect you if you go to hacked website or download a bad exe of course).

Your router is in effect a firewall anyway, and the most important one, if it's doing it's job. Where say a laptop firewall comes in 100 times more handy is if you go onto another network, coffee shop, hotel, library or whatever, that might be configured so hackers sitting on it can get to your laptop directly. I'm very much more careful if I'm connecting to anything not on my network, in fact I normally make sure things like windows sharing is just totally disabled.

Thanks Guys.

It was ok yesterday, so hopefully it was a one off.

I appreciate your advice, even though I don't fully understand it.

I'll see how it goes on today

Thanks again