home network security w negear router

[Mark J. Dulcey]

Jerry Feldman wrote:
> 
> I think that many subscribers of this list are running with cable modem
> routers, like the Netgear box. I am running a Linksys BEFW11S4 which has
> a built in 4 port switch + wireless. I have never had any problem with
> it or its predecessor the BEFSR41 (wired only). JABR routinely brings
> his BEFW11S4 to BLU meetings and Installfests. Additionally, several
> engineers I worked with at Compaq have the same box. 
> I have seen comments on other lists. While these boxes have had some
> security issues, they tend to be corrected quickly by firmware updates. 
> Unlike true firewalls, these are simply NAT boxes. 

Actually, just about all of these home routers are NAT + packet filters, 
giving them at least some firewall capabilities.

If you have any Windows boxen behind your NAT box, you should filter 
ports 135, 137-139, and 445 at a minimum; those are the ones that are 
used by the current crop of Windows viruses, and they're not needed for 
anything you would legitimately do over the Internet. The security 
experts among us can probably come up with a longer list.