Can port forwarding increase my chance of getting a virus?

Question

If so are there any ways to increase security in addition to using a firewall and anti-virus software. other then deleting the ports?

Answer 1

Port forwarding is usually done when you have a server type application (for most home uses it is a peer to peer software), waiting at the end of the port for inbound connections.

You are pretty much allowing and inviting anyone in the world to initiate network communication with that program.

This is not a problem usually, except if there is a security vulnerability in the program. If the hacker knows of one, he can exploit it and eventually hack your system. In less serious cases he can cause a denial of service attack.

The best way to avoid this is of course to keep abreast of patches and any released announces of vulnerabilities in that software.

You can also try isolating that application from the rest of your computer so even if it is exploited damage is minimsed. You can for example run it in vmware, or set tight security controls on it using various software, but that might be overkill.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Well since in most cases port forwarding is used for peer to peer networking the answer is YES it can and does increase your chances of getting a virus! Hate to disagree with many who dont belive that BUT when you connect to someone elses computer (peer) you are connecting to an unkown non-identified system. You have NO IDEA what they are "offering you". You think it is a file, or music, or video etc but you may well be downloading trojans, viruses, backdoors, etc.

The only way to be safe is be absolutely sure about your defenses in that situation. Since NONE OF THEM ARE 100% you can't. Therefore peer to peer does increase your chances of downloading malicioius intent software.

Unless you know personnaly who you are connecting into you have no idea what they will send anymore than you have any idea what is attached to an email you get from an unknown source .

Answer 4

Different women have different perceptions of men. Some women will regard men who are in the military as embodying the epitomy of manliness. Others will not. From my own experience, I know that some women have found me more attractive after I told them I was in the military. I am positive that it has increased the number of times I got laid, so yes, I do think it helps. For that matter, any man with a job is more likely to get lucky regardless of what that job is. But it is still you, as a man, who closes the deal. It is really more important to be yourself in front of women. And she still has the final say on the matter.

Answer 5

Can port forwarding increase my chance of getting a virus? No, not if you configure port forward correct.

Scan all you download with your antivirus program, Ad Aware and Spybot-S&D.
Ad-Aware 2007 Free. http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php
Ad-Aware 2007 Free remains the most popular anti-spyware product for computer users around the world, with nearly one million downloads every week. Our free anti-spyware version provides you with advanced protection against spyware that secretly attaches and takes control of your computer, resulting in aggressive advertising pop-ups, sluggish computer activity, even identity theft through stolen bank details, passwords, and credit card account numbers. If you want real-time scanning capabilities, consider upgrading to Ad-Aware 2007 Plus for real-time protection against spyware, all the time.

Spybot-S&D Free. http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html
Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm giving it a try to see if something has invaded your computer.

http://portforward.com/
PortForward.com is proud to offer help setting up port forwarding on your router or firewall. Many Internet users are not aware of how to configure their router or firewall in order to use applications like Peer-to-Peer file sharing (PtoP), Internet Games, Web serving, FTP serving, WebCams, IRC DDC, and Instant Messaging such as AIM, ICQ, Yahoo and MS Messenger.

AVG Anti-Rootkit Free. http://free.grisoft.com/doc/39798/lng/us/tpl/v5
AVG Anti-Rootkit is a powerful tool with state-of-the-art technology for detection and removal of rootkits. rootkits are used to hide the presence of a malicious object like Trojans or keyloggers on your computer. If a threat uses rootkit technology to hide itself it is very hard to find the malware on your PC. AVG Anti-Rootkit gives you the power to find and delete the rootkit and to uncover the threat the rootkit is hiding.

CCleaner free.
CCleaner is a freeware system optimization and privacy tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. But the best part is that it's fast and contains NO spyware or adware. http://www.ccleaner.com/

ClearAllHistory - clears browser history, cache, cookies, clipboard and remove other computer activity tracks. http://www.clearallhistory.com/delete-passwords.html

*NOTE: Only have one antivirus program and one firewall installed on your computer.
Anti-adware/malware/spyware are ok to have more of.
Also scan with online scanners sometimes.

Hope this helps you.
JTB