17.7 Summary

A network connection lets your computer communicate with the outside world, but it can also permit attackers in the outside world to reach into your computer and do damage. Therefore:

• Decide whether or not the convenience of each Internet service is outweighed by its danger.

• Know all of the services that your computer makes available on the network and remove or disable those that you think are too dangerous.

• Pay specific attention to trap doors and Trojan horses that could compromise your internal network. For example, decide whether or not your users should be allowed to have .rhosts f iles. If you decide that they should not have such files, delete the files, rename the files, or modify your system software to disable the feature.

• Educate your users to be suspicious of strangers on the network.