Internet security question

[jeffgson]

I don't know if this is the right forum, first of all, for this issue. I'm running Win XP Pro.

I have a high speed cable connection, but have recently been switching to DUN.

What's happened is that at another forum, one with no rules about flames, trolls, insults and swearing, five or ten people got into a fight with me. I had my account terminated without notice. I'm fairly sure that the admin ran a backtrace and whois, and has my IP address, and also my primary email address.

Can he disrupt my computer having this information? I'm running a Sygate personal software Firewall, and Norton Antivirus which I keep updated and run system checks every seven to ten days. I am of course not going to his webpage. But can he still destabilize or crash my system somehow? There's no way he could know what I'm downloading from the net, as far as planting viruses or nasty scripts. But I'm so paranoid that I've changed the security levels of my internet settings to Custom, and have the computer set to prompt me before running any Scripts or ActiveX controls.

Do I have any reason to worry? I've been using various DUN services mostly and have disconnected my cable modem (except for this moment) just to keep him from using his knowledge of my IP address. Needless to say, I don't download attachments I'm not expecting, and I'll even wait to download an attachment while I email the friend who sent it to verify that they did send me an attachment, and it didn't come from a virus that used their address book to email itself or from someone who got access to my friend's personal info enough so to mimic their email.

I need answers for my peace of mind. I've been setting up several (at least three) DUN connections with different ISPs just to be safe (I bought the dialup modem the day after I knew I was blacklisted from the forum in question).

 

[MrChad]

Why would the moderator want to harass you? I think you are probably being overly paranoid. As long as you have a firewall and practice safe computing (which it sounds like you are doing), you should be fine. You might want to pick up a cheap hardware router (NAT will add an additional layer of protection), but other than that, don't worry so much

 

[jeffgson]

I don't trust the moderator, and I know he has enough computer skills to have created and maintained a complicated website.

I forgot to mention that when I am connected to my cable modem (as I am right now), I'm running through an anonymous proxy server. I don't know if that makes a difference since he knows my actual lP address.

 

[drag]

A little paranoid, there?

I mean did you do something to REALY piss him off or something?

Most people who run internet services for public use have to deal with a-holes on a daily basis, he probably doesn't have a whole lot of time just to screw with you.

Hell, more then likely he has forgotten that you ever existed.

He probably just ran that stuff as a automated information thing. Lots of trolls and people end up being fairly good about disguising their tracks and he probably doesn't want to ban a entire web proxier just for one guy. Or maybe they log IP addresses because then it makes it easier to ban people that use multiple usernames.

If your worried about it get a cheap router like a linksys or whatever. A simple NAT router like that can prevent him from accessing your computer directly.

 

[Rainsford]

Only in Hollywood is having an IP address a good start on attacking a computer. Movies to the contrary, if you keep your computer properly patched and don't do stupid things like have accounts with no passwords 99.5% of the so called "hackers" on the internet couldn't crack your computer given all the time in the world.

But I wouldn't worry too much, I'm sure he has better things to do than bother with you anyways.

 

[jeffgson]

Well, I went ahead and ordered the NAT router anyway (Netgear MR814). I went back to DUN again while I'm waiting.

 

[Kappo]

Unplug your modem and get a new IP address. Unless you share your root dir with the world and decided to not use a password, you are pretty safe. If someone threatens that they can do something to you, then they most likely cant. Couple that with the fact that you use a firewall...and you have zero worries. I piss people off all the time and I have no problem handing out my IP like it is candy. I dont use AV at all, either! Never had a problem.