| Author |
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Guest
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 Posted:
Fri Nov 25, 2005 4:12 pm Post subject:
Firewall Memory Key |
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Is there much worth to the idea that a memory key could be used as a
hardware firewall (in the way floppy drives distros / old pcs have been used
as hardware firewalls running linux type distros on them)? If so, where can
I find more info? I've done several google searches but am unable to find
anything to really hit the spot. As it were. |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Nov 26, 2005 4:57 am Post subject:
Re: Firewall Memory Key |
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nospam@nospam.com wrote:
| Quote: | Is there much worth to the idea that a memory key could be used as a
hardware firewall (in the way floppy drives distros / old pcs have been used
as hardware firewalls running linux type distros on them)? If so, where can
I find more info? I've done several google searches but am unable to find
anything to really hit the spot. As it were.
|
Erm, I think of something that has a USB connection and a bit of storage
stuff inside when I think of a memory key. If that's what you mean,
you'll need to find a way to add network connectivity and a processor
first...
Joachim |
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Somebody.
Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Nov 26, 2005 8:57 am Post subject:
Re: Firewall Memory Key |
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<nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:dm7d5b$9tp$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...
| Quote: | Is there much worth to the idea that a memory key could be used as a
hardware firewall (in the way floppy drives distros / old pcs have been
used
as hardware firewalls running linux type distros on them)? If so, where
can
I find more info? I've done several google searches but am unable to find
anything to really hit the spot. As it were.
|
No.
-Russ. |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Nov 26, 2005 5:21 pm Post subject:
Re: Firewall Memory Key |
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| Quote: | Erm, I think of something that has a USB connection and a bit of storage
stuff inside when I think of a memory key. If that's what you mean,
you'll need to find a way to add network connectivity and a processor
first...
Joachim
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Sorry - didn't make this one very clear - can a usbkey be used as a read
only device for firewall settings in the sense it can be a replacement
software firewall ie becoming effectively a personal hardware firewall? |
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Guest
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| Posted:
Sat Nov 26, 2005 5:21 pm Post subject:
Re: Firewall Memory Key |
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nospam@nospam.com wrote:
| Quote: | Erm, I think of something that has a USB connection and a bit of storage
stuff inside when I think of a memory key. If that's what you mean,
you'll need to find a way to add network connectivity and a processor
first...
Joachim
Sorry - didn't make this one very clear - can a usbkey be used as a read
only device for firewall settings in the sense it can be a replacement
software firewall ie becoming effectively a personal hardware firewall?
|
Storing the firewall configuration on an USB device is possible, and
there are a couple of devices that can even boot off them.
Either would allow you to, at least, influence the way the firewall is
run from a USB key. If you somehow manage to make the USB device
read-only - some way that cannot be circumvented in software - then you
have a somewhat reliable way of storing your configuration, or even your
entire system.
However, this has little to do with the distinction software-hardware
firewall, which is quite silly anyway (the only real hardware firewalls
I know of involve scissors, pulling plugs and the like). The main
distinction, really, is the place where the filtering software is run.
If it is run on the host that is being protected, this is not ideal, and
sometimes called a software firewall. If it is run on another host, this
is usually called a hardware firewall, especially if the 'other host' is
some sort of specialized device.
The question of storing firewall settings on a USB device is orthogonal
to this, though. Storing (parts of) the system on read-only media has
it's merit, especially in firewalls, but if you plan on plugging the
USB device into a Windows XP machine to make it more secure, that
wouldn't help much.
(And anyway, writable CDs are much cheaper... and many Linux- or
*BSD-based firewalls can run off a floppy. No need to mess around with
expensive devices which need expensive connectors and all that if
getting an old CD drive is pretty easy.)
Joachim |
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Daffy
Guest
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| Posted:
Sun Nov 27, 2005 9:22 am Post subject:
Re: Firewall Memory Key |
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Look for U3 USB keys, they're starting to do what you want, right now
it's just AV, but a developer could write a FW app for it I suppose.
Here's a link to Memorex's version:
http://www.memorex.com/html/products_detail.php?section=3&CID=12&SID=16&PID=995&FID=150&opento=12
Daffy
On Fri, 25 Nov 2005 16:12:27 +0000 (UTC), <nospam@nospam.com> wrote:
| Quote: | Is there much worth to the idea that a memory key could be used as a
hardware firewall (in the way floppy drives distros / old pcs have been used
as hardware firewalls running linux type distros on them)? If so, where can
I find more info? I've done several google searches but am unable to find
anything to really hit the spot. As it were.
|
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