Online Presence and Insignificant Others

There is an issue with having an online presence of the nature of crackerjackdata.net ...

This surrounds the innumerable attempts at exploit by others who either rent server or network space and try to break and enter as either a hobby or career.

Yes, I indeed had such inclinations back in the late 1970s but those days are long gone and my access was limited to a measily 1200 baud analog modem attached to a dumb terminal. The addition of a pdp-11/73 process in a backplane with DLV/11-J and other interfaces as well as CDC 9448-96 disk drive the size of a small refrigerator still didn't afford me the break and enter capabilities all too many technological sociopaths now may afford.

Then there are the two types of people: significant and insignificant.

My place is not for everyone. It is both an acquired taste and by invitation only. People think because you're in the public domain you're automatically a public resource with which to do as you please. Nope, I don't let just anyone hang around.

The annointed few are accommodated regardless of how great those lengths are to make things happen. The others are admonished thusly:

behave or begone !

So what is one to do when the access logs are filled with OBVIOUS exploit attempts of the web, mail, and application server variety by the sociopathic ilk of would-be technology purveyors in our midst ???

In a word: FIREWALL.

Yes, the F word. I will invoke it at the drop of a hat. I will firewall people, places, groups, entities, entire countries at the drop of a hat. Can you say "China" enemy of the United States of America boys and girls?

I even purchase additional machines to ensure adequate throughput for the many rules in place.

So yes, I am a vigorous firewall afficinado with eyes on those logs and a keen eye for keeping out troublemakers, i.e., spammers and exploits and I won't hesitate to change out hardware which gives the slightest hint of unsuitability.

There you have it. I'm a vigilant mean network and server farm managing machine ! My policy is "do no harm to others" and conversely, you go after me I'm going to head you off at the pass quicky and permanently. Don't tread on me unless you want to draw back a nub.