Someone Scanning Your Ports? React with TrashScan!
April 10th, 2000

TrashScan 1.0.3 (Freeware)
Michael Coffey

Although use of a firewall, such as Doorstop Personal Edition, will help protect against people trying to access information on your computer via the Internet, you may want to gather more information about the attempt. TrashScan can work in conjunction with such a firewall, resulting in protection and enhanced reporting.

TrashScan can detect connection attempts on 10 randomly selected ports, which you can later modify. You can also monitor attempts to connect to HTTP, FTP and Telnet services. You can choose to receive a text alert, or, what we think is the neatest feature, receive an e-mail alert. This can be useful for remote servers that don't always have an operator present.

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TrashScan Main Window with Some Alerts

TrashScan will attempt to resolve the offending IP address, and in the e-mail report, suggest an e-mail address where you can forward the report. Also, if a scan is detected, the message "SCAN ATTEMPT FROM <IP ADDRESS> DETECTED AND LOGGED BY TRASHSCAN" will be sent to the port, letting the potential cracker know that you are watching! This should be enough to discourage all but the most curious.

Keep tabs on who is trying to access your machine with TrashScan. Combined with a good firewall, you'll know about and protect against any unauthorized attempts to access you Mac.

Have any other network security gadgets you'd like us to look at? Let John know via e-mail, or share it with the rest of us in the Mac Gadget Forum.

Useful Link

TrashScan Home Page

Network Abuse Clearinghouse