Re: [cobalt-security] PortSentry/Active System Attacks

[Damian Gerow <dgerow@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, May 11, 2001 at 03:25:39PM +0200, Michael Stauber wrote:
> Hi Glen,
> 
> > Just a quick question- is it worth reporting system scans to the
> > relative network owners?
> 
> Not at all. A portscan usually isn't something which "nice" visitors do, but 
> there's also no law against it. And a portscan itself usually does no damage, 
> so you've got little in hand to hold it against the unknown person in 
> question.

I strongly disagree.  While it is not "illegal" to portscan some else's
systems (depending on the country you live in), it is generally indicitive
of something happening on the source machine.  Nothing may happen to you,
but I'm sure that the source administrator would appreciate hearing that
one of his boxes is doing portscans.  By letting him know, you have possibly
stopped the problem before it gets to you.