mac atack

[brightspark]

i keep getting bullguard blocking port scans about 2 a day who and what would the hacker gain by it if i didnt have internet security to stop it anyone ??

 

[voipio]

Port scans can be benign but often thay are looking for open ports through which vulnerabilities can be exploited.

 

[PTvor]

A hacker could use a port scan to find an open port and use an exploit to install a key logger to bag things like banking details, or turn your PC into part of a bot net, probably to have it send out spam emails on demand.

I'm sure that most ISPs monitor for port scans at least watching for PCs connected through them launching port scans. You can use some internet sites such as Shields Up to do a port scan of your own computer and spot vulnerabilities.

 

[Bond]

turn your PC into part of a bot net, probably to have it send out spam emails on demand.

Mainly this. Computers sending out thousands of junk emails get cut off fairly quickly, always demand for new ones.

But sometimes just folk being nosey, it's the electronic equivalent of peeking in your shed window to see if there's anything worth nicking