This concerns connecting to an Apple IIe using telnet and the default port 23. I have read that port 23 is not a good idea due to security issues.
But I suspect this is for connecting to modern computers, not an old Apple IIe which is not smart enough to respond to such tactics, is that true?
The advantage to running a BBS on a IIe using port 23 is that it is the default port so would be easier for the non-technical person to connect.
Looking at the list of BBS sites stored in SyncTERM telnet program, almost all of those are using port 23.
The other area I am ignorant of is the fact the connection would come into my router, then to a Raspberry Pi before connecting to the IIe. Would either of those devices be vunerable?
Anyway, I was just wondering if any IIe folks on here have advice on the subject of using port 23 or some other random port number?
Thanks,
Skip
In short (and note this is very short, because there are many asterisks that can be applied here) - Port 23s biggest drawback is that the communication is not encrypted (such as it is with SSH or other encrypted TCP/IP protocols).
If you're not expecting personal information, financial information, passwords, etc. to traverse this communication - Port 23 may be fine. This would be much like wanting to use HTTPS over HTTP for web browsing based on the kinds of information traversing a line.
Note, that some nefarious types may see that Port 23 is "open" - and immediately start looking for a way to exploit in some, way, shape, or capacity - since this was mostly always a very vulnerable service. I would be most worried for some of these people to get the equivalent of "root" access and cause havoc.
To be honest, I wasn't really aware that BBS type services were in such a wide deployment on Port 23. Interesting.
Here's a good Reddit Link if you haven't stumbled on this yet.
SSHs Default is Port 22..
I would think that ALL Bots looking to exploit Port 23, are looking for UN*X/Linux/BSD Logins..
A BBS running on Port 23 wouldn't make any sense to them..
Also, Exploiting a BBS wouldn't have much financial gain... Since they're Run for Fun...
MarkO
Thanks for the replies guys. I am looking at that reddit discussion.
If somebody hacked into my Apple IIe, they would be rewarded by an old BBS from the late 1980s. It would consist of discussions of the type local people would chat about before the days of the internet, and some BBS games of that era. (and possibly some new discussion if any).
However, I am using a Raspberry Pi masquerading as a Hayes modem, it runs in a flavor of Linux. I don't know if I should be concerned about that. It doesn't offer a login, but simply passes the info back and forth between the IIe and the internet. It uses the program TCPSer, so maybe I should try researching any security issues with that program.
Skip
On the subject as well, I hear that there were vulnerabilities in early versions of GBBS Pro that would allow nefarious types the equivalent of 'root'. These were later patched officially and unofficially, something I'm still looking for.
Thanks CWJ_Wilko. I guess I am not too concerned about that.
Skip
Have you seen this...
http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/26/man-runs-telnet-bbs-on-an-apple-iie-using-raspberry-pi-because/
Thanks for posting the link Tokabln.
Yeah, I did see it. that is where I discovered the Raspberry Pi. He inspired me to have another go at mine. I remember enlarging the closeup of his super serial card, so I could see his dip-switches. I set mine the same way.
Last time I looked into resurrecting my old board was back in 2005 and I didn't have the hardware knowledge to overcome the gap between GBBS Pro and it's hard-coded list of old modems (2400 baud top speed)
Sometime between then and now, the Raspberry Pi came along. I was tickled when my Apple IIe and GBBS Pro connected to it the very first time I tried. It doesn't realize the wide open world of the internet is on the other end. I had pictured spending hours tinkering with it.
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