[gentoo-user] Re: [OT] Mysterious vanishing of DNS entry of www.youtube.com...was I hacked?

[James <wireless@tampabay.rr.com>]

 <Meino.Cramer <at> gmx.de> writes:
 
> Hi,
> Was my DSL modem hacked?

Quite possibly. There are a myriad of resources on hacking
modems[1]. Also, most modems support performance configurations
via "S registers". Often, vendors leave access to the modem's
"S registers" accessible and error on the side of ease of access.
Others have brain_dead interfaces, just begging to be hacked.

Then there are the wireless ports, usually configured to just "work"
upon reboot with the widest possible range of open configs. Some
"cable modem" ISPs allow you to purchase better quality hardware
and use it, as long as they are given control over the mode. It's
like the wild wild west, still lots of open range.


Furthermore, modems are still a common, bountiful?, injection point
for all sorts of nefarious activities, including governments not local
to your nation.


What we really need is a gentoo project to have a repository of 
gentoo based open source router (and transparent bridges) solutions.
It's a ton of work for one person to stay on top of. Others will suggest
some solutions like  a shorewall fw behind your cable modem. Sorry for
digressing off the dns specific hacking activity you have most likely
stumbled upon. But if you fix that, and hackers like your node, they'll
just migrate to other layers and parts of the stack.....

On dns security issues, I'd speak with your local ISP in addition to
discovering where your system(s) are resolving off of. Bad routing 
tables and routing instability are constant problems on the wider net.
Your (ISP) router jocks may be understaffed, or just plain lazy.....

There are a myriad of 'third party' solutions to quality/secure dns
services, but, that is the responsibility of your ISP, usually.

net-dns/bind-tools  contains an excellent tool call "dig".
Google for syntax examples......


hth,
James


[1] ISBN-13: 978-1593271015 ISBN-10: 1593271018