Don't Want to Give Hackers an opening

[TravelswCharlie]

If I use entropy chat or a guest book or another very simple method of allowing feedback from users, am I making it easier for a hacker to get into my site?

Thanks for any advice.

[WebJDC]

yes...

many of these 3rd party software are 'easy' for a hacker to break into.
especialy if you use a more 'mainstreem' one because its easier to target, for example the image gallery 4images, many people use it, so hackers find ways to exploit it and get it to do what they want. hackers then share what they know and you can get more hackers attacking people with that specific software.

and so in that thought process the software where tons of people are using are more likely to be attacked, but they keep updating them and fixing exploits and bugs that allows hackers in...
now lesser used software, often isnt made by a programmers that is good as the more used ones, so they may not have made it as air tight as a more popular one, meaning the code might now be as good, and easy for a real hacker to do something.

[TravelswCharlie]

I'm not sure whether you are speaking in general terms or whether you mean that by installing the "entrophy chat" available here, that I have made my computer more vulnerable, and I should uninstall it?

I don't have the skills to "fight" an attack any way but to just avoid it in the first place, so if that's what I should do, I'll just remove it.

Thanks for the response.

CJ

[WebJDC]

i actually doubt you will get hacked...
but to answer your question, it does increase your chances.

i don't know anything on entrophy chat...
i wish more users who knew more than me would speak up

[PhreakPhy]

Any time you are running software or hardware you risk being hacked. So if you really want to be secure just turn off your computer and unplug everything. Only then will your data be 90% secure. There is always the risk someone could break in and steal it.

I am being sarcastic, but in all reality you should not be afraid to run a piece of software just because you don’t want to be hacked. Run the software that you need to gain the functionality that you desire. Because if you are so hacker paranoid that you wont, then you definitely shouldn’t be running Windows.

-Phreak

[TravelswCharlie]

Any time you are running software or hardware you risk being hacked. So if you really want to be secure just turn off your computer and unplug everything. Only then will your data be 90% secure. There is always the risk someone could break in and steal it.

I am being sarcastic, but in all reality you should not be afraid to run a piece of software just because you don’t want to be hacked. Run the software that you need to gain the functionality that you desire. Because if you are so hacker paranoid that you wont, then you definitely shouldn’t be running Windows.

-Phreak
I may get hit by a truck when I walk out the front door... but if I look before I cross the street, I increase my chances of avoiding that truck.

The question was not "how can I avoid hackers forever?" but "does chat provide an opening?"... that's quite a difference.

[TravelswCharlie]

i actually doubt you will get hacked...
but to answer your question, it does increase your chances.

i don't know anything on entrophy chat...
i wish more users who knew more than me would speak up

Ok, thanks a lot. I do appreciate your effort to help.

In the absense of someone who knows more than either of us, I'll just remove it... I don't need it badly enough to increase the risk even a tiny bit.

[PhreakPhy]

I had an Idea, it may not work for your needs, but it will for others. You can imbed an Iframe from Gabbly. It is not hosted on your site so there is no opening for hackers. The only stinker is there is no way to change the way it looks.

You can see how I have implemented this at http://www.soldiersofjeebus.com/chat.php

[Shwaza]

Actually, using mainstream open-source programs is usually much safer especially for beginner coders. The developers who write them know what they are doing and they are much harder to break into than some new coder leaving obvious places for SQL injection or other very easy attacks open.