Urgent !!! Is vnc viewer a peeper ?

Sorry, I am a complete novice to linux : but still I would like to know : If
the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address written in
my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon as I am on line
(without me knowing it)?
Thanks

Sally

Sally wrote:
> Sorry, I am a complete novice to linux : but still I would like to know : If
> the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address written in
> my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon as I am on line
> (without me knowing it)?
> Thanks
>
> Sally
>
>
This is not really Linux specific, but...
VNC Viewer and the VNC "server" are distinct programs, doesn't matter
the platform.
If you don't have the vnc server running, nobody can connect to you.

By default, VNC servers will "bind" to ports 5900 and on, so, if in
doubt, do a netstat -an |grep 590 this should give you something like :
....
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5901 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5902 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5903 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5904 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
....
if you have, as in my example, VNC serving displays 1 to 4
[], <O-O>

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 11:24:50 -0400, Julio Arruda wrote:
> Sally wrote:

>> If the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address
>> written in my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon
>> as I am on line (without me knowing it)?

>VNC Viewer and the VNC "server" are distinct programs, doesn't
>matter the platform. If you don't have the vnc server running, nobody
>can connect to you.

And, even if you do, they would need to know your password and, in
normal use, would connect to another X server, not to whatever is being
done in a usual desktop session.

Bob T.

Sally wrote:
> Sorry, I am a complete novice to linux : but still I would like to know : If
> the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address written in
> my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon as I am on line
> (without me knowing it)?

Like the others said, the VNC viewer is a client that lets you look at
other computers: but only computers deliberately set up with a server
to let you do it. And you need a vnc-specific password too (not the
system password, for obvious reasons)

The host programmed the computer (that includes the passwords).., what does
that imply ?

Sally
<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> Sally wrote:
>> Sorry, I am a complete novice to linux : but still I would like to know :
>> If
>> the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address written
>> in
>> my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon as I am on line
>> (without me knowing it)?
>
> Like the others said, the VNC viewer is a client that lets you look at
> other computers: but only computers deliberately set up with a server
> to let you do it. And you need a vnc-specific password too (not the
> system password, for obvious reasons)
>

Thanks, Julio, for your detailed answer - you seem to know a lot about the
subject.

Sally
"Julio Arruda" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:gj19u2-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Sally wrote:
>> Sorry, I am a complete novice to linux : but still I would like to know :
>> If the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address
>> written in my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon as I
>> am on line (without me knowing it)?
>> Thanks
>>
>> Sally
> This is not really Linux specific, but...
> VNC Viewer and the VNC "server" are distinct programs, doesn't matter the
> platform.
> If you don't have the vnc server running, nobody can connect to you.
>
> By default, VNC servers will "bind" to ports 5900 and on, so, if in doubt,
> do a netstat -an |grep 590 this should give you something like :
> ...
> tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5901 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
> tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5902 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
> tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5903 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
> tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:5904 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN
> ...
> if you have, as in my example, VNC serving displays 1 to 4
> [], <O-O>

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 00:04:14 GMT, Sally <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
| The host programmed the computer (that includes the passwords).., what does
| that imply ?


What, exactly, do you mean by the word "host" in this context?


| Sally
| <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
| news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
|> Sally wrote:
|>> Sorry, I am a complete novice to linux : but still I would like to know :
|>> If
|>> the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address written
|>> in
|>> my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon as I am on line
|>> (without me knowing it)?
|>
|> Like the others said, the VNC viewer is a client that lets you look at
|> other computers: but only computers deliberately set up with a server
|> to let you do it. And you need a vnc-specific password too (not the
|> system password, for obvious reasons)


--
Reverend Paul Colquhoun, ULC. http://andor.dropbear.id.au/~paulcol
Asking for technical help in newsgroups? Read this first:
http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#intro

As I said, I am no 'Wizard of OS' at all.. I call 'it/them' the host,
because the domain address in the connections is called the 'host'. I got
this computer from somebody else, programmed, set up and password protected
by somebody else (I got my password as well and usually can't access the
administrator 'section'). Now I found their domain address in the network
connections and the vnc viewer installed and I am wondering, if they can
access my computer any time they please..

Sally
"Paul Colquhoun" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) u...
> On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 00:04:14 GMT, Sally <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> | The host programmed the computer (that includes the passwords).., what
> does
> | that imply ?
>
>
> What, exactly, do you mean by the word "host" in this context?
>
>
> | Sally
> | <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> | news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
> |> Sally wrote:
> |>> Sorry, I am a complete novice to linux : but still I would like to
> know :
> |>> If
> |>> the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address
> written
> |>> in
> |>> my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon as I am on
> line
> |>> (without me knowing it)?
> |>
> |> Like the others said, the VNC viewer is a client that lets you look at
> |> other computers: but only computers deliberately set up with a server
> |> to let you do it. And you need a vnc-specific password too (not the
> |> system password, for obvious reasons)
>
>
> --
> Reverend Paul Colquhoun, ULC. http://andor.dropbear.id.au/~paulcol
> Asking for technical help in newsgroups? Read this first:
> http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#intro

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Sally wrote:
> As I said, I am no 'Wizard of OS' at all.. I call 'it/them' the host,
> because the domain address in the connections is called the 'host'. I got
> this computer from somebody else, programmed, set up and password protected
> by somebody else (I got my password as well and usually can't access the
> administrator 'section'). Now I found their domain address in the network
> connections and the vnc viewer installed and I am wondering, if they can
> access my computer any time they please..
>
> Sally
> "Paul Colquhoun" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed) u...
>
>>On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 00:04:14 GMT, Sally <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>| The host programmed the computer (that includes the passwords).., what
>>does
>>| that imply ?
>>
>>
>>What, exactly, do you mean by the word "host" in this context?
>>
>>
>>| Sally
>>| <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>| news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
>>|> Sally wrote:
>>|>> Sorry, I am a complete novice to linux : but still I would like to
>>know :
>>|>> If
>>|>> the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address
>>written
>>|>> in
>>|>> my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon as I am on
>>line
>>|>> (without me knowing it)?
>>|>
>>|> Like the others said, the VNC viewer is a client that lets you look at
>>|> other computers: but only computers deliberately set up with a server
>>|> to let you do it. And you need a vnc-specific password too (not the
>>|> system password, for obvious reasons)
>>
>>
>>--
>>Reverend Paul Colquhoun, ULC. http://andor.dropbear.id.au/~paulcol
>> Asking for technical help in newsgroups? Read this first:
>> http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#intro
>
>
>

So, you mean someone else has root access to this computer? If so, then
they probably can access it any time they want, but not with VNC.
Also, aargh top posting :/

- --
Ray (Our name is Legion, for we are many.)
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (GNU/Linux)

iD8DBQFDEmmwKwExTSbpHqgRApZ8AJ9X85670HaUt38apnfSTu +C56G6EACfSWzz
igbuQWJrBTebIasgTGgIhho=
=oQmw
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

Thanks Ray and please forgive the impertinence, but can they or can't they
(you said "probably") and if they can, with what/how and why not with vnc
viewer/server combo?

Sally

PS. I didn't understand the "also aaargh top posting bit:/" ?????????????

"Raymond Pasco" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:VQtQe.578$(E-Mail Removed). ..
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> Sally wrote:
>> As I said, I am no 'Wizard of OS' at all.. I call 'it/them' the host,
>> because the domain address in the connections is called the 'host'. I got
>> this computer from somebody else, programmed, set up and password
>> protected
>> by somebody else (I got my password as well and usually can't access the
>> administrator 'section'). Now I found their domain address in the network
>> connections and the vnc viewer installed and I am wondering, if they can
>> access my computer any time they please..
>>
>> Sally
>> "Paul Colquhoun" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>> news:(E-Mail Removed) u...
>>
>>>On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 00:04:14 GMT, Sally <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>| The host programmed the computer (that includes the passwords).., what
>>>does
>>>| that imply ?
>>>
>>>
>>>What, exactly, do you mean by the word "host" in this context?
>>>
>>>
>>>| Sally
>>>| <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>>| news:(E-Mail Removed) oups.com...
>>>|> Sally wrote:
>>>|>> Sorry, I am a complete novice to linux : but still I would like to
>>>know :
>>>|>> If
>>>|>> the vnc viewer is installed in my computer and the host address
>>>written
>>>|>> in
>>>|>> my connections, can the host excess my computer as soon as I am on
>>>line
>>>|>> (without me knowing it)?
>>>|>
>>>|> Like the others said, the VNC viewer is a client that lets you look at
>>>|> other computers: but only computers deliberately set up with a server
>>>|> to let you do it. And you need a vnc-specific password too (not the
>>>|> system password, for obvious reasons)
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>Reverend Paul Colquhoun, ULC. http://andor.dropbear.id.au/~paulcol
>>> Asking for technical help in newsgroups? Read this first:
>>> http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#intro
>>
>>
>>
>
> So, you mean someone else has root access to this computer? If so, then
> they probably can access it any time they want, but not with VNC.
> Also, aargh top posting :/
>
> - --
> Ray (Our name is Legion, for we are many.)
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (GNU/Linux)
>
> iD8DBQFDEmmwKwExTSbpHqgRApZ8AJ9X85670HaUt38apnfSTu +C56G6EACfSWzz
> igbuQWJrBTebIasgTGgIhho=
> =oQmw
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----