Help I've been pinged (Firestarter Firewall)

[AgeGap]

Just ran Sheilds Up and it said I was pingable.
Solicited TCP Packets: PASSED
Unsolicited Packets: PASSED
Ping Reply: RECEIVED (FAILED) — Your system REPLIED to our Ping (ICMP Echo) requests, making it visible on the Internet. Most personal firewalls can be configured to block, drop, and ignore such ping requests in order to better hide systems from hackers. This is highly recommended since "Ping" is among the oldest and most common methods used to locate systems prior to further exploitation.

Question: How do I configure Firestarter to make me invisible?

Thanks
AgeGap

[leonAzul]

Please look in the preferences for something like "Stealth Mode". What you want the firewall to do is to only respond to exchanges that you have initiated, and never to unsolicited exchanges.

[six7s]

This link (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&as_qdr=all&q=define%3Aparanoia&btnG=Search) might help

[AgeGap]

Please look in the preferences for something like "Stealth Mode". What you want the firewall to do is to only respond to exchanges that you have initiated, and never to unsolicited exchanges.

Tried that but I can't find the settings I need. I will have a play with the settings and rerun Sheilds Up.

Blather, blather, blather.

Hrumph.

[Yalius]

Also check if you're using a DSL or cable modem with a built-in router. A lot of them will have pingback enabled to assist your ISP in diagnosing and troubleshooting connection issues. If you're using Shields Up! from behind one of those gateways, it's testing the gateway, not your computer.

[wolves_skeptic]

Disabling Ping might stop people finding out if you are there but it's possible that doing it will bite you in the backside one day when you're trying to diagnose a network problem.

ICMP messages such as Ping can be used to "discover systems" but it's usually much easier to get a person to run a malicious programme than find a massive list of pingable systems and then go down each one to find one with loopholes.

Six7s has a point when he mentions paranoia.

[AgeGap]

Lay off with the paranoia, already!
Shields Up (at https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2) says my security is below par. I just thought I would ask the nice friendly people on the forum for a few tips.
The last thing I need right now is an NWO hacker taking my computer down. I need to be able to send a help signal before they land their black helicopters.
Would wrapping the computer in tin foil help?

[Dancing David]

I suggest burnin sage! ;)

I will see what Major Geeks has to say, be right back.

ETA: The Geeks don't think so.

[Blue Mountain]

Also check if you're using a DSL or cable modem with a built-in router. A lot of them will have pingback enabled to assist your ISP in diagnosing and troubleshooting connection issues. If you're using Shields Up! from behind one of those gateways, it's testing the gateway, not your computer.
I second that. It's important to know which piece of equipment to configure. A router/firewall will take care of a lot of potential attacks by itself.

[ladyattis]

Basically, you want your firewall to ignore all external traffic that it's not reference to an accepted program if we're talking software firewalls. Hardware firewalls you just want to ignore pings altogether especially if your LAN has some services like printers or file shares. You don't want that sort of stuff leaking out.

[AgeGap]

Thanks y'all. Settings now fettled and Sheilds Up gives me a pass. (Something to do with ICMP.)