SSH access to machine behind router

[R. Hirschfeld]

> Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 13:43:25 -0600
> From: Clinton MacDonald <clint.macdonald at sbcglobal.net>

> As was hinted in this forum, the solution was quite easy, once I knew 
> the trick. My router has a Web interface, and Port Forwarding was one of 
> the options. I chose to add a new port (port 22 for ssh was not one of 
> the defaults), and typed in my primary machine's local IP address 
> (192.168.0.2). Then, I waited until I got to work and typed "ssh 
> 66.xxx.xxx.xxx" in the Terminal. I was rewarded with the RSA 
> authentification dialog, then asked for my password. A quick "ls" showed 
> me my Mac OS X home directory. I can also transfer files using an SFTP 
> client (Fugu for Mac OS X has my highest recommendation). I suppose from 
> the Mac OS X machine, I could ssh into my home Linux box for more fun 
> and games (not yet tested).

I had a similar setup but I recently turned off the port forwarding
(my NAT box calls it a "virtual server") because of dictionary
password attacks from the outside world.  Apparently these are quite
common and widespread nowadays, originating from virus-infected zombie
machines directed by script kiddies to do port scans and start
guessing logins and passwords when they find an open port.  Check
/var/log/secure to see whether your system is under attack--many are
without their owners realizing it.

Ray