How to hide shared document folder

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Hi,

My PC installed with XP Professional has one shared document folder
under My Computer "tree". That folder has 2 sub-folders named "shared
music" & "shared pictures". I remembered previously that I have run
network installation wizard to enable this PC to share folders
internally with other PCs in my private LAN.

Now, I use this PC to surf internet. I would like to know if these
folders will open a back door for intruder while browsing internet ? If
so, what should I do to protect against this P.S. I have installed &
activated Norton Internet Security.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

These folders are shared for user's of your network. They do not create any kind of back door. If an intruder can hack into your system to get that far, then you're pretty well screwed anyway.

Use a good quality firewall and use strong passwords on all the user accounts on your system.

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"emil_lam" <Emil_Lam@mailcity.com> wrote in message news:1124898636.150993.286630@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> Hi,
>
> My PC installed with XP Professional has one shared document folder
> under My Computer "tree". That folder has 2 sub-folders named "shared
> music" & "shared pictures". I remembered previously that I have run
> network installation wizard to enable this PC to share folders
> internally with other PCs in my private LAN.
>
> Now, I use this PC to surf internet. I would like to know if these
> folders will open a back door for intruder while browsing internet ? If
> so, what should I do to protect against this P.S. I have installed &
> activated Norton Internet Security.
>
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

Doug Knox MS-MVP 寫道：

> These folders are shared for user's of your network. They do not create any kind of back door.

Doug,

You mean no information about my computer & file system installed
inside will be exposed via this folder ? Will outsider see this folder
& content inside automatically if they know my IP address ?

If an intruder can hack into your system to get that far, then you're
pretty well screwed anyway.
>
> Use a good quality firewall and use strong passwords on all the user accounts on your system.
>
> --
> Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
> Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
> http://www.dougknox.com
> --------------------------------
> Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
> http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
> --------------------------------
> Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
> Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
>
> "emil_lam" <Emil_Lam@mailcity.com> wrote in message news:1124898636.150993.286630@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > My PC installed with XP Professional has one shared document folder
> > under My Computer "tree". That folder has 2 sub-folders named "shared
> > music" & "shared pictures". I remembered previously that I have run
> > network installation wizard to enable this PC to share folders
> > internally with other PCs in my private LAN.
> >
> > Now, I use this PC to surf internet. I would like to know if these
> > folders will open a back door for intruder while browsing internet ? If
> > so, what should I do to protect against this P.S. I have installed &
> > activated Norton Internet Security.
> >
> >
> >

 

[Malke]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

emil_lam wrote:

>
> Doug Knox MS-MVP 寫道：
>
>> These folders are shared for user's of your network. They do not
>> create any kind of back door.
>
> Doug,
>
> You mean no information about my computer & file system installed
> inside will be exposed via this folder ? Will outsider see this folder
> & content inside automatically if they know my IP address ?
>
> If an intruder can hack into your system to get that far, then you're
> pretty well screwed anyway.
>>
>> Use a good quality firewall and use strong passwords on all the user
>> accounts on your system.
>>

In addition to doing as Doug suggested, if you are connected to the
Internet by broadband (cable, DSL) consider buying a router - even if
this is a standalone machine. Home routers are quite inexpensive and
while they aren't the same as a true hardware firewall, they provide
your computer with a private IP address that can't be seen from the
Internet. That isn't to say no one can ever get into your system, but a
router is an additional layer of protection.

In any case, the folder you are concerned about does not open any doors
into your system. As Doug told you, if your system is compromised then
it will not be through the existence of that folder and the intruder
will have possession of your entire computer.

Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general (More info?)

Thanks Malke

>
> In addition to doing as Doug suggested, if you are connected to the
> Internet by broadband (cable, DSL) consider buying a router - even if
> this is a standalone machine. Home routers are quite inexpensive and
> while they aren't the same as a true hardware firewall, they provide
> your computer with a private IP address that can't be seen from the
> Internet.

I used VDSL connection. My computer has Norton Internet Security
installed. How it compares to your suggested router concerning
protection ? Also, I suspected the IP allocated by my ISP was not
'real' one because it kept the same every time I checked it. I doubt if
my ISP can reserve so much real IP for its customers especially when
they have tens of thousands of home subscribers.

> That isn't to say no one can ever get into your system, but a
> router is an additional layer of protection.
>
> In any case, the folder you are concerned about does not open any doors
> into your system. As Doug told you, if your system is compromised then
> it will not be through the existence of that folder and the intruder
> will have possession of your entire computer.
>
> Malke
> --
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic!"
> MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.general,microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin,microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

They can only see the folders if they know, or can guess your username/password combination and can connect to your computer remotely. If they're that far ahead of you, you're already in trouble.

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

"emil_lam" <Emil_Lam@mailcity.com> wrote in message news:1124948470.626896.213230@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...

Doug Knox MS-MVP 寫道：

> These folders are shared for user's of your network. They do not create any kind of back door.

Doug,

You mean no information about my computer & file system installed
inside will be exposed via this folder ? Will outsider see this folder
& content inside automatically if they know my IP address ?

If an intruder can hack into your system to get that far, then you're
pretty well screwed anyway.
>
> Use a good quality firewall and use strong passwords on all the user accounts on your system.
>
> --
> Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
> Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
> http://www.dougknox.com
> --------------------------------
> Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
> http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
> --------------------------------
> Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
> Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.
>
> "emil_lam" <Emil_Lam@mailcity.com> wrote in message news:1124898636.150993.286630@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
> > Hi,
> >
> > My PC installed with XP Professional has one shared document folder
> > under My Computer "tree". That folder has 2 sub-folders named "shared
> > music" & "shared pictures". I remembered previously that I have run
> > network installation wizard to enable this PC to share folders
> > internally with other PCs in my private LAN.
> >
> > Now, I use this PC to surf internet. I would like to know if these
> > folders will open a back door for intruder while browsing internet ? If
> > so, what should I do to protect against this P.S. I have installed &
> > activated Norton Internet Security.
> >
> >
> >