Network Security Warning ..... How to Protect Yourself On The Internet

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Originally posted by PCBruiser
Printer sharing - go into Start/Settings/Printers. Pick the printer on the 2nd, then rediscover the priner, you probably just need to refind it.

P2P. Because of all the problems with P2P, I simply won't use it. Too much likelyhood of malware, viruses, etc., simply not worth the risks to me for my tastes, so I can't really help you with that one.

I'm having trouble sharing my printer on my network too...it was shared just fine till I applied MS HOTFIX 821557....I also updated the firmware on my dlink router on the same time....(ooooops, I know 1 thing at a time)
Tried removing the hot fix....nadda
System restore to before I installed it...still nada....my oldest ghost image is after the install too
Is it possible there are still traces of the hotfix buggering things up? The MS site says to phone their help line and pay em to fix this hotfix .......I'll reformat first

Quote from Microsoft site
The shortcut to the Printers and Faxes share does not work on your Windows XP-based computer
Applies To
SYMPTOMS
On your Microsoft Windows XP-based computer, when you try to use a shortcut to the Printers and Faxes share on your print server, a search for the share starts, but the search may time out, and you may receive a message that says that the share cannot be found. This problem may occur even if the shortcut worked correctly before.
CAUSE
This problem may occur if you have applied the hotfix that is described in the Microsoft Knowledge Base articles 330836 and 821557.
RESOLUTION
Hotfix information
A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows XP service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[LN];CNTACTMS

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

[PCBruiser]

Originally posted by pointreyes
I use p2p (bittorrent) because I sometimes like to download my missed tv shows. I have my router setup to not be pingable and I have the proper port opened up through the router for the p2p software to connect. I have done a port scan through shieldsup and sos and those ports do not come up but I'm able to use p2p. See attached pic to see how I have the ports setup on my router-this will provide you with the correct port number you must allow for incoming packets.

Appropriate uses ... appropriate results. My response was not directed at the open port issues, but rather all the other bad stuff that is roaming the P2P world.

[GAM]

Thanks for all info and responses.

I have got eMule working now. I had already previously opened the necessary portS for eMule and now believe the significant change is in the NIS Personal Firewall where I have now created a rule that allows this program to use these ports.

As for Printer Sharing. I can see and have added the Printer on 2nd PC, it just doesn't want to print giving the message: 'Test page failed to print. Would you like to view the print trouble sho...'

As another mentioned, I was also able to print in the past, although, I couldn't say what had changed in the meantime.

[adamsfbay]

Originally posted by Fraoch
Good HOSTS file here too, and it's updated about once a week.

Great tip! I will check there regularly.

For those not familiar, your PC can be designated as a DNS Server - meaning applications may be directed to look at a locally stored Hosts file first to match a DNS name to an IP address. Host files, like the one above, list out dangerous or annoying sites and map them to your local computer IP - 127.0.0.1, meaning they don't get looked up at all.

In Windows XP, you have to adjust some settings to make this happen. First, look up your ISP setting for the DNS servers they likely automatically assign to you.

Then open up your active network connection, and select Advanced, then the DNS tab. Add as the first DNS server 127.0.0.1, then your ISP servers as number 2 and 3. Save.

Go to the start menu and right click My Computer, then select manage. Then open the services window, and THEN disable the DNS Client Service in Windows XP (it's safe to do so and it can interfere with this local lookup). Restart.

Open your browser, and you should find that all your "normal" sites load just as quickly as before. But type in the name of a "listed" site, and voila - connection refused! This is especially useful for popups, dangerous links, etc. - but it's only as good as the quality of your HOSTS file (Windows/System32/drivers/etc.), so keep it updated!

-Adam

[wayne_abx]

A simple way to see what ports are being used on your (XP) machine;
At the 'Command Prompt' type: netstat -a -n

Sample gif listed below:

-wayne

[wayne_abx]

Originally posted by pointreyes
Just because Cisco has acquired Linksys does not mean that Linksys has gotten better. I have always been hesistant with a Linksys for a router and looks like it was a good thing I was.

http://techupdate.zdnet.com/techupda..._and_DDoS.html

He was wrong regarding Netgear routers:

NetGear, has port 113 stealthed by default on its devices.

Port 113 and 80 are 'CLOSED' by default not blocked regarding the WGR614v1 w/1126 firmware

Another point regarding Upnp, this is also program dependent such as MS Instant Messenger, it would be a waste currently to enable Upnp since the availability of programs that utilize Upnp is extreamily limited.

Also, with the advent of program 'activation' port 113 may become active again, some programs phone home (if connected to the internet) Sony Sound Forge, Macromedia products, Copernic Agent Pro, CuteFTP Pro, Frontpage 2003 etc... just to name a couple

-wayne

[Fraoch]

Originally posted by pointreyes
I use p2p (bittorrent) because I sometimes like to download my missed tv shows. I have my router setup to not be pingable and I have the proper port opened up through the router for the p2p software to connect. I have done a port scan through shieldsup and sos and those ports do not come up but I'm able to use p2p. See attached pic to see how I have the ports setup on my router-this will provide you with the correct port number you must allow for incoming packets.

I'm wondering if this is related to the problem I've been having with WinMX ever since upgrading to high-speed.

Most connections to other high-speed users fail with a "Waiting for incoming connection" message. For some reason, I can connect to dial-up users just fine!

I did enable port forwarding of the affected WinMX ports. That didn't do anything.

[alien resident]

How would one know if they have been compromised. I have McAfee's Firewall on my computer. And I get notices of scan attempts. But a couple times I've had to disable the firewall to do some liveupdating (Creative Soundblaster). I always activated right after I was thru. But my concern is what if someone got in while it was disabled. "No sense in locking the door if the thief is already IN the house" is the way I ma thinking .

[wayne_abx]

As I reported earlier above regarding the netgear WGR614 and port 113 and 80 being reported as closed instead of being reported as blocked. Found a way around it:

Forward the questionable port to an none existed internal IP then re-scan, it should now be reported as blocked..... by doing it this way, it won't interfere with normal operations (just don't use an internal IP that is being used or planning to use).

-wayne

[PCBruiser]

Well, here is my next installment on locking down your system. This one is for the truly paranoid, those not content with "only" the networking lock down procedures I have posted earlier in this thread. Encryption.

Encryption encodes files/folders/drives with one of several mathematical algorythms to make them impossible to read or decypher without access to the same encryption technology and encryption keys. There are two major ways to encrypt files, one-time encryptions and real-time. One time requires that the files be unencrypted before use because software cannot understand an encrypted file. Real-time permits files to be encrypted and unencrypted on an as needed basis by a resident service which intercepts the request for a file and unencrypts it "on the fly". The major advantage of real-time encryption is that the hard drive image of the file is never resident on the hard drive in an unencrypted form. Thus, if a scanner is able to bypass all of your network precautions, all they can actually see is the encrypted file. And, it is more convenient.

Files can be encrypted at 5 levels:

- as individual files,
- as folders of files,
- as a virtual hard drive or "container",
- as an entire hard drive, or
- hidden inside of another file, an innocent looking mp3, wav or video file for example, using a technique called steganography.

There are freeware encryption packages like PGP ("Pretty Good Protection"), and shareware/commercial ones offering more more encryption algorythms, higher levels of encryption and real-time alternatives. While Windows XP does offer encryption at the OS level, just as it offers file compression, the algorythms used are, while better than nothing, relatively "weak" mathematically in terms of their encryption techniques, as compared to other free-standing packages.

[UH60LimaTI]

That's deep!!

I'm learning something new everyday, Thank PCB

I do have a question that's played on my mind B4.

Can a programs ".exe" be Password protected so it'll keep others from running said program?

[PCBruiser]

You can do this by setting the security permissions for the individual .exe files on their properties tabs.

[UH60LimaTI]

Originally posted by PCBruiser
You can do this by setting the security permissions for the individual .exe files on their properties tabs.

Right clicking on the ".exe" file itself?

I tried but nothing showed up that I saw for "security"


BTW=XP Home Edition

Thanks PCB

[PCBruiser]

Ah, I'm not sure that Home offers that option. Pro does.

[UH60LimaTI]

Originally posted by PCBruiser
Ah, I'm not sure that Home offers that option. Pro does.

yea, that's what I'm thinking. Looked elsewhere and cain't find that option. Guess I'll search for a 3rd party Prog

Thanks again PCB