Re: Need help closing security holes in my Windows XP home system!

rladbury_at_kittymail.com
Date: 02/27/05 

Date: 27 Feb 2005 04:23:04 -0800

Leythos wrote:

> On Sat, 26 Feb 2005 02:54:33 -0800, rladbury wrote:

> Yes, I'm 120% sure it works, as I do it in several clients locations
and
> in my home with my laptops.
>
> The proper method is to open Network Neighborhood, open ENTIRE
NETWORK,
> Open the workgroup, find the computer that you want to use the
printer on,
> double click on the computer, select the PRINTERS folder and double
click
> it, you should see the "shared" printer, right click and CONNECT or
> INSTALL.
>
> If you got a network error anywhere along the path to the printer you
> didn't have your network setup properly or the User/Pwd on both
computers
> is not the same.

After racking my brains on this for a couple of hours, I finally solved
it! Of course, I had to get over the first hurdle of why I didn't have
a "CONNECT" function on my printer's right-click menu. Not to mention
an "ENTIRE NETWORK" icon. (The convoluted solution to that problem was
to open up Network Places in Explorer, and press "F5" to bring up
"ENTIRE NETWORK").

The main problem I was having with being unable to connect my printers
without enabling the Guest account, was due to the fact that contrary
to your experiences and to what I recall you saying to me, the Guest
account IS necessary for file & printer sharing (according to
Microsoft). Which is why it wouldn't work every time I disabled it.
It's necessary under the "simple printer sharing" scheme. Thing is, I
had disabled simple file & printer sharing on both machines, as per
your advice, but it still didn't work. This turns out to be because on
the main computer, although the feature was unchecked, I didn't click
on "Apply to all folders". Apparently, just unchecking it is too simple
for Microsoft. Why this important function is only found in "folder
options" and not under a network component is beyond me, though...

I forgot to ask why you are against the idea of Windows updates? I've
been religious about staying far away from Microsoft's site and Windows
Updates, up until today, when I finally decided to enable the updates.
Every security site and computer enthusiast site mentions the
importance of windows updates patches. The logic is simple: there are
parts of the OS that are exploited, the (security-related) patches are
designed to plug up 'some' of these holes. NO piece of 3rd party
software can do what all these patches can do, for numerous reasons. At
best, they might use workarounds, if such a thing is possible.

But as you know, there are two different areas of computer security:
exterior and interior. You can try to stop some attacks from going
through the wall, but others are going to get in sooner or later
(unless maybe you just use the net to visit Barney the Dinosaur's web
site, and you hope Barney's site hasn't been taken over by hackers. Or
that an OS exploit hasn't blasted your connection while you were
visiting Barney's site). After the firewall router and 3rd party
security software, the windows update patches protect the interior
against some security issues. (That's the theory anyway). What evidence
do you have that these updates are not helpful? (I need intelligent
opinions from both sides before I decide whether I will continue with
the updates).

Relevant Pages

  • AW: Oh Dear, Where to start?!
    ... place, planning for disaster recovery, and whatever else your poor network ... computer security and policy development. ... updates, driver updates, and recommended updates. ... Evaluating SSL VPNs' Consider NEOTERIS, chosen as leader by top analysts! ...
    (Security-Basics)
  • Fwd: Oh Dear, Where to start?!
    ... It seems to me you need two things: an organizational policy, ... finish college and break into the real world of computer security. ... experience in the field of network security and policy ... updates, driver updates, and recommended updates. ...
    (Security-Basics)
  • Re: Urgent! Receiving a million messages from Microsoft!
    ... New e-mail worm targets hole in Internet Explorer ... security programs that are already running. ... network, as well as copy itself over shared networks, Network Associates ... were offering anti-virus updates that detects and removes the worm. ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.security)
  • RE: Oh Dear, Where to start?!
    ... the first point is to set the wheels in motion to make a security policy ... Once you have control of your network you have to sort out your internal ... updates, driver updates, and recommended updates. ... Evaluating SSL VPNs' Consider NEOTERIS, chosen as leader by top analysts! ...
    (Security-Basics)
  • Re: Cisco Aironet 1200 Series - optimization question
    ... Windoze and anti-virus updates, and cloggs the network for about 15-30 ... see what's actually moving on the wireless link. ... Bittorrent servers running on corporate LAN's and users watching ...
    (alt.internet.wireless)
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